Help! My Bird Hates Me.

[Ina246]

Can anyone help me? I have a new 6 month old Blue Fronted Amazon and she hates me. I tried giving it time, a month in fact. I have been her primary caregiver. I give her the only treats she gets and I feed her. Does anyone have any advice to help us advance in our relationship? Please she is very sweet and I love her completely. Please help. I am willing to try almost anything.

Thank you
Christina

[Ashling]

Don't worry, she doesn't hate you darl! She might be taking some time adjusting to her new home. Sometimes they can take quite a few months to settle in. Where did you get her from? Was she hand reared? Maybe she wasn't socialised properly. Does she step up? You haven't said what she does to make you think she hates you- does she bite? Scream? Try sitting by her cage and talk softly to her. When she is comfortable with that, offer her a treat through the bars. When she's comfortable doing that, try feeding through the cage door and keep progressing. Lots of patience on your behalf!

[jenseits]

She doesn't hate you!! She's just unsure right now. Birds are prey animals so they are naturally suspicious/cautious. They're not like dogs who love everybody instantly. A month really isn't that long - some birds take many months or even over a year to really trust their human flock.

It's good that you are giving her treats and food - that helps. But you didn't mention just spending quiet, quality time with her. Sit by her cage, talk softly to her, just hang out with her without asking for anything so she feels comfortable. You might also want to try clicker training, which will help her feel like she has some autonomy and help the two of you communicate with each other better. Clicker training did wonders for my relationship with Stewie (who in the beginning was also not very fond of me)

Let us know what specifically she's doing that makes you think she doesn't like you and we'll be able to give you more specific advice.

[my-africangrey-echo]

Try a few things sit next to her cage with the radio on or your fav CD and sing dance ect without contact Talk to her as if she is your child and even tell her what your are doing. Food water cleaning ect. She will in her time loosen up to you and will want you to be there for you will make the time you are there FUN Time and slow contact from a distance will do wonders..

Good luck Chris

[bubbalori]

lol i was going to say sing to her/him parrots love singing and music

[Ashling]

Talking is really good because she'll come to associate what you say with what you are doing- that paves the way for cognitive speech and amazons can be really good at that from what I've heard! With my lorikeet Ash, when I come in the room, I say "hello" when I change the water I say "drink," when I change the food I say "num nums," when I show her a new toy I say "what's this?" when we play with her toys I say "Where is it? Get it!" when I surprise her I bop down, then spring up and say "peekaboo!" (not suggested untill she is more comfortable around you! You might scare her half to death!) when I give her a treat I say "yum yum yum yum yum!" and when we go to bed I say "night night." After a while a bird like an amazon should pick these phrases up easily! My lorikeet has only managed "hello" cause it means mummies here*yay!* It takes time, but is well worth it in the end! You're so lucky to have a baby amazon! I'd give my right arm to be able to have one!

[KimM]

These are all good pointers. I also sing softly to mine. I have not found one yet that doesn't like music, even if it is out of tune...lol. Try not to stare directly at her. Prey animals see this as a threat. I know it sounds weird, but when you look directly at her, close one eye so she doesn't think she is your next meal... it's less threatening to them.

[Ina246]

I do sit by her cage all day long and read to her or sing to her. When I get near her she screams and tries to fly away. She will also bite if she can. I am home all day, so we spend a lot of time together. I really think I am not her person. Sometimes people just dont prefer other people, for her I am the not prefered one. She loves my dogs and tries to kiss them and will sit on my little pom poo mix. Which scares me. Someone is going to get hurt. But I am sure she loves my husband. When he leaves she yells for him. When he is in sight she never shuts her mouth. She will say hi for 5 minutes if he doesnt say hi to her right away. I take her with me when I need to leave a room. She has a stand on wheels so she is in the kitchen and bedroom when I do house stuff. I talk to her all the time. We talk about everything. Maybe too much. If I can talk about it I do. We talk about washing vegies, cutting food, mopping, books, my grocery list and dog training. She knows way too much about me. I kind of hope she doesnt learn to talk just so she wont share my secrets. I felt like a month wasnt very long but that is what the breeder said. Although she seems flakey. They say she was handfed. I believe that because she does take food from my hand. I just dont really know what the levels of trust are and needed a little assistance from veteran bird people.

Thank you all for the help.
Hope this answers any questions.

Christina

[Lori~D]

Just because a bird is handfed doesnt make them well socialized. Some breeders feed and stick them right back in the brooder because they have so many to care for then once they wean they stop handleing them all together for the same reason.
When my friend (who has many like this) has a baby that stops being friendly becasue of lack of handeling she will get the syringe and formula back out and offer some onec or twice a day. Just a few bites of formula... and they come around. Maybe you can find some soft warm mushy foods that she likes and ONLY YOU offer it to he from a spoon. If there is one food she really likes - Only YOU offer it from your hands.
Example too is I have one new P'let baby in there that has been handled just like all the rest. She weaned herself first and flies from me...I have to catch her. So now I will have to separate her and clip her more to bring her back. Its just her personality difference.

[Ina246]

Thank you all for your help. We have figured out the she and my husband are closer. She has accepted me in the house and as long as I feed her we are fine. Not so much friends as house mates. But thanks again for all your help with her.