posted January 27, 2006 12:08 PM         

It's not spring really until I hear a chickadee sing her phoebe spring song.

posted March 17, 2007 11:23 PM         

Imagine a toddler the same age as your parrot... that's what's going on in her mind, plus the change of owners. She has no reason to trust you in such a short time, it takes time to bond, like 10 years! (well maybe a little less.)

NEVER discipline her by touch! Remember that doesn't happen in the wild. As domesticated as they are, they still retain some of the wild instinct.

When she bites, (try) to say calmly "No biting" and immediatly put her in her cage. Cover it with a blanket so she can't see you. I say "time out" when I do this to Phil.
Cover the cage for 5 minutes with a blanket or cover. And then uncover it and talk softly, calmly about what ever behavior got her the time out. Then act as if it never happened until the next time. Parrots are very intuitive and know what emotions you are experiencing, so no harboring resentment! Eventually, she'll equate biting with being seperated from you. You are going through a bonding process, but you need to be firm and draw a boundry with the biting. I know the biting hurts, but if she were truely nasty and didn't like you, she would have already snapped your radious! Or bit off your finger.

Try to really observe her, maybe there is something you are doing or not doing that the previous owner did.
The parrots are like children, they need boundries and patience. Attention for good behavior! Like children, they have likes and dislikes too. You may scratch or pet in an area she doesn't like. (especially about where the spine and tail feathers meet.) This is a sexual area and can be very disturbing and confusing if it is not another bird doing the scratching!

There are a few areas that birds LOVE to be touched in. But before I mention these, tell me about how and where you pet her.

Also, is it a pretty structured enviornment at home? Many people, changes, a new addition to the family? Parrots depend on structure or consistancy.

Sometimes young birds test things with their beak, just like babies put everything in their mouth.

Her biting may not be a bad behavior, she may be trying to communicate something to you. (maybe she needs a larger perch than the width of your finger, they have big toes and sometimes don't feel real sturdy with little to grab onto.

Are her wings clipped?
Birds need enough room in their cage to fully extend their wings. And lots of chew toys. Rawhide dog bones are great and inexpensive. Sometimes if they don't have enough things to chew on, they get very bored! You finger or arm could be seen as a way to exercize their jaws.

So, please tell me more about her personality.

posted March 19, 2007 06:27 PM         

When they got her, they were her 3rd owners. It took awhile for her to settle in. She is not very nice to strangers. She loves kids but will swoop down on them and scare the CRAP out of them.

posted March 19, 2007 06:31 PM         

There is not alot I can do. I have to just do what I can. Connie will never give up the bird since it was her husbands.