IndianRingNeck.com

Hey guys,

A month or so ago, I bought a 5 week old beautiful IRN from a breeder. He started of a very sweet warm little guy.
Now he's about 9-10 weeks old and the second he sees my fingers, he backs away to the back of his cage into a corner and opens his beak
like hes about to attack me. I don't understand why.

I figured it was because he was hungry at first, because he only nibbled on my finger and didn't continue aggression when he first started, but a few weeks in and day by day hes
getting worse

recently, especially today (hence why I'm posting), the little guy is acting like i'm about to kill him!
I'm being as loving, caring as possible. Speaking to him and playing with him. Yet he attacks my fingers... and only my fingers.

I usually kiss him on the head (which he seems to love (he would bend his head forward and I kiss the top of his skull for a long time and he never gets sick of it)) where my face is close and
he doesn't attack my face.. so I dont know whats wrong.
He seems happy, I mean he chirps a lot, bobs his head up and down, plays around in and out of his cage. Yet the second he sees my finger coming to pick him up, he goes into aggressive mode.

I understand he must see it as a threat, but I dont understand why, as I haven't done anything to trigger him like this.

After I feed him his formula, I notice he stops latching for my finger. So I guess he may be signaling that he is hungry?

But like I said, its horrible today. He is acting like im about to hurt him! He runs away from my hand around his cage frantically, yet when I manage to grab him on my finger,
the little guy seems to be A-OK.

Help? Thanks a lot. Btw his/her name is Ma-La (pronounced marla)

ok quick update:

I know for sure that my irn is only attacking in her cage. i leave the cage top open so it gives her freedom

mala doesnt attack me anywhere but her cage, and her favourite (most sweet) place she likes to be is the bathroom where i feed her

Ok sounds a bit like cage territorialism (*sp)

I know birds can get territorial over cages, objects, people etc. I don't really know much about it but if you search using those terms in the top right hand side there are lots of posts about this subject, I'm sure you'll find some good tips.

Sanjay kisses, but he detests hands!

He may feel like he is cornered and being forced. Parrots like to choose when they want to do things.
Chasing him or cornering him will make it worse. I would let him come out in his own time.

I have found that, when I open the cage doors and give my birds the choice to come out on their own, both the little brats ask me to put my hand in the cage to save them the effort of having to fly or climb out themselves. My younger one points out where she would like a lift to with her eyes, the older one usually just wants to sit on a hand.

If you sat by the cage while you ate your meals it would calm Nala.

AJPeter