Help! New M2

[Brendie]

Help My family and I have recently adopted a M2. He is not our first fid including Dino we have 11. My problem is that he will let my husband do anything and everything to and with him. Dino will also let my grandson do the same(grandson is 13years old) Dino (M2) won't let me do anything to or for him. He has bitten me several times and drew blood. If he is on his perch he will stalk me and wont let me go past the perch or for that matter even move. When we saw him at the store where we got him he would let me pick him up he would cuddle up and want loving(which he received) and now I can barely look at him. Dino is supposedly 10 years old was supposed to have been from a family that ran into finacial trouble and had to get rid of him. I NEED HELP I cant even walk around the living room for a fear of being bitten through his cage bars. His cage is roughly 5ft tall 3ft wide and 3 ft deep with lots of toys and treats in it PLEASE HELP ME

[Angelsmum]

Some species of birds do pick a person to become attached to and can see the others as a threat to the relationship. As in the wild they will ward off potential threats by other birds to their partnerships. This is very normal parrot behaviour. Unfortunately this does not fit in with what WE want from them. It can be hard to overcome. Patience and consistency is needed from you. You can start by feeding a treat through the bars when you walk past the cage. Something he really likes. I really suggest you do some good reading about parrot behaviour, the reasons behind the behaviours they have. getting to read their body language and behaviour modification through positive reinforcement. One I really like is the parrot problem solver by Barbara Heidenrich. Good luck.

[chinniechantel]

I am so sorry to hear about your troubles. I have a moluccan male who is 5 years old. For the most part he is a great bird, but does have his quirks. Have you considered you are wearing, talking, smiling, moving your head, etc. that he does not like? My bird hates anything red, so that is something to consider. Try not moving your head when you talk, and move more slowly and talk quietly around him. Sit by his cage and talk to him for a good 10 minutes before even opening the cage. Tell him he is a pretty boy, etc. and just try to befriend him.

My bird holds grudges like you would not believe! He gets mad at me for a full week when I do something major wrong, like when I brought another bird home, he was just furious with me. He would not even step up and he has never refused an arm before. He even kind of bit me, not hard at all, but a warning nonetheless. I started talking to him a lot before opening the cage, and don't push too hard. Make sure to make him feel special and important, and give him lots of time, even if it is just sitting by the cage talking to him.

When you open the cage, always put your arm up the same way, and have anyone in the family do it the same way too. Don't push him, let him think he is in charge. Anything that he likes doing, like showering, playing, etc, make sure YOU do it with him. When you get his nails and feathers done, if he gets scared, make sure you are the person who picks him up, hence kind of rescuing him. Hopefully that will make him like to be around you, and then maybe even good friends.

Remember that everything you do, he picks up on. He picks up on the stress, you being scared, and he reacts to that. Try to be confident, strong, and steady. My moluccan hates being on an arm that is unsteady, so I try to push my elbow against my side so I can have it a bit more steady. You can also hold the arm he is on with your other hand, making it stronger as well. Also, don't be afraid of bribing! My moluccan does not like nuts at all, very odd, but raisins and corn are his absolute favs.

I wish you the best of luck, keep at it and it will be worth it.

[RubyMuse]

You are right that a bird's behavior in a store is no indication for how it will behave in a home - especially a home with eleven other birds. It is very important for people to understand this. Behavior and environment are linked. A bird is not the "behavior" aka: friendly, sweet, cuddly, aggressive, lungy, etc, etc... A bird DOES those things given certain situations. All birds are capable of all behavior.

Now, the goal is to create the best environment conducive to agreeable behavior. First, build a relationship with the bird in his cage - no need to let him keep rehearsing going after you while perched out. Try giving him great treats, drop them in his bowl without opening the cage. Watch his behavior to see if he is starting to relax when you approach - this is what you should look for.

The other thing to mention is that sometimes people unknowingly reinforce a bird for choosing them over someone else - they laugh, "scold" while cuddling, and give attention to the bird for "choosing" them and so the bird thinks it is doing the right thing to solidify it's bond with one family member over another.

Whatever you do, do not react negatively to the bird for going after you. Aggression reinforces aggression and you can not dominate a cockatoo. Instead, reframe your relationship calmly and consistently and the bird's behavior will change over time.

It is great that you are asking questions and seeking answers. I always say the most difficult thing about animal training is training the person first. We will often keep trying the same things even though they don't work. But, if you can really work at a new approach and have patience you can change this bird's behavior.

Keep us posted.

[Brendie]

Sorry that it has taken me some time to get back to you guys but here I am. Dino (M2) has been doing better at least 3-4 times a day I go to his cage and talk to him and tell him what a pretty bird and a handsome bird he is and that I love him for at least 10-15 minutes at a time and then I give him a treat either a piece of fruit or a nut (almonds his favorite) and he will now let me scritch his head through the bars. I haven't opened his cage yet but with time I hope to be able to do this to. Thanks for the advice everyone I'll keep you posted.