# Birdie and his "nest" guarding, Help!



## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

My boy has always been interested in "nests" around my room, from behind my betta's fish bowl in the corner of my desk, to a gap in my pillow, if it resembles a nest he is right in there. He has ALWAYS been protective of the nests- lunging out trying to bite me when i try to get him out, but never to this extent.

Now, when he finds a nest and he guards it, he is lunging, wings spread, that "cranky bird scream" and he actually draws blood on almost every bite he now lays on me. He is a nightmare to try to remove because he is screaming and biting and im trying to lure him out and place him in his cage, he wants NONE of it, Not to menction it HURTS when he bites.

I try not to pull away when he is lunging and biting but hey, if a bird was screaming, charging at you and doesnt stop after one bite would you draw your hand away? So i do this without thinking about it so it lures him out more and just gets him more rilled up.

Starting today i am going to increase the time that they both sleep (normally its from 8-9pm until 7-8am the next morning) but i will now put them in earlier and cover their cage compleatly so there is no sunlight in there when the sun comes up.

As for his biting, once he does this im now just placing him in his cage, covering it up and leaving it there until he calms down.

What other suggestions do you reccomend?

I have been thinking about getting him a mate and possibly raising some chicks in the future but im not sure if he will take to this idea as swimmingly as i do, he isnt bird oriented (ignores Buddy like he isnt there) and with the extreme nest guarding i would fear for the females saftey with him.


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## Velvet (Jul 30, 2010)

This is so funny to me, because Velvet did the same thing. He used to go in between the pillows on the couch and put his bottom up in the air, and just sit there and them move around like he was getting cozy. I would go to put my hand in to pat him...and same behavior you described..screetch, lunge and open beak. 

I would laugh and tell him 'is that your nest'. I just left him alone. He was having fun 

I also noticed that he would pick from my wicker basket, and put all the little pieces behind the basket. I told my daughter that I thought he was trying to build a nest, and she would laugh because he was a boy and she thought only girls did that. 

It's so cute to watch. He doesn't do this as much anymore, but I don't have pillows on the couch anymore. I might grab a blanket and put it on the couch and see if he'll still do it.


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## Zenna (Sep 22, 2010)

Oooh so thats what my bird was doing?? im not sure what was happening with mine o.o I was trying to find the answer. he sits under the newspaper in his cage and whistles and tears the paper up and everytime i go to see what hes doing he lunges at my hand and bites me as hard as he can and does that mad bird scream.. o.o


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

Buddy is now doing this "attacking the hands" move. Im assuming because its spring and the hormones are all over the place.

*sigh* Boys...


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

It is spring where you live? It is turning fall soon here in Florida


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

I live in Sydney Australia so our seasons are basically switched all the time haha. The "breeding" season for all the birds haha!


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## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

Have you tried teaching him to step up with a stick or perch? A lot of folks do this with aggressive birds, and it's good because it prevents injury, and also allows you to not back down. A lot of birds trust a perch more because it's more familiar and stable, but I know yours are tame. Nonetheless, it's worth a shot.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

He is normally very tame, loves scratches and cuddles and knows the step up motion and command very well, Once he is in his aggresive state however he is charging and biting, once i get him ONTO my finger he is still trying, and succeeding to bite me.


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## Dudebro (Oct 2, 2010)

Mine does this too and he gets very mean about it. He knows I'm the boss but he'll bite at me and yell like I'm trying to attack him. The only way to calm him down is to just leave him alone and let him do his thing. Sometimes he gets in a cabinet and we lose him in the darkness. He just sits there and we have to coax him out, it's really cute. We always keep an eye on him but he seemingly wants to hide in there. He's my little weirdo.


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