Hey everyone reading this ( and thank god you are )

I just picked up a new family member called marshall hes a moustached parakeet and hes 3 years old.

Hes been living with a guy before me whos only had him for 3 months, before that a lady that hated him and used to poke him with a stick ( totally uncalled for ) Ive had him for about a week now and hes very aggresive.

He bites and launges on any approch, yet he likes when i sit infront of the cage and talk to him but even when i talk to him he will flap his wings or come with a clucking sound enough to make me think im unwanted. As soon as i leave hell then say "where tha going" and squak like mad i dont undersstand this behaviour at all is it because he wants to be with me from a distance or whats going on ? Ive let him out of his cage a few times and he flyes of at any strange sound and usually goes for the window bangs his tiny head and falls to the ground i tried the come to mama ill rescue you sorta thing like step up and ill take u to your cage he will then step up but only long enough for me to provide a "fly of" stand or he will visiously bite or lounge at me.
It takes hours for him to go back in his cage and when he does hell lounge at you for closing it.
Ive had a blue amazone before also a "rescue" bird but i cant say ive ever been bitten that much before
any advice ?? im desperate for him to stop being so mean to us

vicky

First off, Welcome to the Forum! A Moustache Parakeet. I am NOT familiar with them but I think any NEW bird has to go thru an adjustment period. From the sounds of it, the bird probably has not had a happy life in the past, being poked, being passed around. Surely he is upset. He needs time and probably lots of time just to trust someone. He needs someone to just be patient with him. A week really isn't a long time. If it were me, I probably would get a wing clip. I know that it will humble a quaker, but not sure about your species of bird, but it certainly can't hurt. If it were me, I would talk to him thru the cage bars and offer him little tidbits of food and do that until he feels more comfortable and maybe you feel a little more comfortable. I also would get as much information from the former owner(s) as possible. It could be they just never handled him because they too were also scared of him. I am just trying to throw things out there to help.

it is important that Mustached Parakeets are handled regularly from a young age, as they can become aggressive, if they are not well socialized and handled regularly.
Here is a site that might help. I also would do an internet search and read, read, read. Sounds like he just has not been handled and has become agressive.
http://www.avianweb.com/moustachedparakeets.html

Thank you for writing back and that page was extremly usefull. ( just found out marshall is a girl )
I spoke to the guy i got marshall from and he cant really tell me anything other then that she never bit him, but also that he never held her before or even tried to interact with her due to allergi which is why he passed her on to me.
The guy said that the lady who had him before him used to poke marshall with a stick how or why he wouldnt tell me and was quick to get rid of us with marshall the day i went to fetch her. I guees some serious tlc is needed here to try and turn marshall around.
Next thing that worries me is that if shes a she, she might not like me as im female aswell.
Iread about taking their fav food out of the food bowl and offer them as treats temted to try that and see where it takes me 8)

thanks vicky

Very good advice so far. I also do not know anything about the Moustache Parakeet, but I do know a bit about aggressive birds. Besides following Sandi Kiwis Mom's advice, giving your bird time, getting the wings clipped, etc., I have a little trick to help aggression. When the time is right, and you let her out of her cage, put her in a towel and hold her to your chest. This represents "coddling" - talk very gently to your bird, using soft tones and a happy voice. Do this often... while you are sitting, walking, anything. This can get the bird used to your warmth, voice and body movements. Eventually, you can try touching the birds head (or beak if you dare!), neck and feet while you have her in the towel. At some point, theoretically, you should be able to remove the towel & have a bird that you can "hold."

Best of luck!

Kiwi Bird Two

Aww desperate for a little loving back from her ill try see what happens with the tea towel.
Been on the phone to my vet to ask for advice on how to clip the wings, they told me its quite a risky thing to do as your pet might get traumatized and hate you even more which is what i dont want right now.
They also told me they would be able to do it for me if i was prepared to let her get anastetic because they wont be able to handle her if she bites.
I feel that might be a bit extreme .. theres a risk involved with anastetic i dont want to kill my marshall i just want her wings cut to save her from banging into everything and better handling.

thanks vicky

Think of it from this perspective a woman spent all of her time poking you? I would be a little aggressive too. Give him/her a little time to adjust. I am going through quite the same thing with my quaker right now. Good luck morevicky

It may be a good idea to just wait to get the wings clipped, I really don't know. However, I've never heard of anastatising a bird prior to this simple task. You may want to get this bird accustomed to you & your home first. When you are ready, a single employee at a reputable pet store should be able to clip the wings with the use of a leather glove and a pair of scizzors. Call around first - it's a great step in taming your bird.

let me see if I can find lgnumbersafterhernick..she has one and maybe can help you...

