Nanday conure attacking

[117]

my 6 year old nanday has recently started to attack people's heads, we've had him for around 3 years and this has been going on for about a year or a little less. I'm his favorite person and he's very...protective to say the least. He'll stack people's heads (hair) when they get close to me or grumble the entire time I'm talking to someone. He even stacks my head! Again, only my hair. Mr high I've found a trigger for when he attacks me, he'll attack when I take in a deep breath like a sigh. It works for others as well, meaning that if they sigh hell tack them too. Though this is the only reason he'll attack me. I don't know what to do and I was wondering if anybody could help? I was thinking maybe he's coming of age and needs a "friend" but I'm afraid he'll be aggressive towards her and hurt or even kill... He's very cage aggressive, always has been. Before I had him he wasn't in the best living condition by his old owners and it took him a while to warm up, but once he did he never left my side and has just been getting more and more hostile

[plax]

Hello 117...

From your description it sounds fairly certain that your Nanday is experiencing hormonal urges. He's effectively a driven bird. I'd say that he has selected you as his virtual mate and that his outbursts/attacks may be intended to keep others away from his staked claim (you), and his staked claim away from others. And similarly, he's likely also trying to keep everyone away from his full territory (his cage and the surrounding area).

A couple of things you might try involve changing things up in his life (to a point). If you can, acquire a different cage for him and try moving him from his current cage to the replacement and then hide the former. Doing so may well curtail his aggressive impulses. The cage replacement solution can be either temporary or permanent. The other thing that you might also do is encourage other humans in your living environment to tend to your Nanday's care needs when you are nowhere in sight. The people (or the person) feeding him, giving him treats, cleaning his cage, and hopefully handling him (minus your presence) may cause him to reassess who his friends are and thus result in him widening his acceptance criteria.

Other members here will likely have some suggestions for you as well. Please keep us posted on your bird's progress.

[Cedardave]

I agree...he sounds hormonal.Adding a partner will take him away as a pet typically.I would try mixing things up a little just to change this habit.As mentioned a new cage...or at least a new place for the current cage.You dont want to reduce the quality of his food intake...but perhaps alter the routine if you have one.Integrating him into the worlds cautiously with other people will slow the hormonal flow.Also, a small reduction in daylight hours can help...if you cover his cage at night...try covering him half an hour earlier.Hormones will generally peak and subside.....the trick is to avoid him turning the actions into habits.

[spiritbird]

Good advice from these members. Almost every bird will get hormonal when the time is right. There are some things you can do to lessen the impact. Some have already been suggested. Here are three very good articles on this topic for you to read and please do read.

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In the meantime I would restrict the birds ability to land on human heads. If you wear a hat or scarf over your head it will deter him from landing. If you only let him out of the cage at certain times of the day it may help.