It begins!

[weareoceansaway]

After reading just about every thread on this website (okay overstatement but I've been reading a TON!), I knew this would start. Now, I have the question of how I can curb it before it gets much worse...
Phoenix is doing wonderful with me. She's velcroing to me, tolerating my hubby very well, but is absolutely viscious when my daughter comes around. All my toddler needs to do is be in the same room, and she suddenly gets fluffy. If my daughter starts walking toward me, Phoenix will start lunging. Now I know certain things not to do, like instantly move Aleena away because it'll be a reward, but what can I do to curb it without accidentally rewarding it?
Thanks, you guys are wonderful!

[Greycloud]

Oh my, be careful! I had a past too jump off a cage and attack my daughter when she was three.
Your bird is oviously frightened by this little human. A toddler is too young to attempt to get her to feed treats to the bird. Only because the bird could attack. I would let her offer treats through the cage though and see if some trust builds there.

[weareoceansaway]

Yes, we're strictly watching the two of them. My daughter is only eighteen months, so I'm not sure if she's coordinated enough to try feeding treats even through the cage. I will try it with my hand firmly wrapped on hers, if just to introduce the two. I'm thinking of getting her wings clipped to keep her from maybe flying after her. Just trying to eliminate the 'what ifs'! She has a date with the vet next week, just to do some routine check ups even though she came with all her vet paperwork.
It only seems like she does this when shes on one of our shoulders. Perhaps maybe partially banning shoulder rides might help? At least when Aleena is around? I think the shoulder rides are adorable, but if they're instigating the behavior than I'd rather stop them than keep the behavior going. ^-^

[Greycloud]

Your statement on shoulder location is accurate. The bird may see you as his. I would stick to hand and arm perching and see if this helps.

[weareoceansaway]

Okay I will give that a try too. Hopefully, with patience and a little time, we can get her a little use to my little one. I guess we can forget about adding any new flockmembers any time soon! XD

[Jag]

I don't think that moving your daughter away would be a 'reward'... this bird is telling you something! You have to put your daughter's safety above everything..as well as your own. Your bird may bite you eventually to get you to move away from your daughter. The behavior he's doing now is a 'warning' ... but if you don't respond to the warning, he will probably move to more 'drastic' measures to get his point across!

I think at this point, I'd be very very weary of having your daughter get any closer to him. When you've had him for awhile, and she's alittle older, then I'd suggest the treat thing. Toddler's skin is sensitive, and a Sun bite isn't anything to mess with. If your daughter got bit, it could make her weary for a very long time of the bird. IMO, I wouldn't risk the trauma to child or bird. I'd just keep them apart, and I think I'd probably do the wing clipping if they have to be out in the same room together and he's being aggressive to her. They are QUICK. I had a Jenday fly at my face when he was still partially clipped. I didn't even see that one coming, as I didn't realize he'd grown in enough feathers to fly that far!

I'd wonder if after you'd had the Sun for awhile if he'd not be so afraid of your daughter...but he is now and the best you can do is use caution and listen to what the parrot is telling you.

[weareoceansaway]

Originally Posted by Jag

I don't think that moving your daughter away would be a 'reward'... this bird is telling you something! You have to put your daughter's safety above everything..as well as your own. Your bird may bite you eventually to get you to move away from your daughter. The behavior he's doing now is a 'warning' ... but if you don't respond to the warning, he will probably move to more 'drastic' measures to get his point across!

I think at this point, I'd be very very weary of having your daughter get any closer to him. When you've had him for awhile, and she's alittle older, then I'd suggest the treat thing. Toddler's skin is sensitive, and a Sun bite isn't anything to mess with. If your daughter got bit, it could make her weary for a very long time of the bird. IMO, I wouldn't risk the trauma to child or bird. I'd just keep them apart, and I think I'd probably do the wing clipping if they have to be out in the same room together and he's being aggressive to her. They are QUICK. I had a Jenday fly at my face when he was still partially clipped. I didn't even see that one coming, as I didn't realize he'd grown in enough feathers to fly that far!

I'd wonder if after you'd had the Sun for awhile if he'd not be so afraid of your daughter...but he is now and the best you can do is use caution and listen to what the parrot is telling you.

Oh we keep them very far apart now that we realize whats going on! I just didn't want it to seem a reward that every time she lunges, the little human would go away. I'm going to start with through the cage interation, like no touching of the cage or fingers anywhere near but I'll put the treats in between the bars while Aleena talks to her. I think I'll start with that, just to get them used to each other. The cage is high off the floor so Aleena can't reach it if for that one second we're not watching. I plan on asking the vet to trim them to the safe point.
I remember reading about the aggression toward the 'mate' to try to chase them away from the 'danger'. As much as I'd rather have neither happen, I'd be more comfortable with the aggression aimed at me!
Thank you for the information, I'm going to try to inroduce them very slowly and with very careful observation.