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Angry Caique
- Thread starter Donna Leonard
- Start date
Well I've read and re-read through this thread a couple of times now. It's a tough one for sure. I wonder if a professional behaviorist might be helpful? There are so many things we do not to see in text. And what is one thing to some people is interpreted differently to another. Caiques are such a beaky breed their constant rubbing and beak banging can be confusing.
While I do agree with getting a second opinion on a health check up. I think some target training would help deal with daily interactions and basic cage maintenance. No hands no towels. Get yourself a chop stick or a wooden spoon handle, some kind of long stick type object. Does he take food from your hand? Or is he totally afraid?
After all the toweling he most likely doesn't trust you at the moment much. It's almost like you have to hit the reset button. Treat it like a new relationship.
Start from scratch. If he's food motivated I would find the treat he likes most and only use it for training. I've seen target training work wonders with hands off parrots. I've even used it myself when volunteering at a rescue. I always had nut treats in my pocket. The Big Macs and Zons learned I was the bearer of treats. I would target them to one side of their cage and offer a good sized treat then I could change out food dishes or a toy without being lunged at. After a few sessions and some calm talking I could do my work without much worry. Sometimes they would voluntarily move to the usual spot before I targeted. Targeting basically asks the bird to touch an object or move to a particular spot for a treat or positive interaction.
Good Bird Inc (Barbara Heidenreich) is a great positive reinforcement training resource.
Granted in your case it may take a little more time to recover the trust but it can be done.
I think it would also be good to consider your own energy when you're around your bird. It obviously confusing and upsetting to suddenly have issues where there were none for years. Our emotions get the better of us most times. Consider keeping a daily journal about your daily interactions. Note your birds physical behaviors as well as your own. Focus on the details. Every feather movement and eye pin is a communication from your bird.
Keeping your notes specific to facts will help you learn to retread your bird. It would also be helpful to note how you feel. It can be relevant. But avoid labeling what you think the bird feels. We can't know that for sure. We can only know what behavior we see.
There's more I'd like to offer. There's lots to consider. But this is all I have energy for at the moment. Hopefully some will help. Or maybe I've just babbled
While I do agree with getting a second opinion on a health check up. I think some target training would help deal with daily interactions and basic cage maintenance. No hands no towels. Get yourself a chop stick or a wooden spoon handle, some kind of long stick type object. Does he take food from your hand? Or is he totally afraid?
After all the toweling he most likely doesn't trust you at the moment much. It's almost like you have to hit the reset button. Treat it like a new relationship.
Start from scratch. If he's food motivated I would find the treat he likes most and only use it for training. I've seen target training work wonders with hands off parrots. I've even used it myself when volunteering at a rescue. I always had nut treats in my pocket. The Big Macs and Zons learned I was the bearer of treats. I would target them to one side of their cage and offer a good sized treat then I could change out food dishes or a toy without being lunged at. After a few sessions and some calm talking I could do my work without much worry. Sometimes they would voluntarily move to the usual spot before I targeted. Targeting basically asks the bird to touch an object or move to a particular spot for a treat or positive interaction.
Good Bird Inc (Barbara Heidenreich) is a great positive reinforcement training resource.
Granted in your case it may take a little more time to recover the trust but it can be done.
I think it would also be good to consider your own energy when you're around your bird. It obviously confusing and upsetting to suddenly have issues where there were none for years. Our emotions get the better of us most times. Consider keeping a daily journal about your daily interactions. Note your birds physical behaviors as well as your own. Focus on the details. Every feather movement and eye pin is a communication from your bird.
Keeping your notes specific to facts will help you learn to retread your bird. It would also be helpful to note how you feel. It can be relevant. But avoid labeling what you think the bird feels. We can't know that for sure. We can only know what behavior we see.
There's more I'd like to offer. There's lots to consider. But this is all I have energy for at the moment. Hopefully some will help. Or maybe I've just babbled
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Donna Leonard
Sitting on the front steps
Hello Holly,
Thanks for the input. I have a person I became good friends with who I bought some birds from, he has a large aviary. He thinks the vet I go to (whom he recommended) is very good and he trusts him very much. He said this vet has helped him out when others could not. He agrees that I should leave the bird alone for some weeks and let him chill before trying to do anything. My husband feels the same way. No one seems to think the bird has a medical problem. Armand does like his veggies before his pellets and he will eat fruit without hesitation. He does act fine. I think there is a behavioral issue but I don't know what the trigger was. If I wrap a pillowcase on my hand he is not scared and he will step up on that fine. If I put my finger in there he would attack and become screechy. When he gets out he does want to fly off and run around the floor so I let him. He does want to climb on me if I am on the floor but not be picked up. I have to stop him because he will want my shoulder which I have never let him do and if he gets in my hair it is holy murder to get him out! I will try this for a week if it is possible and see how he reacts. I think the daily journal is a good idea. I have started one already. He will not take treats from me. He really does not want me near his cage so either I open the door and back off and let him come to me or I go there only to clean and feed him.
