Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Hope some of you can help. I got my new Alexandrine, Mango, a month ago. she came from a pretty hectic but not loving environment. The previous owner thinks she is about 2 years old.
When I got her, she was very shy and scared....I got her a big cage and she gets lots of fresh fruit vegetables etc.
Just recently, she has become aggressive when I try and get her on my hand. previously, she would come on my hand and I could take her out of the cage etc. Now when I put my hand anywhere near her, she attacks it. BUT, when I DO get her on my hand she stays there and will also stay on my shoulder as long as I want, without biting or anything.
At night, before her bed time, she gets very active, does lots of spins twirls in her cage (which I learned are good signs of a healthy happy bird playing) and then she sits on her perch grinding her beak. She is active and eats lots.
So I dont know why she is all of a sudden aggressive and biting towards my and everyone else's hand.
Also, sometimes when I go near her, she goes towards a corner and I can tell she is trembling.
Also, how often should you bath these birds. I tried to get her near water once, and she didnt like it........so I had to hold her under the water and force her to get wet.
Any ideas?? thank you for any advice.........
Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Moderator: Mods
Re: Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Ahh, welcome! Sounds like your little girl might be getting a bit hormonal or territorial. None the less, it is important you do not react to this behavior—that means no eye contact, no yelling to tell her “no”, no wobbling your hand—nothing. Continue to hold her as you do and when she does bite, remove your hand and continue the interaction together as if nothing happened. Your voice should only be used as a means of praise—nothing more. It’s amazing how quickly she will adjust herself. The more you interact with her this way the more her behavior will change.
Also, please be careful when she is on your shoulders is she is indeed biting. I don’t want you to make an emergency visit to the doctor. Alexandrine’s have large beaks and can do a lot of damage. Only place her there once you are confident she is not biting anymore.
If the biting is hormonal then just place her back in her cage to let her calm down a bit. A few minutes alone will help subdue her. Again, no need to tell her anything about being a bad bird—just put her away to calm down. When she is out and acting as she should—reward her with treats and your voice.
Trembling
Not to worry about the trembling as my ringnecks to this too. They become kind of fluffed up as this allows them to trap and warm air around their bodies during sleep. My African Grey always does this—so it’s quite normal.
Bathing
No need to hold your bird under the water to take a bath. You can just place a nice sized bowl into the cage and splash your fingers around in it—this seems to simulate bathing time. Or you can take your bird into the bathroom and gently spray her down with a mist from a spray bottle.
All my parrots will hop in the shower w/ me every few days. I have special perches there and they love the water…my grey on the other hand—well..he is a monster!
Hope this helps! Wishing you the best my friend
Best Wishes
,
IMRAN-C
Also, please be careful when she is on your shoulders is she is indeed biting. I don’t want you to make an emergency visit to the doctor. Alexandrine’s have large beaks and can do a lot of damage. Only place her there once you are confident she is not biting anymore.
If the biting is hormonal then just place her back in her cage to let her calm down a bit. A few minutes alone will help subdue her. Again, no need to tell her anything about being a bad bird—just put her away to calm down. When she is out and acting as she should—reward her with treats and your voice.
Trembling
Not to worry about the trembling as my ringnecks to this too. They become kind of fluffed up as this allows them to trap and warm air around their bodies during sleep. My African Grey always does this—so it’s quite normal.
Bathing
No need to hold your bird under the water to take a bath. You can just place a nice sized bowl into the cage and splash your fingers around in it—this seems to simulate bathing time. Or you can take your bird into the bathroom and gently spray her down with a mist from a spray bottle.
All my parrots will hop in the shower w/ me every few days. I have special perches there and they love the water…my grey on the other hand—well..he is a monster!
Hope this helps! Wishing you the best my friend
Best Wishes
,IMRAN-C
-
thebends2000
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:01 pm
Re: Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Thanks Iran, that was helpful.
Re: Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Hey mate, I have been experiencing the same! I tried the advice above but it does not work :/ How's your bird now? Mine has acting weird since last week. I am worried that she does not want me as an owner. I am thinking of selling her if she is not enjoying my company. Please help me.thebends2000 wrote:Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Hope some of you can help. I got my new Alexandrine, Mango, a month ago. she came from a pretty hectic but not loving environment. The previous owner thinks she is about 2 years old.
When I got her, she was very shy and scared....I got her a big cage and she gets lots of fresh fruit vegetables etc.
Just recently, she has become aggressive when I try and get her on my hand. previously, she would come on my hand and I could take her out of the cage etc. Now when I put my hand anywhere near her, she attacks it. BUT, when I DO get her on my hand she stays there and will also stay on my shoulder as long as I want, without biting or anything.
