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Thread: Senegal Parrot Help Please

 
  1. #1
    Junior Member
    eaiello44's Avatar


    Parrots

    Jack the Senegal Parrot

    Senegal Parrot Help Please

    We purchased our Senegal Parrot 2-3 months ago. He is a mature male and I've had some problems. When I first got him he was awesome and loved me the best of everyone in my house and one day he bit me because of my aunt. I stopped messing with him and then he has taken a liking to my cousin. I feel that he may have become a one bird person and I don't know what to do. He has bitten me several times and yesterday drawing blood to the point where my finger was running with blood. It's gotten to the point where I'm completely scared of the bird, but for some reason, he's still trying to be my friend. Yesterday he turned his head as if for me to pet him and then he latched onto my finger and punctured it deep. My cousin sent him back to the cage and then he flew back over while I was minding my own and latched onto my shoulder and left a welt on it. Today he keeps trying to land on my shoulder and keeps waving at me and I'm too scared to even touch him to the point where I carry a towel around to wave him away when he flies at me. I'm not sure how to approach this bird anymore and he scares me. He gets aggressive randomly but then tries to be my friend and I want no part of him anymore. Help. His name is Jack.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator
    Quakerella's Avatar


    Parrots

    8 quaker parakeets, 4 Indian Ringneck parakeets, 3 lovebirds, 5 cockatiels
    Hi Elijah and welcome.

    I don't have experience with Senegals so I am not sure if they are territorial and a one person bird. I do know quakers have the same sort of temperament as you have described. There are different ways of approaching, and different opinions. I have a quaker that I hand fed and raised for the first year, then one day he took to my hubby and that was that. He would fly to me just to bite. My husband spoiled him with treats and that was part of the problem, as I did not. This has now stopped and I am able to handle him on a good day, but only when my husband is not home.

    Not sure what you mean when you said he bit you because of your aunt, but if you stopped giving him the attention he wanted and your cousin stepped in he could very easily take to your cousin.

    If you reacted in a quick loud manner when he first bit you, you could have scared him and lost some of the trust he had in you, or your reaction could have turned it into a sort of game for him. It is hard to know, without knowing a few more details. How long did you stop spending time with him?

    Someone else will be along soon to give you more information and ask some questions. We will try to help you as much as possible; more details would be helpful though.

  3. The following 3 users like this post:

    Casper's 2nd best friend (04-23-2018), Dragonlady2 (04-23-2018), Lady (04-23-2018)

  4. #3
    Super Moderator
    Lady's Avatar


    Parrots

    Illiger Macaw (Primolius maracana)
    Hi Elijah,
    Welcome to P.P.. This is a tough situation. I agree with Rosalyn. They can also sense out fear, so that could play a part in it as well. If it was me and I wanted him back to the way things were there is a lot of work involved and yes it will be a long road. I also think your cousin would not be allowed to be present while you're working with him. First you have to beat that fear.

  5. The following 2 users like this post:

    Casper's 2nd best friend (04-23-2018), Dragonlady2 (04-23-2018)

  6. #4
    Senior Member
    Casper's 2nd best friend's Avatar


    Parrots

    Casper, a blue fronted Amazon. Loves banana. Hates plastic bags and red coats.
    Back to square one. When he is shut in his cage and without other people or distractions like television sit by the cage and talk/sing/read to him. Feed him tasty treats through the bars. When you are both agreeable, let him step onto a finger for a few moments and offer a treat.
    This might take a couple of weeks.
    In the mean time let him interact with other people when you are not in the room waving towels around so that he can enjoy their company.
    It sounds like he is trying to be top bird/human in the pecking order.
    "A busy beak is a happy beak" - David Strom

  7. The following user likes this post:

    Dragonlady2 (04-23-2018)

  8. #5
    Super Moderator
    Dragonlady2's Avatar


    Parrots

    Willy-Eclectus, Oliver-alexandrine, Mookie-Senegal, Bella- Australian King, Joey and Peewee- Barrabands, Peachiegirl-Peachfront conure, Pepper- crimson belly conure, Peanut-plum head, Babyblue-parrotlette, Harry and Louie-canaries.
    Hi and welcome to the forum. I feel your pain because I have a Sennie just like yours. They can become one person birds and territorial of their cage. Even their one person may become a target for biting. I have been bitten twice by him. Their bite is similar to an amazon in that they latch on and, at times, grind. Even if I am giving him a treat in his cage, I let him see the treat before giving it to him just outside the cage bars. He will attack the cage bars/my fingers if I don't give him that notice and space beforehand. He has me trained well...lol. I have been bitten by other birds in the past, but his is especially painful.
    The one thing I know is that just like humans have different temperaments, so do birds. I have accepted that Mookie is just going to be a stinker. I am not willing to risk another bite to dominate or train him. Sometimes, allowing or putting up with the bites just reinforces biting, jmo.
    Mookie allows me to scratch his head in the morning and at night through the bars of the cage. It is just a routine we got into. He truly loves his scratches, but when he is out of the cage I have found different ways to interact with him.
    When he bit you when your aunt was over....I am guessing it was a displacement bite. You were easier for him to express his anxiety/displeasure on?
    1. Mookie is the only bird that I keep somewhat clipped. Not enough to ground him, but just enough for him to not have enough confidence to fly wherever he wants.
    2. I keep him and his cage away from anything that he could fly up to that gives him height over me....he is always lower or at eye level.
    3. I use a very heavy pair of gloves or a t-perch when handling him outside of the cage. Mostly the gloves because he still wants his head scratches outside of the cage even with the gloves on.
    4. If he attempts flight and lands on the floor, I use a towel to pick him up and at that time I usually give a lot of head scratches while he is wrapped in the towel. He loves it...go figure. I am sure the flying to the floor is his way of letting me know that he wants a more thorough head scratching.

