Here we can see, “Stopping Aggressive Behavior in Pet Birds”
There isn’t such a thing as a vicious bird. There are, however, birds who are afraid of being touched and those who have emotional issues that force them to avoid being handled. When one of these birds becomes a pet, it can be difficult for both the bird and the owner, possibly leading to avian hostility. You can, however, teach your bird to appreciate the time it spends with you.
Why Do My Pet Birds Become Aggressive?
Fear or previous traumatic experiences are the most typical reasons for aggression in birds. When birds engage with their owners and others, this can lead to handling issues, bites, and attacks. However, birds are complex creatures, and a variety of factors can contribute to hostile behaviour:
- Pet birds that were not hand-fed as babies frequently develop fear.
- A bird’s fear of humans, other birds, or new experiences might be caused by a lack of sufficient socialisation.
- When their owner interacts with other people, some birds get envious. As a result, many bird species have a natural “pair-bonding” inclination, and you may be considered your bird’s companion in captivity.
- If you adopt an older bird, its prior owner probably mistreated or neglected it somehow.
- Hormone changes cause certain birds to become violent during their adolescence. However, it will usually pass once the bird has passed through this stage.
- Aggression might result from them defending their claimed territory, like the cages or feeder.
- Birds that are agitated or lacking in mental stimulation may exhibit erratic behaviour.
What Can You Do to Stop Aggressive Behavior?
If your pet bird attacks you when you try to handle it, you’ll need to set aside time each day to practise handling. This doesn’t have to be anything unique; you can work on reducing your bird’s hostility as part of your routine handling. For example, you may need to work on strengthening your bond with your bird or teaching it to appreciate caressing. You can even teach it to perform entertaining bird tricks. The objective is that the more you interact with your bird, the more it will like it and act less aggressively.
A few ideas and approaches while working with your pet will help it learn that handling is safe and enjoyable.
Move to a Neutral Location
If possible, during training sessions, move your bird’s cage to a neutral place. Removing a bird from its “territory” can help it cooperate with its owner and avoid territorial conflict.
Make No Attempts to Make Contact
If your bird rushes at your fingers when you put your hand close to it, try not to jerk away in terror. The quick movements are likely to agitate and frighten your bird even more.
Taking things leisurely and easy is preferable to attempting to force contact. Allow the bird to decide when it is comfortable enough to take a step forward or accept a treat.
Attempt Stick Training
Stick training is teaching a bird to perch on a stick or perch. It’s the preferred method of educating a bird that can’t be handled right away. It’s a less invasive method, and it’s simpler for a nervous or traumatised bird to accept this non-forceful way of moving.
Refrain from Yelling
Raising your voice in frustration (or fury) will not convince your bird that it has done something wrong. On the contrary, it’s more likely to reinforce your bird’s poor behaviour because it’ll enjoy receiving a strong response from you. So regardless of what happens, resist the urge to scream at or chastise your bird.
Gifts for Bears
When you’re dealing with your bird, give it snacks and speak in a calming tone. Treats and praise will encourage your pet to interact with you more, and they are far more successful than discipline. If your bird has a favourable experience with you every time you interact, it will become more relaxed and receptive to a closer relationship with you.
Many people try to force interaction with the bird in the hopes that it will cease struggling and surrender to being handled. This is known as “flooding,” It is not a recommended training method.
Repetition is a great way to build trust
The essentials of training birds are repetition and consistency. Set aside time to work with your bird at least once a day to ensure success. Keep in mind that building trust with a bird can take some time, so don’t give up!
Make Sure Your Bird Isn’t Overworked.
Keep training sessions to a maximum of 15 minutes at first. This is because birds are bright and sensitive creatures who require entertainment to preserve their mental health and avoid being agitated.
Break the Couple’s Bond
You’ll need to enlist the support of family members and visitors if your bird develops envious of your interactions with other people. The idea is to socialise your bird better and demonstrate that these people do not pose a threat to your bond.
Try a variety of confidence-building tasks with others and show your approval by remaining close by. Visitors may, for example, provide your bird with a reward anytime they enter the house. They should also praise the bird in a joyful, positive manner while making eye contact to reinforce good behaviour.
Another activity is to spread your bird’s food out on a towel in front of the bird and have your family pick at it with their fingers, precisely as a bird would. If you do this regularly, your bird could want to join in. They can also assist you in cleaning the cage or providing food or water to your bird so that it is at ease in your presence.
Maintain a Flexible Schedule
Birds require mental stimulation, and many prefer routines, so setting out time each day for food, play, and other interactions is a brilliant idea. However, if a regimen is too rigorous and is broken, certain birds may respond poorly.
If you get home from work at a particular time each day and immediately let your bird out for play, for example, being late one day may cause the bird to act out. Instead, try to be flexible in your everyday routines for your bird. It will help the bird cope with change and understand that things won’t always happen in the same order or simultaneously, but they will.
Obtain Professional Assistance
You should be able to train your pet in a decent length of time if you put in the appropriate work. However, if your bird is so hostile that you can’t undertake any training activities with him, you should first consult an avian veterinarian to rule out any health issues. Next, contact a trained parrot behaviour consultant for an expert perspective on your problem if no physical explanations can be found to explain your pet’s unpleasant conduct.
User Questions
Do you have any techniques for calming down stressed birds?
Moving their cage to the opposite side of the room can be stressful. If you must relocate the birds, consider draping a cloth over their cage to keep them calm. Remove the sheet gradually so the bird can become accustomed to their new surroundings. Encourage your bird to fly – Boredom is a crucial source of stress for birds.
Can birds experience anxiety?
Anxious birds can be startled to the point of injury, flying into obstructions. They may make frequent or exaggerated distress cries. Physical changes are taking place.
Is it true that caged birds are content?
Like dogs on chains, Caged birds yearn for freedom and companionship rather than the brutal reality of forced solitary confinement for the remainder of their lives. But unfortunately, caged birds often become hostile and self-destructive due to boredom and loneliness.
Is it possible for birds to detect anger?
Yes, according to my personal experience, they do, but each response differently. My green cheek conure, for example, could always tell when I was angry or agitated (even though I didn’t show it), and he became more aggressive and noisy.
Are birds aware of your presence?
According to new research, certain birds can recognise people’s appearances and distinguish between human voices, implying that they may know who their human pals are. Recognising a friend or potential opponent could be crucial to the bird’s survival.
Conclusion
I hope you found this helpful guide. If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to use the form below.
