I hope you can help. We have a number of birds but something strange is going on. We have had this bird(QP), about 8 mos. or so and he took to my husband from the very beginning. He had never bitten him, has learned tons of words and phrases, been constant companions even driving. He ducks his head and presses into him and makes the hugging noise. They have been quite the pair until about 10-14 days ago, he is attacking my husband and has literally torn up both of his hands and arms. He isn't eating as much but his poop looks fine. He paces his cage, has attacked other birds and is really acting out of his normal character. We haven't changed cages, curtains, anything in the room. He has the same food, but we did add an additional pellet. No new birds,nothing. My husband feels like his best friend is gone. Something else I forgot is he is screaming alot instead of talking. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. Sharon

Sounds like hormones to me. Dontcha just LOVE spring time?

Sounds like he may be having a surge of Spring time hormones. Tell your husband not to take it too personally...Birds have a way of beating up on their loved one. Try and pin it down as to the circumstances....Is your hubby getting bitten more when you are close to him or when there might be preceived dangers that the bird is trying to save him from?

How old is this bird?

Just ride the storm and even though hubby is getting bit...don't give up on him...The hormones will even out and hopefully this bundle of green feathers will get back to his normal self again soon.

Yup, certainly sounds like spring hormones. When Kermit goes through this, the only way I can pick him up is if he is on top of his cage. In the cage, forget it. On the open door of the cage, maybe. He is squawking and carrying on all the time. Totally hormonal in my experience. Kermit goes through this every year at this time. Although, I can't say he has ever turned on me like your husband is experiencing. But, Kermit does get cage aggression and is most pronounced during this time period.

Hope this helps.


Jeff

He is 3 years old and if anything he is friendlier to the rest of us. He even charges my husband as he walks by the cage.

Yup...sounds like a bout of Spring hormones...

I know it probably really hurts your hubby's feelings that the bird has turned on him. But its nothing that he has probably done...Its just the wacky way of nature. You might try and have your husband totally ignore him for a while and see if that makes a difference. It might, it might not. But ride it out...And see if in a month or so and it might take as long as until fall when the hormones start slowing down again for him to come back around...It might be that the bird sees him as competition now to the other flock mate (females) and that he's telling him to stay away from his girls (even though some of the other family members may also be males)

Theres probably several schools of thought on the subject, and since I'm truly not an animal behaviorist would only be guessing. But several ideas come to mind...Either by trying the ignoring and letting the bird consider himself the superior of the flock mates...Or by your husband being more forceful and showing him that biting is not appropriate behavior etc. Every bird is different just like every person is different and some will move away from pain...some will move toward reward.. You may need to try both methods and see which works best for your bird in your situation.

Silly darn fickle birds anyway...

Have you changed anything in his physical environment (ie anything new in the room, or his cage?)
Has your hubby changed his appearance (beard/no beard, etc),? .
Although it certainly sounds hormonal sometimes the smallest unexpected things can impact.

Definately seems hormonal to me. I've got that going on with Peanut my yr old quaker and I hate it!!! When I try to get him to come out of his cage he hides from me. Now he just sees me walking towards his cage and he runs off mumbling and hides in his happy hut or behind it. I cannot even bribe him out these days. Sorry it's hurting hubby's feelings but it's nothing he has done.

I'm going through the same thing. My bird was so loving and gentle. Then a couple of weeks ago he started biting my neck and anything else he can grab.He even hisses at me if I get my hand to close. Scary! I'm hoping this is just hormones and he goes back to his old self soon. I don't pick him up. I only pet him on the cage and feed him holding out my hand while he's up there for now.

Could be a different soap or aftershave. I switched from Kirks Castile to ivory soap for about a week in the fall (ran out; store ran out). My birds absolutely had a ball attacking me. If your scent changes, must be something wrong with you. Its impeding your beautiful green feathers, and thus, it has to GO.

If only your husband groomed himself correctly, your bird would not have to do it for him and his beautiful green feathers would grow in correctly.

I cast my vote for the "hormone" theory also. I'm sporting a good size bite on my chin from Kiwi this week. And I am definitely his fave human. (We live alone )Seems like spring has created some little green monsters all amongst the forum.I for one will sure be happy to have my guy back to his normal self.

You've had some great advice from people so far.

If it's Fester that's acting up I know whenever he used to get hormonal with me a good shower would take him down a level.