Tantrum Time!

[kendrafitz]

Rosie and I have had an ongoing battle over my formal living room couch. It is a couch I like and I want it to stay in one piece. Last year she strarted trying to put holes in it so after months of fighting and putting towels down to deter her with no luck, I gave up. We stopped going in my formal living room.

Today I was silly enough to think it would be a nice change to hang out in the formal living room. At first, everything was fine. Then Rosie began throwing the towels off the arms of the couch. When I would retrieve them she would quickly get to work. She got to the point of actually having stuffing in her beak!!!

Still being silly I was actually SHOCKED at this and put down my foot. NO, you CANNOT chew my couch. Here is a toy, you have lost couch arm privileges. (As I move her and a toy to the back of the couch) This was met with complete outrage. She looked at me, yelled NO and tried to charge her way back to the arm of the couch. I blocked her with my arm, which she tried to blast through. When she realized she wasn't getting there she threw an absolute tantrum. First yelling NO, then screaming in my face, then saying NO (to which I actually praised her for using her words - insane, I know). She tried to scramble over my body, wrestle my arm, climb over my head. Then she thought she could bully me into letting her by by charging and lunging at my face. When that didn't work, she resorted to yelling NO and pinching my arms. UGH!!! It was worse than any tantrum my kids have ever thrown. Fun times, I tell ya!!

This is the only place I can share this. Non parrot people will either think I am crazy or making it up. Either way, they won't get it.

Has anyone else had to deal with a parrot meltdown? It is so ridiculous, I actually have to laugh. ;)

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[PeachyDoll]

Maybe it was the effect of the Blood Moon Kendra. Supposedly brings our tension and frustration. Who knows? It is so hard when we spoil them because they've learned they can get their way with us.

I guess Rosie has mini meltdowns but they don't last very long. She has poked holes in our new sheets so she's not allowed on the bed unless it has an old cover and towels on it. She'll posture and throw her crest up and yell sometimes depending on how cranky she is being. She listens to hubby more than she does me. She knows he won't put up with her antics and she knows I'm a softie. I'm going to get one of those shirts that has bird feet that's says "My bird walks all over me".

[Lady]

Stubborn, feisty and yes sometimes Lady thinks she runs the area as well. Ugh, like you PeachyDoll she listens or back downs more for my hubby than me. It ticks me off sometimes when I think how much time I devote to her, sometimes I want to scream and cry and have my own tantrum kendrafitz. And really, sometimes I do! I fuss right back at her and get in her face to tell her I'm not backing down either! I like to remind her that if she wants to be out of control then she can have a time out. I sometimes need time from her as well to collect my thought and not feel as if I'm the one who is wrong.
Once we both get over the moment it seems like it never happened and peace and love return with some sweet talk from her and some head scratches from me. I do realize that these events help us to understand each other and I count them as that.

[spiritbird]

Sorry guys and gals I do not have these issues with little birds. Its like living with feathered cotton candy every day. :angel:

[Mare]

Rosie definitely sounds like a two year old throwing a tantrum!! You've gotta love 'em! :). I feel for you, Kendra :(. I've seen those couch covers that are made for dogs, mostly, but they are padded, not too expensive, cover the couch and arms of the couch, I don't think Rosie could throw it off like she can a towel, anyways.

Sassy was a towel remover of wooden dining room chairs, they all have her initials in them to prove it! Cockatoos are a bit more sneaky than macaws, I think. Mine don't put up a fuss if removed from their source of entertainment but will wait till you're not looking and bee-line it back to continue their demolition of said project..little boogers :(

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

They are more like kids than kids. Margaret often sits Casper on her finger and holds him up in front of her face saying "Now what do you think you were doing wrong" before finding something else for him to destroy - like a big cardboard box with some toys in. The toys get ignored, they are just there so we can hear him tripping over them in the dark. It doesn't take him long to make a doorway. All we can see from the outside is his beak working like a can opener.

[PeachyDoll]

Sometimes living with a cockatoo or a macaw is like having a 2 year that can wants cotton candy but you have none :th_bounce7:

[Goofybird5]

I find this very frustrating... I have two macaws and in the morning when my B&G thinks its time for everyone to get up.... She will start making small little peeping sounds (knowing that the scarlet will hear her) then once the scarlet is awake then its definitely time for everyone in the house to wake up too! I bring the B&G out to the play area while I make coffee and try to open my eyes. The BOTH have a bad habit of screaming when they cant see me during the day! The Scarlet will not come out to play with us for a couple hours. She will yell for me but when I go in there ahe wont step up! She wants to come out and will spend the next couple hours yelling but still she will not come out until she is damn good and ready! This time of day is the most stressful for me. And everyone else too! I just wish I could curb the screaming!!! Especially when they both get in on it!

[spiritbird]

I am so glad I have little birds. I guess there are good times with your large birds. Lets here about them so I am not so afraid of the big guys and gals please.

[Lady]

Kelly,
I wish there was a quick and easy way to know why they scream at times and a quick fix to go with it but there isn't. There are many things folks have tried over the years and the one that works well for me is to leave the room when Lady screams for no reason I can figure out. This is an article I read over and over again when I find myself having a difficult time with Lady screaming. Hope it helps.

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[kendrafitz]

I have the same issue with Rosie screaming when I am out of her line of vision. I know it is rough with one, two must be very trying. Sorry that you are having a rough time.

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[kendrafitz]

Dianne - lots of good times. Rosie is a big, goofy cuddle bug. Today my mom was here with the kids after school until I got home from work. Rosie was in her cage having a time out for screaming. I took her out and a bit later my mom and I were talking about it. Rosie was on my shoulder bouncing away. I looked at her and asked, is that true, were you screaming? She bounced, said "YEAH!" enthusiastically and gave me a big kiss. This was followed by her trying to feed me, laughing and saying EWW all the while.

