# Sudden aggressive bites!



## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Spooky is developing a mean streak. He's attacked me twice in the past few days for no reason.

The first time, I was about the leave my bedroom and wanted to bring him with, so I recalled him to my arm. He flew over immediately, then as soon as he landed he viciously bit me, clamping down and not letting go. When I didn't react, he did it again!

The same thing happened tonight. He was on my head and I went to get him down (which I do all the time, no problem, because I never let him stay on my head long so he doesn't poop in my hair). I do this by presenting a flat hand in front of him, and he always, ALWAYS just calmly climbs on and lets me transfer him to my shoulder. Again he chomped on my hand, hard, and held on. I managed to not react again and got him off my head. As soon as he was eye level he let go, looked right at me, and bite me hard again. I lost my cool and practically threw him into his cage. 

It just seemed so... deliberate. I understand biting when he's scared or being forced into situations he's not okay with, but this? My hand is in shreds and I've lost a lot of trust. 

What is going on?!? He gets 12-13 hours of darkness so I don't think it's hormones. He's just... being mean.


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## JoJo's Mom (Oct 20, 2012)

OUCH! I don't know why he is doing it, but I can tell you my JoJo would occasionally get petulant...I wanted him to get down, or go into his cage, or something else equally as benign, and ZAP- he would bite me. I always likened it to a three year old saying NO.
Does he seem to be in pain, or out of sorts otherwise? Is everything else normal? Maybe hormones are still playing a role, even with the increased darkness? Don't have any answers, but I empathize! It hurts, both where he bit and that he bit!


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## Lillyvon (Apr 12, 2015)

You poor thing. It really puts you off your bird when they are aggresive like that. I have two birds - male Ringo and girl Lucy. Both still young birds (under a year old) She NEVER bites, just 'nibbles' gently when I stop patting her. He hardly ever bites me but does bite my partner from time to time. I'm not one for the 'just ignore the biting' type other wise it does get to the point when you can 'lose it'. If he gets bitey I do a 'bah' then give him a stink eye and put him back on his perch then say 'bad boy'. My partner doesn't do that as he thinks it's mean but it's not and he gets the message. I will not tolerate being bitten and he knows oh too well he has been bad.

They have to KNOW it's not acceptable behaviour like a dog. I know many may disagree with me, but it works and they are smart birds. They WANT to please us and to be loved so if they know that we are mad at them for that bad behaviour it will sink it and it has. It's much better than us 'losing it' then hurling them or 'losing it' with them.

Good luck.


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## Francesca (Apr 30, 2015)

I am not terribly experienced with this but thought I would ask, when you are taking him with you to go to another room are you talking to someone else or on a phone or giving attention to more than him? Sometimes I notice with my boy Francis that he gets a little more aggressive when others are around taking my attention sometimes, or I'm on the phone or typing on my keyboard. He has even pinched my neck a few times when I sit him on my shoulder and type at my keyboard. In these instances he can suddenly be very nippy and so I put him back on his perch because I won't let him sit there and pinch me to get attention. 
If your guy is just out of the blue getting aggressive and you can't find any type of triggers, you might see if something in his environment has changed? Or something in his routine?
I feel bad that you went back a few steps in trust. I hope it gets better for both of you.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

I have a keyboard on my ipad and if im typing on it Rocko will nibble on me asking for scratches and bending his head down I have a video of him doing it in another thread and he even takes the keys off the keyboard.also wanted to ask you how did you teach recall ive been trying to teach it for days but he looks like hes afraid to take a leap to my arm.


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Thanks guys. I ordered some Avi Calm; maybe that'll help.

Jojo's Mom: Yeah, to me it's like a bratty toddler acting out. It's so delioberate. Everything seems normal with him health-wise. He did it again today, though less viciously. He hopped onto my hand then gave me a mean nip. NOT OKAY, BIRD. :thumbd:

It sucks; I'm wary of letting him on my shoulder even because I keep waiting for him to rip at my ear. And I've been putting him in his cage by sticking my whole shoulder in rather than trying to get him to step up to my hand because I don't trust him not to bite.

Lillyvon: Agreed, I reprimand Spooky pretty often when he starts getting into stuff he shouldn't be near. He knows what "no" means because he stops what he's doing and hops onto my forearm. I was doing the "gentle beak" technique for his aggressive beaking when he wants attention, and it seemed like it was working... but now this!

Francesca: Every time it's happened, I was the only person talking and I was talking to him, and the rest of the house was quiet. He does get a little rammy when I'm typing near him (nips at my fingers). He's okay with phones though... even says "Hi!" when he hears it ring and starts jabbering along with me while I talk. 

The only thing I can think of is that I've had a cold, and have been coughing and clearing my throat a lot. He hates those noises. He jumps and sometimes flies around the room all upset. But I've had the cold for over a week now...and he's gotten a lot less flighty when he hears coughing because of it, hahah... none of the biting incidents happened right after a cough or other scary noise.

Brandon2k14: I'm not talking about beaking or nibbles. He's attacking me, biting so hard my hand has tiny cuts all over it. And I told you before, I didn't really teach him to recall. He picked it up on his own.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

onyx said:


> Thanks guys. I ordered some Avi Calm; maybe that'll help.
> 
> Jojo's Mom: Yeah, to me it's like a bratty toddler acting out. It's so delioberate. Everything seems normal with him health-wise. He did it again today, though less viciously. He hopped onto my hand then gave me a mean nip. NOT OKAY, BIRD. :thumbd:
> 
> ...


Yes I know hes biting you I read the thread I was telling you what Rocko does.


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## Francesca (Apr 30, 2015)

Awe, I sure hope it gets better he sounds like he is your good buddy.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Rocko gets aggressive when hes around my African grey trying to act tough lol.


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Francesca said:


> Awe, I sure hope it gets better he sounds like he is your good buddy.


Yeah, he is. <3

The AviCalm already arrived. Along with a Comfy Clam perch which I hope he likes. Hopefully he'll improve soon.


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Brandon2k14 said:


> Yes I know hes biting you I read the thread I was telling you what Rocko does.


What Rocko does is completely irrelevant to my problem. There's no point in posting pointless anecdotes that don't relate to a person's question or problem. All it does is constantly make thread conversations about you, which is really rude. Ease off.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

onyx said:


> What Rocko does is completely irrelevant to my problem. There's no point in posting pointless anecdotes that don't relate to a person's question or problem. All it does is constantly make thread conversations about you, which is really rude. Ease off.


Ye alright I was just saying no need to be going mad over a simple comment I wont comment on any of your threads then if thats the way your gonna be I like talking to people on this forum too not only asking for help on things.


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## sprman00 (Dec 31, 2014)

Yikes! Sounds just like what I'm going through with Peanut. I had posted how he seems to "hate" me in the mornings. Little bugger goes all Freddy Kreuger on my hands!


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## Francesca (Apr 30, 2015)

I would love to learn how the avi calm helps. Good luck...I bet things will get better.


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