Feral!

589 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Melanie, 24 d ago

Melanie

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

I’m usually at home with River and he’s out of his cage from about 9am. However, on Wednesday I had a hospital appointment and I didn’t let him out until I was back at noon. He was so fired up for the rest of that day and was even flying at my neck! He was so naughty.

I thought he’d calm down by next day but here we are on Friday and he’s still fired up and yelling. I was here all the rest of Wednesday and all of Thursday and all of today but he just attacked me in the kitchen 😕 I was trying to drain vegetables and he just flew at me trying to bite.

He didn’t do this the last time I had a hospital appointment, but then he was out all day due to my appointment being in the late afternoon. I’m thinking perhaps it’s because he didn’t come out until I’d been to my appointment? I disrupted his routine.

Or could it be hormones? I’m his only parront now, as my husband left at Christmas and he’s always been bonded to me. He’s just had his second Hatchday and this is his cage:

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ozzie3860

· #2 · 2 mo ago

River is a lucky bird with a very good set up. He is also in spring where little birds especially male ones get a double dosed of that young male aspect of the species they all get.
We are getting a serious dose from Rio at the moment ourselfs.
Little young birds seem to act like little children. Rio definitely acts more like a child than my first two older rescues did.
I am not sure how to get through your current little one being a jerk at this time. I tried a few things over time that have worked a bit depending on their mood. The biggest one is to leave them locked up a while longer or when they act up lock them up. Hopefully they have enough to them to figure it out and stop the antics.

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Melanie

Discussion Starter · #3 · 2 mo ago

Thank you for replying 🙂 he just came to me in the living room and sat nicely on my shoulder but then I went into the kitchen and he attacked me from behind! Little monster 😵‍💫

I’m sorry to hear Rio is playing up too. They’re quite scary when they’re like this! I’m trying to power through and keep handling him as he now steps up but he just steps up sweetly and then starts gnawing on my knuckles!

I’d give him time out if I could manage to catch him! I put him back on Wednesday after he went for my neck but he resumed the shrieking the moment I let him out again.

Willow, my first wasn’t like this at all but then she was a girl. I just hope he (and Rio) calm down soon!

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kirstenmae

· #4 · 2 mo ago

I don't know how much you talk to your little guy. I talk to Cirrus the way I talked to my children when they were tiny. He gets upset if I get home late, but I talk to him and tell him I'm so sorry to be late and how happy I am to see him again, and he seems to forgive me... so far, anyway. He's just over a year, though, and it has been better since I got a couple of kakariki who live in the bird room, too, so he doesn't feel as lonely when I'm at work late. Good luck with your little guys 💙💚💙

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Murdoch

· #5 · 2 mo ago

Try welcoming words for awhile by his cage when you get home. If that seems to help, open the cage and see if kisses are also welcomed. I've also found that closing my eyes for a second, then opening them (for a couple minutes) calms my girl Zelena.
She will mimic my blinking which seems to break the aggressiveness and calm her. Good luck.
Murdoch

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vkelman

· #6 · 2 mo ago

Murdoch said:
She will mimic my blinking which seems to break the aggressiveness and calm her. Good luck.
Murdoch

Oh, that's pretty smart. I've read somewhere that blinking is a kind of bird's language. Staring without blinking might have opposite meaning (threat).
That language definitely is used by cats, but I think birds also use it.
...
Maybe there is something in that kitchen which acts as trigger for aggression?

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kirstenmae

· #7 · 2 mo ago

I totally agree with the slow blink advice. In my experience, every animal that blinks responds well to it. I think it's a way that you can show that you're safe and calm.

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Anya

· #8 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

How's River doing? Has he eased up on the biting any? I can relate to what you are going through. Pugsley had a really bad hormonal day yesterday. I had noticed he's been a bit more nippier the last few days, so I think he has starting to go through the terrible two's. (He is 10 months old). I am adding an extra hour to his sleep every night. I started last night and he seems a bit better today. He is doing more yelling than anything else.

So you may want to try adding the extra hour (or 2) of darkness every night to help curb River's hormones. And watch what you feed him. Don't give him any food high in fat, calories, sugar, or carbs. High energy foods need to be avoided right now. What is going on with River is either hormones, or perhaps something in his environment has changed to set him off. The good news is if it is hormones, it will pass, and this undesirable behavior will stop.

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Melanie

Discussion Starter · #9 · 24 d ago

kirstenmae said:
I don't know how much you talk to your little guy. I talk to Cirrus the way I talked to my children when they were tiny. He gets upset if I get home late, but I talk to him and tell him I'm so sorry to be late and how happy I am to see him again, and he seems to forgive me... so far, anyway. He's just over a year, though, and it has been better since I got a couple of kakariki who live in the bird room, too, so he doesn't feel as lonely when I'm at work late. Good luck with your little guys 💙💚💙

Oh I talk to River all the time! My husband left me at Christmas so he’s a big part of my life and I chat to him constantly! When I go out I promise him I won’t be long and when I come home I apologise if I was longer than I intended ☺

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Melanie

Discussion Starter · #10 · 24 d ago

Murdoch said:
Try welcoming words for awhile by his cage when you get home. If that seems to help, open the cage and see if kisses are also welcomed. I've also found that closing my eyes for a second, then opening them (for a couple minutes) calms my girl Zelena.
She will mimic my blinking which seems to break the aggressiveness and calm her. Good luck.
Murdoch

That’s a good idea, the blinking that is, I’ll try that, thank you! I always ask for kisses and try to soothe him.

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Melanie

Discussion Starter · #11 · 24 d ago

vkelman said:
...
Maybe there is something in that kitchen which acts as trigger for aggression?

He did it again in the week! It’s usually when I’m touching vegetables and not sharing 🙄 though in my defence I wasn’t about to share raw potatoes with him!

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Melanie

Discussion Starter · #12 · 24 d ago

Anya said:
How's River doing? Has he eased up on the biting any? I can relate to what you are going through. Pugsley had a really bad hormonal day yesterday. I had noticed he's been a bit more nippier the last few days, so I think he has starting to go through the terrible two's. (He is 10 months old). I am adding an extra hour to his sleep every night. I started last night and he seems a bit better today. He is doing more yelling than anything else. So you may want to try adding the extra hour (or 2) of darkness every night to help curb River's hormones. And watch what you feed him. Don't give him any food high in fat, calories, sugar, or carbs. High energy foods need to be avoided right now. What is going on with River is either hormones, or perhaps something in his environment has changed to set him off. The good news is if it is hormones, it will pass, and this undesirable behavior will stop.

He seems okay. He’s very noisy at the moment and does have his moments of actually gnawing on my knuckles 😬 he goes to bed at seven and I get him up when he starts chirping which is getting on for 9am.

His good is chop consisting of vegetables and Natures Deli seed mix as I can’t get hold of Goldenfeast in the U.K. anymore.

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Murdoch

· #13 · 24 d ago

Zelena is extremely bitey right now. I have bruises on both forearms. She is laying eggs In any hidey hole she feels is safe. She just laid her 4th egg in the conical lampshade in my bedroom. She tried to lay under the oven and had a fit when I blocked It off!
One idea that is working for me with the biting is the white cotton gloves you can get at the pharmacy. Zelena doesn't attack and bite me when I wear them.
It's so hard to know how their little minds work!
Murdoch

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Melanie

Discussion Starter · #14 · 24 d ago

Bless little Zelena 💚 I personally haven’t any bruises, but River did bite the underside of my friends upper arm 🫣

Oh yes! Gloves! That’s the only way I could get River anywhere near my hands when he was a baby. It might be worth another go as his beak is so sharp!

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