Young Hormonal Amazon

[wrench13]

Forsooth that seemeth a jolly good idea.

 

[Chenetaqwa]

Thank you for the information. When you say a light clip, do you mean a couple of flight feathers on one wing?
I don't want to talk too soon in case I jinx it, but he hasn't attacked me since I last posted. In fact, he's been the opposite, wanting cuddles and tickles behind the head.
I took your advice and try not to touch him below the head. I'd been heating frozen veggies up for him, but I got to a fruit and veggie shop and got him lots of fresh veggies and have been feeding those to him.
I've also been making him spend time in his cage. I'd be letting him out all day.
Sometimes when he plays, he gets very excited and starts attacking his toys. When this happens, I'd also get attacked. It's like his excitement turns into aggression, perhaps?
Thanks again for the info. It's really helpful.

I need to make a comment about wing clipping... personally I don't like it or do it to my birds but if you feel the need to clip please don't clip just one wing ..that throws off the birds balance when flying

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I've noticed that you mentioned the behavior started right after you returned home from a two-week holiday. I've experienced where my birds would be aggressive after a big change in routine. Could he be angry with you for leaving him? I did not see read how long this has been going on and was just wondering if this is a possibility. Of course, I could be completely wrong but thought I would offer this.

Is it possible that some parrots simply don't like an individual or people in general?

 

[texsize]

Amazons especially can take a dislike to family members.
they tend to be a one person bird but not always.

 

[wrench13]

Make a note: When you are going to be away from your parrot for a day or longer, explain it to him well in advance. Trust me, doing it will reduce the anger they might feel. Start a few days before, use your fingers to show how long you will be away. If I dont do this, Salty is pissed off at me for a few days after I return. And pissed off parrot usually means OUCH!!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Make a note: When you are going to be away from your parrot for a day or longer, explain it to him well in advance. Trust me, doing it will reduce the anger they might feel. Start a few days before, use your fingers to show how long you will be away. If I dont do this, Salty is pissed off at me for a few days after I return. And pissed off parrot usually means OUCH!!

You explain that you are going to be away to your parrot starting days ahead of time? Does your parrot really understand human language to that degree and the concept of time? If so, how do you know and how did you teach him that? I thought parrots lived in the moment, having about as much understanding of time and the future as a child under about two or a dog. Everyone says that when you are trying to teach a dog not to do something you must correct them when they are actually doing it or they won't be able to associate the consequences with the unwanted behavior.

 

[Cottonoid]

I do think many parrots, especially the longer-lived species, have more complex thinking than we realize.

But it also works with my dog - the routine of On Workdays, We Do This, versus On Weekends, We Do That. She and my neighbor's dog both get very excited on Sunday afternoons because they know it's the night we all get together for dinner in one of our houses, because it's followed the previous routine of the week. So the routine of explaining where I'm going, and showing my pets my bag a few days before, then letting them watch me pack, does help.

@Keatz I'm so glad things are calming down! There's a very very sweet Orange Winged Amazon where I volunteer who developed a great dislike for me when I befriended his BFF. He hasn't *actually* attacked me, but even just the posturing is very intimidating!!!

 

[SailBoat]

Prior to retiring, I travel extensively and we used one of my Golf ball racks to displace when I would return. The first time, was of little interest to our Amazon, but by day six she clearly understood there was a connection and when there was a couple of days left, she removed the last two balls and every time, my dear wife would replace the balls, she would remove them.

My arrival home was met with an expecting me and very happy Amazon!

The here and now existence among the larger Parrots is true, but they clearly work in the future as they plan and store things for future use.

 

[wrench13]

Donna, all I can say is what I've done and what works with Salty. If I explain the absence in advance, he is basically fine upon my return. If I dont, its days of grumpy, bitey bird. Salty also exhibits dissociative (?) knowledge all the time.
Like if i have 3 identical cups, and he sees me put a treat under one, and mix them all up, he knows not only that the treat is still under the cup, but which one it is under. From what i've read, parrots can do that rather easily.

Cotton - We keep to a pretty rigid schedule here. 8:45PM , the decks get cleared and I start setting up for the night's training session. If I don't start by 8:50, Salty starts getting antsy and loud. Every Tues day, I go to a jam session in the evening and miss the training session. All Salty needs to hear is the sound of me putting my fiddle case down on the front door landing, and he gets loud and P/O'd, he knows it's Tuesday!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Donna, all I can say is what I've done and what works with Salty. If I explain the absence in advance, he is basically fine upon my return. If I dont, its days of grumpy, bitey bird. Salty also exhibits dissociative (?) knowledge all the time.
Like if i have 3 identical cups, and he sees me put a treat under one, and mix them all up, he knows not only that the treat is still under the cup, but which one it is under. From what i've read, parrots can do that rather easily.

Cotton - We keep to a pretty rigid schedule here. 8:45PM , the decks get cleared and I start setting up for the night's training session. If I don't start by 8:50, Salty starts getting antsy and loud. Every Tues day, I go to a jam session in the evening and miss the training session. All Salty needs to hear is the sound of me putting my fiddle case down on the front door landing, and he gets loud and P/O'd, he knows it's Tuesday!

I have no doubt Salty is very intelligent and can find the treat when you shuffle the cups and that parrots are very sensitive to changes in their daily routine. They know when you normally come home and certainly will get upset when you don't show up when expected. And I can see how they can learn that when you pack your bag you're going away. And they must hate being left behind not knowing how long you're going to be gone. And even hold a grudge for a while when you get home. The only thing that sounded a bit too much was understanding when you tell them when you're coming home and handling it better when you tell them in advance. But what do I know? You have a special relationship with Salty that only you two can really understand. I just wish my birds understood me when I talked to them! But my birds are Budgies and maybe they aren't as smart.

 

[JimsBrother]

Animals most definitely have a sense of time. My work day begins at 7 and ends at 5 (work from home). Every day at 4:45 both birds get noisy - they want their supper and my company.

I had a cat who knew that 5:30 AM was time for me to get up and give her breakfast. On weekends I slept late and she'd jump on my bed and tell me, "Get up! Feed me!".