    I know the come hither look he gives when he wants me to come over to start a chompfest....he is so cute. Like your bird, he is giving all the signals for a friendly interaction, but I am on to him...lol.
    You will have to learn some new ways of handling him where you feel safe. One thing I have found out about Mookie is that he seems to not need as much out of cage time when his cage is in the vicinity of where I sit. I talk to him a lot and that seems to be enough for him. I use nutriberries to indicate it is time to go back in his cage, but most of the time, he just goes back in to let me know he wants his nutriberry.

    Even though your relationship with your bird may not be what you want or expected, you can still have a great relationship based on other things.
    Last edited by Dragonlady2; 04-23-2018 at 02:34 PM.

  9. #6
    Junior Member
    eaiello44's Avatar


    Parrots

    Jack the Senegal Parrot
    Hi and thank you for responding. I'm not sure about the reinforcement of bad behavior because I've read that your not supposed to scream or cry or give him attention after he bites. I usually put him away and ignore him for the rest of the day. I'm not sure why he tilts his head to be scratched then sneak attacks me when I try to pet him. If you could give me some advice on how you built your relationship with your Senegal bird I would much appreciate that. He's already got some age ( maybe 3-7 years) on him and he seems to want to be friends with me again, but he shows otherwise. I guess he's a bit bipolar. Any advice you can give on working away from my cousin before he is completely attached to him. My cousin can hold him upside down, pull his wing out, pick him up around his body, kiss him, and do stuff others can't so I'm afraid he is becoming the one bird menace. Meanwhile I cannot even pet the bird.

  10. #7
    Junior Member
    eaiello44's Avatar


    Parrots

    Jack the Senegal Parrot
    I'm completely honest that I am scared of him. I'm aware that I have to beat that fear but I'm not sure how. I mean, if he constantly attacks you for no reason whats not to be afraid of?

  11. The following user likes this post:

    Casper's 2nd best friend (04-29-2018)

  12. #8
    Super Moderator
    Dragonlady2's Avatar


    Parrots

    Willy-Eclectus, Oliver-alexandrine, Mookie-Senegal, Bella- Australian King, Joey and Peewee- Barrabands, Peachiegirl-Peachfront conure, Pepper- crimson belly conure, Peanut-plum head, Babyblue-parrotlette, Harry and Louie-canaries.
    Your Sennie knows/smells your fear. It makes them more bold. I am not sure ignoring him for the day after he bites you is helping your relationship. Probably 5 to 10 minutes of no interaction is enough time for him to settle down.
    Unfortunately, some birds will pick the person they like to be with. Sounds like your cousin is that person. It doesn't mean you can't have a relationship with him....you may have to work at it a little more or have a different relationship with him.
    What was he like with his previous owners? Do you have any information on him?
    Because he is so unpredictable, you will probably be on edge around him. Don't allow him on your shoulder. Try training him by having him step up on a perch instead of your hand.
    Like the others here have said, start over with him.

    My Sennie does the same as yours...he waves his foot wanting me to come over and pet him, plus he tilts his head to the side and opens and closes his eyes at me. I have learned that is probably not a good time for me to pet him.

  13. The following user likes this post:

    Casper's 2nd best friend (04-29-2018)

  14. #9
    Senior Member
    Cedardave's Avatar


    Parrots

    Greenwing macaws,Blue and Gold macaws,Calico macaws.Military macaws,Severe macaw,Hahns macaw,firey shouldered conures,Sun conures,Blue crowned conure,Blackwinged jardine,Greater jardine,Quakers,Congo african greys,Jenday conure,goldcapped conure and SI eclectus
    So I see a couple things here. First, he is sencing your fear and taking advantage of that. So you need to shake up his world a bit and reastblish boundaries. Try relocating his cage, even if only a few feet over. This will take him out of his comfort zone and look more towards you as an Ali. If he still is a biter.. put on some gloves until he stops. It will take some time to build trust, the gloves will show him he can't hurt you and cause you to pull back where he sees this a him winning. Baby steps will get you there...if we can achieve success with nippy greys and macaws...you can do this...but show no fear.
    "Ivo"

  15. The following 3 users like this post:

    Casper's 2nd best friend (04-29-2018), Dragonlady2 (04-29-2018), Lady (04-29-2018)

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