At night, before her bed time, she gets very active, does lots of spins twirls in her cage (which I learned are good signs of a healthy happy bird playing) and then she sits on her perch grinding her beak. She is active and eats lots.
So I dont know why she is all of a sudden aggressive and biting towards my and everyone else's hand.
Also, sometimes when I go near her, she goes towards a corner and I can tell she is trembling.
Also, how often should you bath these birds. I tried to get her near water once, and she didnt like it........so I had to hold her under the water and force her to get wet.
Any ideas?? thank you for any advice.........
I love her.You must be the change you wish to see in the world. —Gandhi
Re: Problems with my new Alexandrine......
That is jolly good advice Imran-C l wish l had it when l was having problems with Billie. Never a good idea to force an Alex to do anyhting they will only react badly. Patience is the thing after all you cannot snap you fingers and everything is hunky dory.
The recent aggression could be hormonal but even though Billie is going through a hormonal rough spot she is still gentle with me, it might be lack of sleep in a dark place, without sound distractions. They need 12 to 14 hours sleep a day.
Also it might just be a bad hair day, get yourself a water spray gun and offer a spray 2 or 3 times a week if she is not keen stop, in the winter they will want less spraying that is until they moult.
Ihanna have patience, sit with your bird and eat a meal they enjoy eating when we do and this a is a good reaction open the cage door and let her come out with out your hand near. I had to suffer a lot of bites before Billie would accept me.
I did not want to train her with rewards or clicker or other methods I just wanted her to be herself and grow on me, not the best way or the quickest.
AJPeter
The recent aggression could be hormonal but even though Billie is going through a hormonal rough spot she is still gentle with me, it might be lack of sleep in a dark place, without sound distractions. They need 12 to 14 hours sleep a day.
Also it might just be a bad hair day, get yourself a water spray gun and offer a spray 2 or 3 times a week if she is not keen stop, in the winter they will want less spraying that is until they moult.
Ihanna have patience, sit with your bird and eat a meal they enjoy eating when we do and this a is a good reaction open the cage door and let her come out with out your hand near. I had to suffer a lot of bites before Billie would accept me.
I did not want to train her with rewards or clicker or other methods I just wanted her to be herself and grow on me, not the best way or the quickest.
AJPeter
Re: Problems with my new Alexandrine......
Hi ihanna,
The hormonal funkiness is seasonal. It doesn't mean the bird doesn't like you. I wouldn't want to see you selling your bird over it. However, if you cannot tolerate that, perhaps a parrot is not the best companion for you.
The hormonal funkiness is seasonal. It doesn't mean the bird doesn't like you. I wouldn't want to see you selling your bird over it. However, if you cannot tolerate that, perhaps a parrot is not the best companion for you.
-MissK
Re: Problems with my new Alexandrine......
thebends2000 and ihanna
She could be displaying cage territory aggression, hand hatred or it could be hormonal. But you mention that you force the Alexandrine to have a bath, was this before or after she starting biting your hand and did you do this more then once?.
This will not build trust or bond you and the Alexandrine at all, not recommended.
I wouldn't but putting a bird on my shoulder unless I trusted it 110%.
Years ago spray bottle were used to train birds. this method is bad and I wouldn't recommend it. But if you set the spray bottle to a fine mist and spray above the birds body then the bird should enjoy it. I know my birds do.
The Idea is to have your Alexandrine come to trust you and that is achieved by having Daily trust and bond building sessions. I recently adopted a aviary bred IRN (Bluey) who had very limited human contact (food and water changes only) and in less than a month I have Bluey stepping up onto my finger. taking food from my hand and recently while training Delfin (my Alexandrine) Bluey flew to my hand and took a sunflower seed and flew back to the top of the cage. Bluey is now doing this daily.
By using the following method you are showing the Alexandrine you want to be their friend and have no intention to do harm and food is a great motivator. Do not stick your hand into their cage. This is an invasion of their territory, big no no. After all how would you feel if someone just walked into your house or room un-invited. Also watch the eyes, if the eyes are pinned then I would not put my hand near the Alexandrine as the bird could be over excited or aggressive, either way you will most likely be bitten.
If your Alexandrine bites you, do not yell, scream, cry, jump around or put on a show. The Alexandrine will see it as a great show and will be encouraged and reinforced to continue biting. This become unwanted reinforced behaviour or learned biting. The best thing to do is ignore it no matter how much it hurts. Leaving the room can work. Showing your displeasure on your face and saying no in a tone of voice that also conveys your Displeasure but you don't need to yell.