Vicky,

Wow...never heard of having to anesthetize a bird for a simple wing clip. I would NOT recommend that you do it yourself, but here at least, any petshop that sells birds will do it for about 10-15 dollars. My qp is vicious when you try to restrain him, but the vet techs at the vet office are able to do it easily. Is the vet you called an avian vet? I'm wondering if it's to do with the fact that you are in England...my hubby is from there, and I know that most of the pet shops there don't believe in wing clipping....but I'm just guessing from my time there. Here is much more common for a bird to be clipped than not.

Sorry I don't really have much advice since all I know about the type of bird you have is that they are extremely beautiful birds. The pet shop I go to a lot used to have 2 that were in a cage right by the register, they had awesome vocabularies!

Oh thanks alot sounds good love to hear from some one whos got the same sort of bird as me.

and yes my vet said they refused to take her in if she bites and prefered anastetic which is a totally no goer.
I took her out about an hour ago and she loves to come out, straight up on top of the cage i this time left her and went to sit down to watch telly with hubby and she just sat there looked quite happy.
I then got brave and thought ill go give her a treat and vola the sweet looking little parakeet turned into a monster lounging at me straight away clucking at me and what not could she hiss im sure she would.
I desided to try and put on a glove to see what she would do, and she tried her best to peck my hand but soon after she gave up, and i was able to touch her chest without her looking freaked out i was quite amazed.
I managed to get her to step up a few times but then she flew off and banged into the window again.
I went to her rescue and she stepped up, i raised my hand slightly from the floor and she were off but landed on her cage and she went straight in and i closed it.
Was i wrong to use gloves ?? most people say dont use "body armour" they scare the bird i just wanted to let her know once and for all im not scared of your bites.
Shall i try next time i take her out without gloves ??

vicky

Right now you are risking injuring your bird by doing too much at once. Just my opinion. When you work with her you need to take her away from the cage and into an unfamiliar area. Sounds like she is very cage aggressive another thing you may want to do when you take her from the top of her cage is to make sure windows are shut, blinds are pulled and there are no ceiling fans on. Since she easily flys off she is bound to get hurt or worse then that. It kind of sounds like if she is away from her cage she may do better. Once again, just my opinion.

Heyyy there u are 8)

Thanks for replying yea you might be right on the cage thing but how do i get her to come in another room without flying off wildly ??
And yea perhaps i am trying too many things at once i dont know just feel so sorry for her being sat there in her cage all day.
All the curtains are always drawn door locked i got no fan but i got a window above the door that i cant cover up.

vicky

and your opinion is not only good its valid and I agree woman !!!

hey angel

why did u quote Sandi Kiwis Mom @ Nov 11 2008, 03:41 PM ? makes me feel like an idiot when im here to try and get help for my situation not getting put down like that 8(

Vicky

Vicky

I was given an IRN because it was 'mean'. Well they weren't kididng ... BUT, I worked with her every day for almost 6 months, taking her into the bathroom (with the door closed and toilet closed) and letting her come out of her cage, then trying to handle her. I took some nips, but the only time she really BIT me was first time I tried to pick her up and she didn't know me.

It took SIX MONTHS working with her every day for 15 to 20 minutes in the bathroom (sometimes twice or three times a day!) chasing her around (she's flighted and no way was I gonna lose a finger trying to clip her wings!) before she trusted me enough to let me touch her.

An IRN is very similar to a moutached, similar coloring, similar size, similar personality, so it may be a LONG time before she trusts you. Realize no bird is an instant fix, instant lover like a puppy. Most take time to get to know you and most will still bite no matter HOW LONG you've had them

Good luck ... just know it will take patience.

It will take patience to get the bird to trust you, don't give up, it is worth it in the end

My IRN Nala doesn't speak at all But that's ok cuz she is my lover bird ... too much so sometimes ... none of the other fids can be on me without being attacked if Nala is out. She even goes after the cat!

They are VERY possessive, of people and their cages sometimes. I still have to be careful if she is in her cage when I change food and water ... she's been known to nail me when put the water dish in or out

She was a TERROR when I got her. It took 6 months, work-outs of up to an hour at a time in an enclosed space (bathroom) to finally convince her I am NOT the enemy - and a myriad of BIG BITES!

But now she is a lover! A JEALOUS lover, but in the last year (since she decided to play nice), I've only been bitten once when I startled her. She makes sure the rest of the fids stay off HER mom, tho ... including the CAT!!

Try here IRN Forum for info on Indian Ring Necks. I belong to that forum as well and they've taught me a lot on how to handle Nala.

