What's he doing?

[Vee]

Hi Everyone! Habib has started something new which I am not sure is a good or bad thing or even how to handle it. He is very much a one person Grey and is around me all the time. We have breakfast together at the table etc.. Lately when we are eating he comes right up to me and thrusts his beak at my mouth. At first I thought it was kisses he wanted but now realise he actually wants the food in my mouth. This has become a 'all the time' thing. If he sees me having a drink he rushes over and displays this behaviour. I have tried turning my face away from him and telling him 'no' but then he grabs my hair almost like he is trying to turn my mouth in his direction. Is there something I am doing wrong? I at first thought he wasn't getting enough of his own food but he eats what ever I put in his bowl, fruit, veggies, nuts and seed. As you can imagine this is becoming a bit of a problem as I can't drink or eat when he is around. Any suggestions as to how I can stop this and also why is he doing this?

[Alyx]

I'm sorry to laugh but this something I think most bird owners have been through. I'm fortunate my bird isn't nearly as large as yours but boy could my GCC get aggresive to get the food out of my mouth. If I let her, she would pull my mouth open with her foot and help herself. I suspect this is part of the bonding process and the bird is treating you like it would it's mother. I watched a webcam of an eagles nest with new hatchlings and they behaved in much the same way. So that's the why... the how is another story. With a smaller bird it's probably easier to do but there is one word my bird is very familiar with and immedieatly responds to and that is NO. Not loud or agressive but in a firm voice and putting the bird down at arms length with it's own food. If that didn't discourage her it was a firm no and a trip to the cage while I finished eating.

[Vee]

Alyx thanks for the info. You may laugh as my husband laughs everytime it happens. Yea, you right Habib gets quite angry and really pulls my hair to get to my mouth. I am doing as you say, first a 'no' and then a trip to the cage. Let's hope he will getthe message soon. Thanks!

[Alyx]

Glad to hear you've got the right idea, but I should warn you about laughing. This is one sure way to get the bird to repeat the action. As funny as it is to watch, laughing at it reinforces the bad behaviour. Maybe a quick kick under the table would remind me and your husband that this really isn't so funny.

[magdalena]

I think training your significant other not to reinforce unwanted behavior is 100 times harder than training a bird not to do it. I swear I'm sending my boyfriend to a behaviorist soon if he doesn't start writing 'I will ignore the birds when they scream if Magdalena leaves the room' on his hand every morning. I have to tell him at least 10 times a day. I'll try the kick, maybe a preemptive kick before I get up so his attention is focused elsewhere.

[schultzyjn]

Someone once told me it is not a good idea to share food with our birds as we have a bacteria in our mouth that is harmful to them.

Just thought I would share this.

[Tom Lawless]

More by circumstance than anything else, my birds aren't in a position to see me eat. I'm thinking this might be a good thing.