Anyway, first you need to find out what your Alexandrine's favorite food is. I suggest that you put around five different foods on a plate.
These can be a couple of sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn kernels, pine seeds and a couple balls of millet. watching, see which one the Alexandrine eats first. This will be their favorite food. Now that you know, you use this food as a training treat and you use it only for training.
I gather the Alexandrine is caged inside the house and probably in the living room. Don't put the Alexandrine in a room by itself. This is the method I used on Bluey with great results. You will need a clicker. Once you have accomplish this method you will need to continue interacting daily with your bird.
Day one: When the Alexandrine is in the cage, enter the room and go to the furthest point from the cage with the clicker in your hand. Approach the cage until the Alexandrine shows signs of being alert and/or frighten. Stop and just stand there and wait until the Alexandrine relaxes. Then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back. Wait two to three minutes, then approach the cage again until the Alexandrine shows signs of being alert and/or frighten. But make sure you get a little closer. Stop and just stand there until the Alexandrine relaxes then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back. Repeat this method until you are standing next to the cage. This can take about 15 minutes to do. Then walk away. Wait for around 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method until you can walk up to the cage without the Alexandrine being scared. This could take 7 to 9 times. Once you have done this. With the clicker sit next to the cage and eat some food and have a spray of millet with you. When the Alexandrine shows interest and approaches you offer the millet and wait. When the Alexandrine takes some of the millet click the clicker once.
Once the Alexandrine gets use to taking the millet replace it with training treat. Feed the Alexandrine through the cage. This can be done in one day. Remember to click the clicker once every time the Alexandrine take the training treat.
Day two: Start by feeding the Alexandrine through cage. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes. Open the cage door and offer training treats at the cage entrance. Be patient and remember to click the clicker once every time the Alexandrine take food. Do this for at least 7 to 8 times that day with 20 to 30 minutes breaks between.
Day three: Open the cage door and get the Alexandrine to the entrance with training treats and remember to click the clicker once every time the Alexandrine take food. Now instead of using training treats you go back to the spray of millet. With the clicker and millet in the same hand and with your other hand make it into a pistol. Focus the Alexandrine attention onto the millet and then bring the pistol hand up very slowly to the feet of the Alexandrine. Your finger must be parallel to the perch and level with the Alexandrine's feet. Do not touch the Alexandrine. Don't remove your pistol hand from this position. Now move the millet so it out of reach of the Alexandrine. The Alexandrine will have to step forward to get to the millet. Therefore stepping up onto finger. At first don't expect the Alexandrine to step up onto and/or stay on your finger at first and there is a possibility you could get bitten then again you might not. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method again at least 7 to 8 times that day. You will need to continue doing this daily to reinforce the behaviour of stepping up.
TIP if the Alexandrine doesn't take the training treat within 15 to 20 seconds. don't click the clicker and remove the treat from the Alexandrine's sight for 5 to 10 seconds, then re-offer the Alexandrine the training treat.
Of course there is the possibility that you might not achieve the results for each day session just continue that part of this method the next day. I achieved results in three days with Bluey but I spent a lot of time with Bluey to achieve these results.
Remember not to force the Alexandrine. The idea is to train the Alexandrine to do what you want without force. Every interaction you have with your Alexandrine is a trust and bond building session and always finish any interaction on a positive.
Of course it's up to you how you train your Alexandrine but over the years I have used many methods some good, some bad. but found this method achieves excellent results in a short time. But like anything worth achieving, you need to apply time.
If you want to build trust and bond with your bird then you must use some type of reward system whether it's food or vocal praise. otherwise it will take a very long time and the results will be mediocre at best.
If you decide to use this method please give feedback with your progress.
She could be displaying cage territory aggression, hand hatred or it could be hormonal. But you mention that you force the Alexandrine to have a bath, was this before or after she starting biting your hand and did you do this more then once?.
This will not build trust or bond you and the Alexandrine at all, not recommended.
I wouldn't but putting a bird on my shoulder unless I trusted it 110%.
Years ago spray bottle were used to train birds. this method is bad and I wouldn't recommend it. But if you set the spray bottle to a fine mist and spray above the birds body then the bird should enjoy it. I know my birds do.
The Idea is to have your Alexandrine come to trust you and that is achieved by having Daily trust and bond building sessions. I recently adopted a aviary bred IRN (Bluey) who had very limited human contact (food and water changes only) and in less than a month I have Bluey stepping up onto my finger. taking food from my hand and recently while training Delfin (my Alexandrine) Bluey flew to my hand and took a sunflower seed and flew back to the top of the cage. Bluey is now doing this daily.
