Hormonal Beast Or Just Moody??

[Blancaej]

So Quincy has been very nippy the last few days. Biting and drawing blood! :th_eek: He tends to be a biter but these bites have been nasty ones. When I put him in his cage he bit me a couple of days ago. Today I just was putting him on his door perch of his cage and he did it again. Then again a little while later when I got him from his play gym. Ugh! You think I would be used to it by now! LOL! I'm thinking he is just being overly hormonal because of the time of year, but I'm not sure. I've been letting him out more lately and I think he has been getting spoiled and doesn't want to go back in his cage when I want him too. So I'm not sure if this is hormonal or just getting spoiled being out more. Any thoughts?

When he bit me a second time I had a band aid on and it didn't hurt as much. Maybe I should just where the band aid until spring is over! LOL! :th_biggrin:

[roxynoodle]

Well, the Grey breeding season should be over now. We have Merlin on Celebrex from the end of September til the end of April (their breeding season) because that is when her hormones spark ABV symptoms.

Is Savannah hormonal as well right now, which might have Quincy's attention? Because Rowdy is in her hormonal season, Pete's hormones haven't quit yet for the season. Pete doesn't care that none of the females he's met aren't amazons, lol!

[Blancaej]

Yes! Savannah is definitely hormonal. Lots of regurge goin' on! I wondered if maybe that could be effecting him? With her now in the house, this could change things this time of year.

[roxynoodle]

Pete has been making huge piles of regurg for Rowdy lately. So if you are seeing that or other hormonal behavior I think it's safe to assume hormones are at least playing a part in his behavior.

[Blancaej]

Thanks Audrey! It just seemed odd that suddenly he didn't want to go back in his cage and was being nasty about it. So I thought maybe hormones. This hasn't been a real problem in the past, but I didn't have another bird, either!

[jtbirds]

Ehh when living with multiple birds many times they fed off each other and this sounds likes classic case of that, just keep an eye on it and make sure to not reward any of it and so on, you know this :p.

[Blancaej]

Thanks JT. If anyone, you know what it's like living with multiple birds. So your opinion helps! I will certainly try not to reward the biting. God knows I don't enjoy it! LOL! I usually give him a time out when he does it. He was in a better mood tonight and I just made it point to give him his space and tried a little harder to read his body language. :th_biggrin:

[jtbirds]

O your not into pain? C'mon I am;)... JK yeah sometimes if you give them a night to themselves they come around and they just needed a break, similar to how we need a break from certain people sometimes. These animals to me at least are the closest things to humans I have ever met and they act so similar to us in how they respond and so on.

Although I have a lot of scars I can't say I've enjoyed them, I do laugh after I get bit sometimes because if I am at a crowd and I am working with a bird or showing someone how to and I get bit they look with such a serious face I can't help but laugh because it's just a normal day in my world:p!

[Blancaej]

I agree. They are very emotional. Its incredible really. Such great companions! Bites and all! :p

Yeah I know, your just a tough guy at those events. Trying to impress the chicks, I know. Lol! Jk of course. :p


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[conuremom]

My green cheek has been extremely bitey lately. Always nippy but much worse than normal and draws blood. I have decided it is hormones and hopefully will pass. He is such an interactive little guy but always strutting up and down my chest and then reaches up and bites my earlobe. Painful to say the least. Never did that before. Just flares and struts. He is like Jekyl and Hyde. He has always nipped my husband more than me but right now it is all me. Trouble is he won't let go when he bites. Sure hoping I get my old Forrest back soon.

[Blancaej]

Conuremom - Ouch! No fun getting nipped on the ears! I guess we are both patiently waiting for this time of year to end!

[jtbirds]

I agree. They are very emotional. Its incredible really. Such great companions! Bites and all! :p

Yeah I know, your just a tough guy at those events. Trying to impress the chicks, I know. Lol! Jk of course. :p


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Lol yea trying so hard believe me;), hey baby wanna see my bird0.0? Great line there huh?! Lol

Really it's a matter I just got used to it and used to the factor it is gonna happen in the world I have choosen wether it be birds, dogs, cats, it's my life and I wouldn't change it for a second!:)

[Blancaej]

You are definitely a bird man! Keep up the good work!

[Blancaej]

So the beast attacked again today! :th_eek: Nasty little booger! LOL! I think it is time for stick training. I never did that with him and it would be beneficial in many ways. If there was ever an emergency, others could actually handle him. This way, when I know he is in a "mood" I can use the stick to put him in his cage! Fingers crossed that will help. My thumb is starting to look terrible with all these scabs! Not to mention it hurts like you know what!

[Pinkbirdy]

Our grey {Max] has always been the one bird out of mine .That when he bit you [there was no warning ] you didn't see it coming .I think its a Grey thing.Quincy could be jealous of Savannah . She sounds like shes really bonding to you. Anyone who has experienced a bonded Macaw knows its pretty powerful. Harlow immediately bonded with me and my RB2 had a hard time with it.What to do ? Start bring Quincy to dinner :)

[Blancaej]

Thanks Terri. My husband and I were talking about it this morning and we both thought some jealousy could be going on as well. And he has always been a biter, too. And like you, no warning what so ever! I laugh when people tell you read there body language, etc etc. Well I've had him for 13 years now and he still fools me with a sneak attack. No body language warning what so ever. LOL!

I've been trying to hold him a lot and spend just as much time with him, but you are right, Savannah has really bonded with me. I will just have to keep the attention up and best I can and try to do a lot with him. We eat in the dinning room and I do let him hang out on my shoulder while I eat breakfast. :th_biggrin: He isn't in a harness yet (that is a whole nother thread! LOL! ) so I can't take him outside unless he is in his carrier. Maybe I will bring him to work one day without Savannah and see if he likes that. Thanks for the help!

[jtbirds]

Well I stress to people parrots are so smart, smart enough they can deceive you if they would like to. So sometimes body language is a bunch of bluff. I've met countless bird that show absolutely no body language, so people that say o you can't prevent any bite by watching body language are liers! Lol. Most of the time this is more noticeable in the more manupalitive and err smarter parrots such as cockatoos or Greys are the biggest ones:)

[Blancaej]

Manipulative and smart he is! LOL! :th_biggrin:

[Mare]

The band-aids until the 'season' is over sounds like a good plan! When I get bit by Sassy, it hurts my feelings as much as it hurts my flesh but she is easy to read and I know when she is in her mood, my problem is when I drop my attention from her, she'll take advantage of my lapse and dive on in! Amigo's mood has been pretty spicy lately. I've noticed his energy level being higher than normal and a bit more agitated when outside. He's never bit me, well not enough to draw blood, sometimes he'll grab my finger and quickly remember, "oh, yeah, I like her, she's ok", (his only friend, really), so I'm pretty safe with him.

I think they are both hormonal and moody beasts with a splash of Satan!

[ShellyBorg]

My TAG bites with out warning also. He hates to go back in his cage when he thinks he has not been out long enough. The issue....you never know how long that is!
I love stick training. All my birds get worked with it in case of issues or I am not home. One thing I did was put a large butter tub over the end of the stick so they could not run up the stick and bite the hand holding it.

[Blancaej]

LOL! Mare I am with you, there seems to be a bit of satan in them at times! Especially when they do those darn sneak attacks!

Shelly, I like the butter tub idea at the end of the stick. That way anyone could pick them up without a problem! Thanks for the tip!