Thanks for the input. I have a person I became good friends with who I bought some birds from, he has a large aviary. He thinks the vet I go to (whom he recommended) is very good and he trusts him very much. He said this vet has helped him out when others could not. He agrees that I should leave the bird alone for some weeks and let him chill before trying to do anything. My husband feels the same way. No one seems to think the bird has a medical problem. Armand does like his veggies before his pellets and he will eat fruit without hesitation. He does act fine. I think there is a behavioral issue but I don't know what the trigger was. If I wrap a pillowcase on my hand he is not scared and he will step up on that fine. If I put my finger in there he would attack and become screechy. When he gets out he does want to fly off and run around the floor so I let him. He does want to climb on me if I am on the floor but not be picked up. I have to stop him because he will want my shoulder which I have never let him do and if he gets in my hair it is holy murder to get him out! I will try this for a week if it is possible and see how he reacts. I think the daily journal is a good idea. I have started one already. He will not take treats from me. He really does not want me near his cage so either I open the door and back off and let him come to me or I go there only to clean and feed him.
You're doing what I would probably do. Trust my instincts and the people I respect and trust. I do hope you'll keep us up to date on any progress. This could be a good experience to share. Every bird is different. But we could all benefit from sharing.
Just remember to do your best to keep interactions hands on or not positive.
Good Luck!
Just remember to do your best to keep interactions hands on or not positive.
Good Luck!
Donna Leonard
Sitting on the front steps
My neighbor offered to come over today and visit with Armand. She had an amazon parrot for 17 years. She opened his cage and had him step up, something I cannot do. She held him for about 5 minutes and I stayed back watching him body surf. He seemed quite friendly, she was doing something I cannot do. Then, suddenly, she said he was getting a bit rough, she noticed he was gripping harder and rubbing harder. Suddenly he bit her and drew blood. Not bad but he did a bit of his screech too. At least I know now that it is not me! I put him on the scale since he was out, he was under his morning weight in the afternoon, about 157 grams. He should be 175 grams if he was in better form. We sat with him for a long time, I gave him a grape which he devoured, he ate a good chunk of apple and then went down and ate some roudybush pellets and corn. He is eating so I don't know what the weight loss is about. I made him some scrambled egg this evening. He is chirping and doing a lot of beak rubbing on his perch and cage bars. I did try giving him a much bigger cage the other day but he just hung off the top or paced on the shelf back and forth looking distressed. He did not eat or play with any toys. I ended up putting him back in the travel cage, he seems happier there.
Donna Leonard
Sitting on the front steps
He is a BH caique.
Donna Leonard
Sitting on the front steps
Well, some good news finally! I have been keeping Armand in the guest bedroom by himself and yesterday I moved him to the bedroom where I keep all the birds. Boy was he happy! I even got him out of the cage last night and tonight, he stepped up without any fits and stepped on and off the scale without fits and I had a good 10 to 15 minutes of loving on him and he was a perfect birds! I swear he turns on and off like a light switch! I am keeping him overnight and until late morning in his quiet room and then I move him in with the other birds. So far so good. I hope this keeps up. No reason for the behavior change except that maybe he was lonely! Can't figure this guy out!
Hello. My caique is 15yrs old
About 4 years ago hesitated attacking his foot and would scree h .
Vet said everything was clear and found nothing wrong with his blood. We put a cone on him until the leg healed.
Once healed he went back to normal. He has never done this behavior. He has always been a sweetheart. Now since then around December or January he does this same agitation scream and bites his leg to the point I have to put the cone back on him.
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Out of 13 caiques, I have two hens who act crazy in hormone season. One, who usually lives in my ear, becomes a real demon from hell.
I cant blame isolation or lack of a mating outlet, because she lives in a flock. But there you have it. I manage it with timeouts and isolation ( where she can see the other birds) so that she is part of the flock without getting the option of chasing them round the avairy trying to disembowel them. Her partner ( of 9 years) is a darling little male who loves the ground I walk on, hormone season or not. She ignores him.
One pair I keep in the spare room ( they have their own bedroom!) and they will pick one spot in the screened off window. Hang there like two bats, upside down, and SCREEEEEEEEEEEAM ALL DAY.
They will fight over one walnut, when theres a bowl of walnuts on the cage.
Working solution: Separation, isolation when warrented, distraction ( cages in the garden), and lots of vodka ( for me)
I cant blame isolation or lack of a mating outlet, because she lives in a flock. But there you have it. I manage it with timeouts and isolation ( where she can see the other birds) so that she is part of the flock without getting the option of chasing them round the avairy trying to disembowel them. Her partner ( of 9 years) is a darling little male who loves the ground I walk on, hormone season or not. She ignores him.
One pair I keep in the spare room ( they have their own bedroom!) and they will pick one spot in the screened off window. Hang there like two bats, upside down, and SCREEEEEEEEEEEAM ALL DAY.
They will fight over one walnut, when theres a bowl of walnuts on the cage.
Working solution: Separation, isolation when warrented, distraction ( cages in the garden), and lots of vodka ( for me)
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