Rube Vicious!

[RubyTuesday]

I don't know what's up Ruby's bum... but lately he's been getting progressively mean!

He doesn't seem to like fingers at all. Whenever I hold my hand out for him to step up, his feathers puff up, eyes flash, lunges at me like I've never seen before! This is not like him at all!

I almost want to say he's going through a bluffing period, but he's already a year and a half - two years old, and we've had him for only just about a month now... Things started out relatively well and looked like he was starting to bond with me, but lately it's just been getting progressively worse. He won't let anyone in my family handle him.

I've been giving him his space, but what it comes down to is that he just wants to be left alone. Is he just a loner??? He still picks his feathers, even though I've been doing everything in my power to keep him entertained.

What's going on with my ruby???

[Mikaela]

He is testing his boundaries with you.

Ever heard the old saying "dont mistake kindness for weakness"?
He is seeing what IS and IS not going to fly with you. When you first got him he wanted you to like him. Now, he knows you do and it is time to see what he can get by with. THIS TIME IS VERY IMPORTANT. You MUST show him you are not scared of him and he can bite you until the cows come home but HE IS STILL GOING TO DO WHAT HE IS ASKED/EXPECTED to do. If he wins this battle, he wins the war. Have to remember, they have the ability to manipulate that a 2-5 yr old does. I have a 5 yr old and he can manipulate the best of them.

Remember Irns are very aggressive by nature. Even babies bite very hard when you are trying to hand feed them. Only through time do they become somewhat gentle... depending on how they are raised accounting for most of their aggressiveness, or lack thereof.

Only one way to put this: TAKE THE BITES and show him you could care less. When he lunges DO NOT draw back or he will take full advantage of it. Meaning, he will lunge to prevent interaction. If it comes to that, he will lose much of his tameness.

Also, these are tempermental creatures. They have MANY bad days. It may only be that. My oldest girl was in a bad mood for two days this week. She lunged everytime I picked her up. Had I drawed back once, she would still be lunging.

The bites arent pleasant but it isnt like it HURTS. My Baby bites with all her might, my biggest girl nips with no pressure. At worse, a bite is like accidently pricking yourself while sewing. However, draw back during a bite and you'll probably bleed PLUS make your bird think you are below them on the totum pole.

Dont take it personally. I know I sometimes do. They are wild animals and we forget that on their good days. Good luck and remember... YOU ARE the boss.

[ringneck]

Nicely said Mikaela!

Also, don’t forget to not react either. Reacting to his bites will only encourage this behavior as well. If he bites you, don’t place him back inside his cage or yell at him or even make mean eyes.

Simply ignore the situation as if it never happened. I can tell you though that if he does manage to get you good, you might lose some of your confidence while handing him—don’t! He’ll sense it!

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,

Imran Chaudhry

[RubyTuesday]

Thanks! What would I do without you guys? I feel like I've asked this question before but each new situation makes me feel totally clueless! hah.

[Melika]

If he does clamp on, try pushing your hand or whatever he's biting towards his body. They tend to let go when you push your finger to their chest, not feet, but high on the chest.

You can also try offering a treat (favourite thing) and if he lunges, place the treat nearby where he can see it but not get to it. Then come back in a few minutes and try again. Birds quickly realize lunge=no treat.

[kyria]

In the short two weeks i have had kai, I have had two bites that drew blood.

The first was a situation where I had to persist with him to remove him from his old (tiny) cage, to his new giant cage. So I really didn't react to that one. But I didn't let it scare me off at all.

For a few days in the beginning he spent most of the day lunging at me, when he did not want to be handled, and I know if I had have backed off and let him have his way he would not be the sweet, becoming socialised bird he is now, only two weeks on. Yes for us it seems it is "that fast" to showing him I am running the show and if he is good he'll get lots of attention, love, fun and treats.

The second time he bit was in the midst of his testing mood, of:- " i will lunge until you back off from me for good" era in the second week home. Kai took hold while he was perched on my hand, after I had been determined that I was the boss and he would come out to socialise for a while, whether he liked it or not. He took hold and in a split second I remembered something I had read on this or another board, that gently but quickly moving your hand up and down will not only make them flap and catch their balance, therefore letting go, but break their memory of the fact that they were biting you and also scare them "a little" into the fact that, they are on your hand and whether they like it or not you are boss and in control.

It worked a treat. Its only extremely early days like I said, and I have soooo many years of learning to do, but Kai has been wonderful, obedient and loving so far since. I'll definately keep that kind of tactic up with him in future events.

[RubyTuesday]

So far I've been having some success! By the end of the night Ruby was stepping up on my hand without any problem, although my hands are quite sore!

I tried getting him used to my fingers by feeding him an appleslice between them. He ate from them, but still wanted nothing to do with them. Whenever I scratch his belly, he gets really uptight, looking down at my finger as if to say, "What the heck are you doing??? Stop!", so he takes my finger in his mouth and pushes it away. And won't let my finger anywhere near over his head for a head scratch. I guess in time he'll come around. I'm just glad he quit lunging! He was rewarded a nice shower for that!

He still flies off my shoulder when I'm not walking around the apartment, though. Is there a way I can get him to want to stay?

[IMR4N]

Sure you could give him something to play with like a knot or a fresh twig from a fruit tree to chew on or a peanut you get the point.