IndianRingNeck.com

Charley the ringneck is almost a year old. In just the last couple of days he has started attacking me. He will tolerate anyone else in the house but me. Where as up until last week he would barely tolerate anyone but me. I can't even take him out of his cage anymore. I never stick my hand in his cage I wait for him to come out and he used to hop on every morning. Now he will bite me. I even tried luring him on with a treat....he hops on my arm ignores the treat and just latches on HARD!!!!!! Now he seeks me out to bite me. The only time he will allow me to take him is when I am going outside, and he's only on me for a ride. I have no clue what could have switched the switch in his head. Would moulting have this night and day switch? I have suffered more bites in the last 5 days than I have in the last 8 months of having him. The only new thing is that he has started vocalizing a lot more in the last few days like he's trying to talk.

Stroppy little so and so!, I doubt if its moulting to blame, it is probably something he objects to, please don't give him Any opportunity to bite chunks out of you!. You need to work out what's different to cause this behaviour.

The only thing that would be different enough that I can think of, and I'm not even sure this would make such a drastic change in attitude, is that I was on holidays for two weeks and home with him most everyday. Even if I'm not home he's out of the cage with my daughters so it's not like he's stuck in his cage...

Now I'm back at work but as per before I went on holidays I would have him on me pretty much the whole evening.....now he wants nothing to do with me. Am I being punished?

This needs someone more experienced/knowledgeable, miss k, or ellie, perhaps?

Could be hormonal

If Charley is female, wouldn't "she" be too young to be "hormonal"?

Actually we bought Charley from ....cringe....a pet store....he was discounted because n one wanted him. He is healthy though just had never been very used to being handled. So we have no clue if Charley is a boy or a girl yet. I am starting to see darkening around the neck...so for some reason I'm thinking male....but not confirmed. This evening he came on me like his good old self.....I praised him for that and he spent the whole evening on me....and then again he jumped on me willingly to go to bed in his cage. Tomorrow morning though I bet I will get my hand chomped again.

Ooh, thanks for the vote of confidence, but all I am thinking is to agree (1) it's a reaction to something and (2) keep the sensitive bits out of range, dodge and distract if you must be within range. You just made a new post about today. It makes me think you have "done something" he didn't feel good about.

*That said, IF this happened to me, I would consider a vet check. What can I say, I like vets to drive nice, shiny new cars....
*I would look around for inappropriate bonding. I've read both that parrots (in general) will attack their perceived human rival and also will attack their chosen one if that person is not falling in line with the program in the parrot's mind. It only explains the permissiveness with others in the
family if you are not the chosen one, though.
*I would also mind my Ps and Qs, go back to square one and act as if we'd just met. I would be sweet and gentle in all things, announce before I came in the room, offer great food through the bars, -- generally suck up and bring my A game. It could be seen as a little Friendship Refresher Course. I imagine it might make it easier to spot a snag in the relationship as you progress.
*I might check myself. Did I change in aspect or action in any way that might put the bird off and cause him to seek safety with others in the family? A familiar face in uncertain times is always welcome, or, to repeat a phrase, "better the devil you know".
*I would pay extra attention to the bird's actions and aspect, to see if I could pinpoint where things go South for him.

These are just thoughts off the top of my head on how I might react to the situation. Part of this problem treads new ground for me, as there are no other humans in my household. I have experienced my bird taking a step backwards in his comfort level when my obligations have taken me more away from the house over several weeks. When that has happened, he came right back in line when routines went back closer to normal. Will my ideas work for you? No clue, but if you try them, please let me know how it goes.

Well that was fun...2 bites this morning trying to feed the little bugger....

Yes Miss K...I agree with the "done something" part....I just keep trying to figure out what that may have been Other than the change from holiday schedule. Before this he was pretty much my bird....I was the only one that could handle him and he would only permit me to touch him. Now I am persona non grata (Probably spelled wrong....I know no latin). Also my husband has been getting a touch closer with him.....but nowhere near the point where he could handle him.

I have noticed it is by far worse in the morning. Could that make it a hormone thing? I swear I literally see him fighting with himself. LOL He also has been trying to talk a lot more now in the mornings....so maybe he just doesn't like any interruptions during talk time??

It sounds like it's a case of "how do you dare disturb this passionate speech I'm giving?", hehe.

Sanjay gets stroppy with/at himself sometimes, he can argue and debate for England!, but he much prefers beating the do do out of his toys!, I'm just pleased not to be one of them!

Maybe it is the wrong side of the bed, Billie looks like death when l wake her and l dare not touch her before the covers are finally off even then she likes to poop all down the cage before she does anything else

Ok so my new tactic will be to let it be until he seeks me out. This evening I talked to him to say hi and fed him but that was it. Now I'm sitting here on the couch and he walked over......so new ignore and conquer....we'll see how that works.

I think that could be best as they are not keen on the attention we pour out, Billie my bird comes to me for a cuddle when she wants, she is out of her cage all day, even when l go to church or shopping she sits quietly waiting for me to return. I hope!