IndianRingNeck.com

Hi everyone!

Okay, I need some real help on this one.
My girl has come into heat, as I am told, by the way she throws her head back and clucks to me. Now Zazoo has taken over my kitchen! I am not kidding, when she is out of her cage, whether she is on top of her cage or on her play stand, if my husband or I go near the kitchen she flies at us and tries to catch us to bite. I have many little scabs on my toes from her biting me. I have spoken to a breeder in my area, who says that this is where she has chosen to lay eggs and thus has become territorial.
Now, when she gets on the floor and starts to run at me, I pick her up with the oven mitt (yes the over mitt because when she bites in this state it draws blood), and put her back onto her play stand. However, as soon as I turn my back, she in flight and back on the kitchen floor.
I am lost for this.... also, her screaming is back, I have tried ignoring it like people suggest, but now it's to the point where she doesn't stop and I put her back into the cage with the blanket over for a couple of minutes.

My question basically is....
How do I prevent her from going into the kitchen? I have watched the dog whisper and have tried the technique of claiming my space, but i am not so positive that this works with birds who are in heat!

Please, anyone who can help it would be much appreciated!

I am afraid of her continuing this behavior, as my husband is very annoyed and says if she doesn't stop we will have to rehome her and I really don't want to do that!

clip her wings so she cant fly at you. shut the kitchen door and let her have her space. Thats all I got so hopefully someone else can give you some more help

unfortunately, I live in an apartment that has an open concept.
I have tried clipping her wings and i have a baby gate that she can't fit through but she most certainly climbs on it!
Thanks though

I don't have anything much for you either except to try to keep your bird interested in other things as much as possible.... You could increase foraging opportunities for her. If you are interested, you can check out this thread:
http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=11701

Good luck!

Ellie.

The first thing I learned about parrots: A parrot is NOT a dog. Everything you think you know about training based upon your dog goes out the window lol. Well, except for one thing. Find what works for each individual.

The major problem, from what I'm reading is that she thinks it is breeding season. So that is what has to change. Breeding season is always when certain conditions are met: Extended daylight, abundance of food, a safe/familiar environment. Two of these you can change.

The easiest way is via cage cover, and I mean a real one that blacks out lights or almost all light. Make sure she's getting at least twelve hours of darkness.

Arrange the cage weekly to keep her from feeling too settled in. Change toys out, even move her cage if you think it will help.

If you have been stroking her down her back as part of how you pet her, stop. That's very sensual to a female parrot and can encourage mating behavior. Stick to flock preening (head/face) instead of mate preening (all over).

And as Ellie said, foraging is a great way to keep her busy.

Now, not everyone takes this approach. Some will put a small cardboard box in the cage with a hole in it in the cage and let the female go through all the mating behaviors (during which she tends to be quite untouchable). She'll typically half destroy the box as part of her decorating. Then when it's over, it's just over and passed and the box is removed, bird goes back to normal.

So you have choices- inhibit the behavior by removing stimuli or let her go through the whole cycle.

Until it's over, wear shoes.

melika is right - dog training is very different. dogs have a pack mentality and this is at the core of training with them - establishing the alpha, etc. good on you for giving it a go, but until NBC create the bird whisperer i suppose we all just do our best one applicable training book is a karen pryor's don't shoot the dog, which despite its title, is a book on basic training techniques for everything, from your bird to dog to children to grandma. however, i dont think thats going to help in this situation.

i dont think i could say it better than melika, so i'll just concur. right now, the fact that shes territorial is for a particular reason - she thinks shes established a territory (and by the sounds of it she has!). i think melikas idea of changing the cage around, moving its location ,etc would be my suggestion