Help!! My BFA attacked my daughter tonight!!

[Joanie Doss]

Although most attacks are done by males, I have known some females that are also aggressive. Most attacks are because the bird is hormonal and only doing what he is programed to do. To find out if it is hormones that are making him attack start by giving him 12 hours of darkness. If after a week
he shows signs of aggression, increase the amount of darkness by another hour. If after a week and there is still aggression, increase his darkness by
another hour. Generally 14 hours of darkness will bring them out of hormonal behavior. Hormonal bites are always the worse. The bird has lost control and the bites will be deep. He really doesn't know what he is doing when he
bites and is hormonal.

There are many things that trigger bites....especially when the bird is hormonal. Amazon males have a hair trigger as this is how they are programed to guard the territory, nest, mate and off spring. Things that don't normally upset the bird will upset him when he is hormonal.

When a bird attacks someone, it means you have to watch him carefully so that it does not occur again. The bird should be kept in a large cage until he simmers down. You should be the one to take him out and then only when no one can get hurt.

Any bird that is attacking people should be clipped. It will make him less aggressive but more important he will no longer be able to do serious damage
to a person by flying at them and biting. Feathers grow back and if he simmers down, you can allow him flight again. Sometimes my males are clipped and sometimes they are fully flighted. It all depends on the bird.

Your daughter should only be near the bird when he is in his cage and the safety of his bars protects her. Do not make the mistake of having her get
too close to the bars. Even though he can't get his head between the bars of the cage, these guys snake that beak out to grab human flesh.

Having the bird for only 8 - 10 days means he is still in the "honeymoon" mode. That is, he is less aggressive now then when he feels more confident
of his surroundings.

I really feel for your daughter. I had two males that hate each other get into a fight and one got tangled in my hair as they tried to attach each other. It was enough to scare the heck out of me. I can only imagine what it must have done to your 13 year old daughter.

Let your daughter go slowly in overcoming any fear she might have. Encourage her to just walk by the cage when he is in it at first until she is
at ease again. Over time, have her walk closer to the cage. Finally she may
drop treats in his food dish. Eventually she may give him treats between the bars of the cage with a treat that doesn't require that she put her fingers next to his beak.

For more information on dealing with Amazons please go to my web site.

http://www.parrothouse.com/jdoss.html

I have several articles there on working with Amazons as well as an area on
answered questions.

Joanie Doss
The Amazing Amazons
http://www.parrothouse.com/bodylanguage.html

[Kermit&Scittles]

I have a sun conure that is always after my daughter, with time and understanding they are both doing better. we went to a bird training class and learned how birds think and it helped my daughter alot. good luck

I am sure its like any animal, if it only knows one thing anything different after so long it freaks... dogs, birds, cats etc... hell people too.... But in time they will learn that your just trying to make life easier.