Weird aggression towards bare feet

Aves · Post by **Aves** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:38 am

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend have had our ringneck for almost 5 months or so now. She is very well behaved but has good and bad days (like most birdies I imagine). For the most part, even if she's having a crabby, nippy day, we can keep her from being aggressive with us (she just kind of puts her "teddy bear" face on as we call it, but doesn't really nip , just tries to look tough with her puffy face and makes a lot of noise).

Anyways, the one exception to her overall good behavior is that when we walk around the house in bare feet... she gets insanely aggressive towards our feet! She will just run up and bite your toe out of nowhere, just after giving you a kiss up on your hand. Even weirder is that she does not do it if you have shoes or socks on... just bare feet. We don't understand this odd behavior. She loves to walk around the house (we watch for her to make sure we never step on her when she's out), so we just don't know what the deal with this is...

Anyone else notice this weird phenomenon? Thanks...

Post by **Lauren** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:59 pm

Oh yep! Jibby HATES feet. Hes cornered me before with the look of death, then snap snap snap! Hes like a little pirahna! Socks are no defense, he just rips them off! I just watch where my feet are now or wear shoes around him. haha I probably don't help the situation with my screaming like a little girl and giggling all the way up the hall will a little green pirahna bird, snapping at my heels! :shock:

Post by **Lauren** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:02 pm

I have also noticed, both Jibs and Yoda if given the chance, would go for each others toes as a first defense. Jibs is especially fascinated with trying to grab other birds feet, he always has done this since he was a bub. Could it just be a 'built' in hatred/fear of feet?

Melika · Post by **Melika** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:21 pm

Hane and Tsume both bite the dogs' feet when they want space or their rawhides. And all parrots I've seen tend to go for another bird's feet when they're annoyed. So it may be a built-in behavior.

But our IRNs won't touch human feet, they learned that at a young age. I'm extremely sensitive to touch and Hane once touched my foot when I wasn't looking, it surprised me and I didn't know what it was so my leg spasmodically kicked (more like a quick shove) and Hane went flying off the sofa with a squeal. In our house we all have a knee-jerk reaction when our feet are touched (comes from being stepped on by careless doggies) so the birds got the same reaction from everyone. I think they decided that feet aren't worth it.

The most they'll do is stand on our feet to get to the jeans to climb up to our knees.

Maybe it's because when we raised them we would sit on the floor, my sister and I making a fence of our legs with our feet touching and let them wander? Feet are normal for them, I guess.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:26 am

I hope I dont have the person wrong and if so, I am very sorry... just trying to help.

But doesnt one of Kyria's baby's have a foot fetish? Its a regulars bird... if not angie's, sorry!

Dont like to speak for others but wanted you to know it isnt *uncommon*

greeny · Post by **greeny** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:00 pm

Two of our IRNs have a foot fetishes. They love to bite at toes. Not overly hard but they are very interested in them. No idea why.

Aves · Post by **Aves** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:03 pm

Thanks Everyone, it is helpful to know that my birdie isn't the only weird one obsessed with feet (and at war with them)

alana8819 · Post by **alana8819** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:28 pm

cookie hated feet with a passion same thing only when bare but every time he tried to bite we would gently nudge him away now he just gets cranky and growls at toes but wont bite unless its my niece he chases her cause she screams and runs :roll: