Biting and Screaming

I found a good article on pet parrots that i agree with,(pretty rare),thought maybe some of you might enjoy reading. http://www.naturalencounters.com/images/Publications%26Presentations/Understanding_Parrot_Behavior_Naturally-Steve_Martin.pdf

Yes. Very nice article.

I think that's why Xavier doesn't do his natural ringneck calls. I don't pay attention to them. But when he mimics I almost go running to him and give him attention. It's not really anything I consciously do. It's just too cute so I have to go respond. Ducky is learning similarly - He's starting to do this cute little head bob with a cute little noise that I can't even describe. He's been getting a lot of squealing from us for the cuteness so he's starting to do it a lot when he wants our attention. I think the cute stuffs starting to take over some of the times he'd otherwise scream.

As for the biting, my thoughts on the matter are the same, but different. I do feel I need to be the "boss", but again, most of the time the birds aren't forced to do anything. But when I need them to obey (step up), they have to do it. The "must obey" probably is 1% or less of the time so I think that's why I don't get bitten.

On your response to biting,and your being the boss.I don't think your being the boss in all of your dealings with the bird ,only when it's needed,sort of like flying with the flock and the flock goes that way,but the one bird might want to go left instead of right, but it goes with the flock.

It seems like a good article, reflects everything that I've read and learned recently, and I will probably be sending it to people frequently now (where was this presented?).

However, it doesn't help me at all with Scooter.... FWIW. His body language changes are very subtle. The only time I ever "force" a behavior on him is if I need him back in his cage so I can go to work. Even then I try to make it a negotiation. When he's Hyde he lunges and bites when the finger is offered, when he's Jekeyll he steps up on it, I don't chase him around and make him step up... if he says no by retreating or just failing to step, I allow the choice. Maybe I'm missing more subtle clues, but there doesn't seem to be much warning in him...at least not enough before he bites for me to react to it. I usually know it's going to happen just before the pain starts, but I don't have a drag racer's reflexes. I wish I COULD connect his behavior to a natural behavior.

Here is something I've wondered about... I hear a lot about pair bonding in wild parrots. Is there anything written you are aware of about behavior in bachelor parrots, widowed parrots, or ones that just seem to be the odd ones out (surely there isn't always an exactly even number of males and females in a flock).

ScooterNScotty wrote:

It seems like a good article, reflects everything that I've read and learned recently, and I will probably be sending it to people frequently now (where was this presented?).

However, it doesn't help me at all with Scooter.... FWIW. His body language changes are very subtle. The only time I ever "force" a behavior on him is if I need him back in his cage so I can go to work. Even then I try to make it a negotiation. When he's Hyde he lunges and bites when the finger is offered, when he's Jekeyll he steps up on it, I don't chase him around and make him step up... if he says no by retreating or just failing to step, I allow the choice. Maybe I'm missing more subtle clues, but there doesn't seem to be much warning in him...at least not enough before he bites for me to react to it. I usually know it's going to happen just before the pain starts, but I don't have a drag racer's reflexes. I wish I COULD connect his behavior to a natural behavior.

Here is something I've wondered about... I hear a lot about pair bonding in wild parrots. Is there anything written you are aware of about behavior in bachelor parrots, widowed parrots, or ones that just seem to be the odd ones out (surely there isn't always an exactly even number of males and females in a flock).

I personally think these are bad learned behaviors that Scooter learned during the extended time he was at the PetCo. It worked for him somehow when he was living there and somehow in his mind there's no reason to stop now.

SnS,someone on another forum had a link to this,so i went to naturalencounters.com and found several articles by this Steve Martin fellow,check it out. I also emailed him for permission to use his articles ,no response yet.

I agree and disagree with the article. Yes, screaming is natural, but its not natural for them to scream for no reason. Sebastian is a screamer, but there's a difference between him screaming when someone comes in the front door (which I appreciate) or him just screaming because he's a brat, which is a learned behavior. He does not like Bryan at all, but it stems from his love for me. Its a jealous reaction. When Bryan goes anywhere near his cage, he screams. But it turns into a tantrum when Bryan stands his ground and gets in his face. He will scream if I leave the room and go out of his view. That is a tantrum and a totally learned behavior. And its annoying. We actually employ the water method with him quite frequently and it does work. Bryan has a pressurized plant waterer that he uses on his plants and we keep it near the cage. When he screams, we spray him, give him a curt "No screaming!" and he stops. Sometimes all we have to do is show him the water bottle and he stops, so he does know what he's doing is uncalled for. My mother (who doesn't even likes birds AND has sensetive hearing) will actually go up to his cage when he's screaming and whisper "Inside voice, inside voice" and after a few moments, he'll start mimicking her whisper, so he's catching on.



The biting thing...different story. That's where being the boss is necessary, especially with larger birds. Intimidation is part of their game and if you dominate them (not physically, but spacially kind of lean over them) they will understand that you are the leader and will give you that respect. If you get bit, you aren't recognizing their body language and you need to be more observant. In our case, most of our birds are abused and are seriously untrusting so biting is a norm and we're used to it. Its something you have to work to get them out of.