IndianRingNeck.com

Hi I have a 6 month old ringneck parrot. He is trained I can pat him, pick him up, put him upside down and kisses. But sometimes when he is my shoulder and I stop talking to him he backs up with his wings out than attacks, bite my hand if I don't pick him up straight away. Also hates girls. He goes out of his way to pick on girls. Also attacks when the broom is out. How do I stop this?

Hi Mattik

Welcome. Attacking the broom is more than likely a fear response. I've heard of many birds being scared of brooms. You will need slow, systematic desensitisation to the broom if you want the behaviour to change. The basic pattern is this. There are a few ways you can approach it. 1) Put the object in the room far away from your bird's cage. Before you leave it somewhere make sure your bird isn't having a fear response to it. Gradually move it closer and closer to the cage... but only move it as close as the bird feels comfortable. If he exhibits any signs of fear or aggression, move it further back until the fear is gone.
2) When your bird is out of the cage, give reward your bird with treats and get someone else to bring the broom out but not approach the bird with it. You can have the person slowly approach you with the broom but if you notice the bird showing the slightest bit of fear body language (even just leaning away or looking for a place to fly to), have the person back off straight away. Only feed your bird treats when it is calm.

Eventually that should desensitise it.

With problems with girls, reserve your birds fav treats for girls to give him. You stop giving him these treats and only let girls do it. Gradually over time, he should improve. Do you know any girls who are willing to spend time with him?

Finally, the problem of him biting you on your shoulder, I would recommend not allowing him on your shoulder at least for now. There will be something that is triggering these bites and you need to figure out what precedes the bite or what he is expecting to happen as a result of the bite before you can make changes to alter this behaviour.

Best wishes.

Ellie.

How nice to see your posts again Ellie, give my regards to Skye is you see her.

Last year Billie wanted to sit on my sholuder a lot but she chewed mny shirt collars and broke the pearl buttons, but now after the egg laying she does not want to sit on my shoulder.

Ellie do you think Mattick's bird is hearing the noise the broom makes as it sweep the floor?