Her flock call is PIERCING!!! Luckily she doesn't do it often, morning to let me know she's awake, and at night to let me know it's bed time!!! But she is the one I will yell at the most if I don't cover her soon enough and she gets going!

It took Nala from February to October to decide she loves me ... used to take CHUNKS out of my arm with that big red beak ... but now she truly is a lover ... VERY possessive, VERY cage territorial, even when I change out her food/water ... but once out of her cage she IS a lover bird with me. Not friendly with other fids tho. She will attack, even the cats!

I love her, tho, and she loves me. Very independent sometimes, but still a beautiful bird.

Definitely not for the faint of heart (and those who want to keep ALL body parts attached!!) and not for those who want to keep their ears working ... VERY loud ... she is the one that will get me yell SHUT UP!!

Beautiful bird and worth the downsides to get that loving little purr in your ear!

She was just agreeing with what I said instead of retyping that's all. She wasn't putting you down...... that is what we do on here, like I said she was just agreeing with what I had said to you....

Awww, the poor baby, getting poked??? That person who had her and did that should be taken out behind the barn and given a good whupping.

I think the others are right. You're going to have to be extra, extra patient and give the poor baby a lot of time to get over being abused. She's frightened, is all, and she doesn't know if she can trust you and it's going to take a long time to prove to her that she can trust you. We have a Lab who was abused in her former home and we've had her over two years and she still freaks out very easily. Critters take a long while to get past that.

Im ever so thankfull for everyone who writes back to me with good ideas what a lovely place this forum is!

Id love to take marshall away from cage but how ?? she doesnt step up at all should she get off the cage she'll fly off wildly and land randomly love the idea with the tea towel just dont wanna freak her out even more.
in the mornings when i take cover off to good morning her she will wildy run the cage over and over and over as to say take me out.
I think thats excitement and i dont wanna let her think she can come out when shes excited, usually takes about 30 mins for her to calm down.
Its quite a show i get all out of breath just watching her do it.
Then i give her fresh fruit in her little bowl, she will allow me to put my hands in for that and to give her fresh water even tho the bowl is right next to her and i might just touch her gently on the way.
Somehow that saying never bite the hand that feeds you comes into place 8)
glad shes ok with that.

Also how do i get her back in the cage when i want to, when she comes out it can take hours before she wants to go back in.

Vicky

If you click reply to a certain comment like I did just now it automatically quotes for you so that you dont have to type everything out that you are responding to. I am confused as to why you would feel put down that I agreed with Sandi's advice? It made allot of sense to me and I was just supporting it by adding a comment. If you were offended with it I am truely sorry but it is never was my intent to make you feel like an idiot I just wanted to help you with your bird. I will shut up now.

hey angel 8) its totally fine im new here im still learning how to get about.
Havent been on any forum before and i just took it wrong way im sorry too.

Been trying to take a few pictures of my little devil today but i cant upload them somehow ill find out eventually i hope

Biigg prograss today with marshall (silly name for she i know, didnt know she was a she till recently )
Shes been out of the cage and no biting today at all and we been doing step up a few times im super happy 8)

I got a few issues with her food tho she seems extremly hungry after i yesterday took all sunflower seeds from her bowl as its her fav and i wanted to use em as treats.
Shes had grapes pare apple and small corns in her bowl but she dont seem to eat much of it.

Also ive had her for about a week now, the cage was simi clean when i got it altho its in desperate need of replacing, im on the case about that ( new one coming in a week ) much bigger then what shes got now tiny little parakeet/bugie cage i dont know what that man that had her were thinknig, she can barely stretch her wings inthere.
Could also be why shes unhappy and bites, im sure shed love to be able to stretch a bit more then that.

Cleaning the cage out today i noticed there was scaggy tape on the side of it so i picked it of and to my greatest HORROR it was alive ...
Small maggets had taken residence underneath the tape ewwwwwwwwww!!!!!!
I felt like ringing the man back and give him a piece of mind how desgusting is that ??
Poor marshall been sat in a cage like that for god knows how long thats just horrible to think somone would be so cruel not to wash out bottom of the cage properly.
I am desgusted!!

Vicky

new cage is now orderd cant wait to introduce her to her new cage hope she wont get upset about losing the old one

vicky

Hi. There are many posts here so I may have overlooked it, but if no one has already mentioned it, please becareful with the windows. If you can do something to block the light from coming in the bird will probably not fly towards it. If they hit a window hard enough it could kill them. As far as the bird using your finger as a lift off for flying when you do step up, try putting your other hand over his back. That is what I do and then he can't get lift. I don't press down, just put it there so he can take off. Good luck.