By using the following method you are showing the Alexandrine you want to be their friend and have no intention to do harm and food is a great motivator. Do not stick your hand into their cage. This is an invasion of their territory, big no no. After all how would you feel if someone just walked into your house or room un-invited. Also watch the eyes, if the eyes are pinned then I would not put my hand near the Alexandrine as the bird could be over excited or aggressive, either way you will most likely be bitten.
If your Alexandrine bites you, do not yell, scream, cry, jump around or put on a show. The Alexandrine will see it as a great show and will be encouraged and reinforced to continue biting. This become unwanted reinforced behaviour or learned biting. The best thing to do is ignore it no matter how much it hurts. Leaving the room can work. Showing your displeasure on your face and saying no in a tone of voice that also conveys your Displeasure but you don't need to yell.
Anyway, first you need to find out what your Alexandrine's favorite food is. I suggest that you put around five different foods on a plate.
These can be a couple of sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn kernels, pine seeds and a couple balls of millet. watching, see which one the Alexandrine eats first. This will be their favorite food. Now that you know, you use this food as a training treat and you use it only for training.
I gather the Alexandrine is caged inside the house and probably in the living room. Don't put the Alexandrine in a room by itself. This is the method I used on Bluey with great results. You will need a clicker. Once you have accomplish this method you will need to continue interacting daily with your bird.
Day one: When the Alexandrine is in the cage, enter the room and go to the furthest point from the cage with the clicker in your hand. Approach the cage until the Alexandrine shows signs of being alert and/or frighten. Stop and just stand there and wait until the Alexandrine relaxes. Then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back. Wait two to three minutes, then approach the cage again until the Alexandrine shows signs of being alert and/or frighten. But make sure you get a little closer. Stop and just stand there until the Alexandrine relaxes then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back. Repeat this method until you are standing next to the cage. This can take about 15 minutes to do. Then walk away. Wait for around 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method until you can walk up to the cage without the Alexandrine being scared. This could take 7 to 9 times. Once you have done this. With the clicker sit next to the cage and eat some food and have a spray of millet with you. When the Alexandrine shows interest and approaches you offer the millet and wait. When the Alexandrine takes some of the millet click the clicker once.
Once the Alexandrine gets use to taking the millet replace it with training treat. Feed the Alexandrine through the cage. This can be done in one day. Remember to click the clicker once every time the Alexandrine take the training treat.
Day two: Start by feeding the Alexandrine through cage. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes. Open the cage door and offer training treats at the cage entrance. Be patient and remember to click the clicker once every time the Alexandrine take food. Do this for at least 7 to 8 times that day with 20 to 30 minutes breaks between.
Day three: Open the cage door and get the Alexandrine to the entrance with training treats and remember to click the clicker once every time the Alexandrine take food. Now instead of using training treats you go back to the spray of millet. With the clicker and millet in the same hand and with your other hand make it into a pistol. Focus the Alexandrine attention onto the millet and then bring the pistol hand up very slowly to the feet of the Alexandrine. Your finger must be parallel to the perch and level with the Alexandrine's feet. Do not touch the Alexandrine. Don't remove your pistol hand from this position. Now move the millet so it out of reach of the Alexandrine. The Alexandrine will have to step forward to get to the millet. Therefore stepping up onto finger. At first don't expect the Alexandrine to step up onto and/or stay on your finger at first and there is a possibility you could get bitten then again you might not. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method again at least 7 to 8 times that day. You will need to continue doing this daily to reinforce the behaviour of stepping up.
TIP if the Alexandrine doesn't take the training treat within 15 to 20 seconds. don't click the clicker and remove the treat from the Alexandrine's sight for 5 to 10 seconds, then re-offer the Alexandrine the training treat.
Of course there is the possibility that you might not achieve the results for each day session just continue that part of this method the next day. I achieved results in three days with Bluey but I spent a lot of time with Bluey to achieve these results.
Remember not to force the Alexandrine. The idea is to train the Alexandrine to do what you want without force. Every interaction you have with your Alexandrine is a trust and bond building session and always finish any interaction on a positive.
Of course it's up to you how you train your Alexandrine but over the years I have used many methods some good, some bad. but found this method achieves excellent results in a short time. But like anything worth achieving, you need to apply time.
If you want to build trust and bond with your bird then you must use some type of reward system whether it's food or vocal praise. otherwise it will take a very long time and the results will be mediocre at best.
If you decide to use this method please give feedback with your progress.