Rosie makes me laugh at least several times a day. She melts my heart just as often.

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[Goofybird5]

I am not sure, because I dont know a whole lot about this topic but... I believe my new scarlet may be hormonal, as they call it!! She has been making baby like whimpers, regurgitating and rubbing her bottom on my husband.. Im not sure how to handle this or even how long this will last. Any input on this topic would be appreciated!!


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[Pinkbirdy]

OMG Kendra !! but you have to admire her communication with you :) I took my Ruby Macaw to work 2 weeks ago . Shes my best talker but would not make a peep there. That night cleaning up from dinner. I heard her YELLING her whole list of words and sayings I had been trying to get her to do that day. I went in the room and said "Really" now your going to talk . She yelled NOOOOOOO!!! then laughed hysterically [cracked me up ].

[kendrafitz]

That is too funny Terri!!!

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper to Margaret today as she came into the room: "alright old girl". He didn't get that from me as I wouldn't be here to tell the tale if he had.

[kendrafitz]

Did that make Margaret laugh?

[Robyn]

Is it sad when her tantrum is more mature than that of a forum member (on a different forum)?

[kendrafitz]

Robyn - I have no idea of who you are referring to. But yes, any adult throwing down worse than a screeching, pinching, charging macaw is ridiculous. Although there are days that I feel like laying on the floor pounding my hands and feet like a two year old. ;)

[Robyn]

It's a 15 year old on a different forum just throwing a tantrum because nobody thinks he should add another bird to his flock because in LESS THAN 2 Years he has gotten 5 birds 1 died he is rehoming another and plans to get a new one as soon as he rehomes it. The reason he is rehoming it is because it's hormonal and he doesn't want to deal with it but has advertised on that forum about him being a trainer so I called him out earlier and told him not only is he too irresponsible (constantly posting about injured birds who he never takes to the vet because he would rather be right and have his bird die than admit he was wrong and take it to the vet) to own birds but if he is charging people then he is scamming them because no good or honest trainer has 3 birds they can't handle.

[kendrafitz]

Uggh!

[Robyn]

Personally I'd rather deal with rosies tantrum than theirs.

[Ornithomorphosis]

Dianne - lots of good times. Rosie is a big, goofy cuddle bug. Today my mom was here with the kids after school until I got home from work. Rosie was in her cage having a time out for screaming. I took her out and a bit later my mom and I were talking about it. Rosie was on my shoulder bouncing away. I looked at her and asked, is that true, were you screaming? She bounced, said "YEAH!" enthusiastically and gave me a big kiss. This was followed by her trying to feed me, laughing and saying EWW all the while.

Rosie makes me laugh at least several times a day. She melts my heart just as often.

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That's a really wonderful story. It's amazing how well they understand our language.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Hello and welcome Orniwotsit, its good to have a bit of Brit backup, sometimes I think they don't understand me. :th_wink:

[Ornithomorphosis]

Hello and welcome Orniwotsit, its good to have a bit of Brit backup, sometimes I think they don't understand me. :th_wink:

Haha, thank you. Birds of blue feathers have to stick together! Lovely to see another Briton! Anyway, could I hear about your birds?

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Just the one, which belonged to my mother... we tried to get someone else to take him on but he decided Margaret was his best friend so we had to change our life plan. Retirement is looming and we wanted our freedom. Instead we are giving Casper much more freedom than he became used to. He is remarkably well adjusted for a bird that was in a tiny cage with just a bell to play with and pretty much ignored for ten years.
Here he is helping* Margaret with her specs.
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[Cedardave]

Funny I should stumble onto the tantrum topic just as Ivo, my cockatoo is having a right nasty screaming fit.I usually let him get it out of his system...he gets bored with screaming because I will not respond to that and he quiets down.So the way our home is set up,the rising sun first hits the livingroom.Thus awakening the Jardines,hahns greys and quakers.As the sun arises further and hits the diningroom skylights, the day has officially begun.Worse in summer as the sun is up sooner than I want to be.So here we have the livingroom birds who are generally reasonably less noisy than the diningroomers.When that sun peeks thru,imagine the joy of 8 screaming macaws ready for breakfast NOW.But alas...theres more.Once the great outdoors have fully illuminated its time for the front of the house Eclectus and Blue and Gold macaws in with them as well as cockatoo and Amazons to get in on the game.So we must all love our birds for their quirks and personality.I can say from experiance.....when its time for them to leave us as a result of age or illness....the silence they leave is deafening.While they are with us is the time to treasure each second of your time together...fits and all.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Excellent writing Dave, does birdcare take up your whole life or have you got a "proper job" as well to cope with?

[Cedardave]

I am a 70 hour a week truck driver and a couple hundred hours a week bird care specialist.While im away my wife is the caregiver, both morning feedings and afternoon snacking as well as their daily interactions.We have sacrificed winter and summer vacations in order to persue our passion of educating people on the commitment of companion birds as well as helping over emails people with birds having behavioral problems.While we are no substitute for an avian vet, many issues can be resolved with diet or enviriromental changes.I have a pretty good grasp of where the line is to say its time for immediate vet care and never put anyones bird at risk by thinking I have all the answers.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Well done to both of you. It is a shame some people don't ask the questions before they take on what they think is going to be a cute little feathery friend and find out it also has attitude and needs input.

[kendrafitz]

I agree Dave - love my Rosie, tantrum time or not. :)