Let The Screaming & Biting Begin

[FoxersArtist]

Bhodi is everything we were warned about. His screaming started this morning the minute his cage cover came off with a constant string of thundering sound. He stopped only briefly when I sprung him from his cage and took him into the shower with me. He was a bit afraid but he enjoyed the shower. I found it interesting when I observed that he would stick his head in the spray and gulp down water like he hadn't had a drink in days. Hmmm. Very interesting. We put Bhodi on a play gym this afternoon and he has been there for about 3 hours. He sits impatiently for a while and then tries to climb down. What he seems to want is the couch as he makes a B line for it every time. What we have noticed is that Bhodi's screaming decreases by about half while on a gym, which is progress already. We feel that Bhodi is screaming out of frustration. Not frustrated at one particular thing, bu just frustrated about life. He exicutes everything that he does in a very confident manner but his body language seems to show meekness and hesitation. A very interesting paradox.

Bhodi has already taken a few blood samples. Yesterday when I first stepped him up, he was nervious because his owner was removing toys from his cage to send with us. He bit me, but it was only a warning and he drew no blood. Today he climbed down off his play gym and onto one of the barrier gates we have up so that kids and birds do not mingle. Andy went to step him up and Bhodi nailed him. Andy says there was no indication of a bite except that Bhodi had his crest raised. Andy pulled away and Bhodi lost balance and fell to the floor. Andy then stepped him up off the floor and got nailed two more times while trying to put him back on his gym. Once on the floor, Bhodi's body language seemed very agitated as he was puffing out most of the feathers on his body. Andy says it seems like he wanted to bite just as soon as he stepped the bird up off the floor but waited until he was halfway on his gym. Again, I'm thinking this is a very confused and very hormonally charged cockatoo. We'll have to learn his little quirks.

I went to step Bhodi up later, as he had come down off the gym again, and as he was stepping up onto the gym he nailed me...only he was very hesitant to bite me hard (which is the same way he bit me when we first met him). He left a tiny little indent in my skin which quickly faded and nothing more. Why is Bhodi biting Andy so hard and pulling punches for me? He seems to prefer male affection and Andy had a nice bonding session with him this morning. He is not a fan of allowing me to scritch him as of yet.
-Anna

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

Anna, as though your hands aren't full enough already, I think this guy is going to be handful by himself. I admire you and Andy for taking on such a challenge, but I have no doubt that the two of you can turn him into a well-mannered happy birdy with your magic touch. I think he's a very fortunate bird to have ended up in your care. Kudos to you and Andy.

[Julie]

Not that I have much experience with older birds, but Duch is definitely this way with the two of us. Ricky is the flock leader in our house; the alpha if you must. When we first brought her home she would constantly bite both of us. Since she is older now she expects the man to be the one to “come to the rescue”, and she also knows that he is the one out of all of us that will instruct and discipline. Normally she will bite out of retaliation because she is plain frustrated and does not like to be "lower on the totem pole" or “bossed around”.

You have only had him 24 hours, and even though he has been moved a bunch recently, he can still sense that Andy is the boss and will probably be testing him for a while still. It is good that he is willing/wanting love from him, because that means he is not totally scared of him. Carl on the other hand is plain scared of Ricky, and if he does not move slowly around him, he will take flight and run. We have to make a conscious effort to have Ricky snuggle and love on him, so Carl does not only see him as the "nail trimmer, discipliner, bad guy".....

Hope any of this made any lick of sense, or applied to the new guy at all!

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Anna my dear,

I am honored to be in the presence of a real live fire breathing alpha Umbie. What a treat.

Bhodi is going to teach us a thing or too about his species - I am sure.

Please keep us posted every step of the way -- I am all ears.

[Dot]

Where were you in relation to Andy when the bird did the biting? Was there anything there that the bird was afraid of and wanted his chosen person to remove him from (awkward, but you'll understand)?

[Larry, Baby and Me]

I don't think that bird is afraid of anything. He is street-wise and a little tuffy. :cool:

[bonnie]

The couch is something I would definitely try to keep him off of. Chicken is VERY agressive when on the back of the couch. The first month we had him we didn't think it was a big deal, but every time we put him up there someone got bit. Just a thought for the future.

[lcarle]

Wow Anna!!! Thank you both for giving him a good home!! When I get overwhelmed with my 5 birds and bunny you are one that I think about and tell my self to stop complaining. You are amazing. Buchee-M2 gets aggressive when he is around Zoey-U2 otherwise he is sweet. So I have no advice here. I am also eager to hear about his progress and learn through all this.

[Bambam]

Anna..he has the same actions Bambam did..I labeled him phlebotomist the 1st time he bit me(took a blood sample):vamp:his previous owner didn't give him toys & kept a fly swap handy when he got loud..he is still a good screamer..but not as bad..now I that I know the reasons..with that sweet voice of yours it'll take..:umm: at least two days..then he will be struttin his stuff:dancered:So glad he found his way to you:p

Freida

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Yep - Carla... it looks like Anna is going to get her PHD in Too-Ology.

We will be real good students and learn from Anna what to do with a Too :D

[EasySpirit]

Bhodi is everything we were warned about. His screaming started this morning the minute his cage cover came off with a constant string of thundering sound. He stopped only briefly when I sprung him from his cage and took him into the shower with me. He was a bit afraid but he enjoyed the shower. I found it interesting when I observed that he would stick his head in the spray and gulp down water like he hadn't had a drink in days. Hmmm. Very interesting. We put Bhodi on a play gym this afternoon and he has been there for about 3 hours. He sits impatiently for a while and then tries to climb down. What he seems to want is the couch as he makes a B line for it every time. What we have noticed is that Bhodi's screaming decreases by about half while on a gym, which is progress already. We feel that Bhodi is screaming out of frustration. Not frustrated at one particular thing, bu just frustrated about life. He exicutes everything that he does in a very confident manner but his body language seems to show meekness and hesitation. A very interesting paradox.

Bhodi has already taken a few blood samples. Yesterday when I first stepped him up, he was nervious because his owner was removing toys from his cage to send with us. He bit me, but it was only a warning and he drew no blood. Today he climbed down off his play gym and onto one of the barrier gates we have up so that kids and birds do not mingle. Andy went to step him up and Bhodi nailed him. Andy says there was no indication of a bite except that Bhodi had his crest raised. Andy pulled away and Bhodi lost balance and fell to the floor. Andy then stepped him up off the floor and got nailed two more times while trying to put him back on his gym. Once on the floor, Bhodi's body language seemed very agitated as he was puffing out most of the feathers on his body. Andy says it seems like he wanted to bite just as soon as he stepped the bird up off the floor but waited until he was halfway on his gym. Again, I'm thinking this is a very confused and very hormonally charged cockatoo. We'll have to learn his little quirks.

I went to step Bhodi up later, as he had come down off the gym again, and as he was stepping up onto the gym he nailed me...only he was very hesitant to bite me hard (which is the same way he bit me when we first met him). He left a tiny little indent in my skin which quickly faded and nothing more. Why is Bhodi biting Andy so hard and pulling punches for me? He seems to prefer male affection and Andy had a nice bonding session with him this morning. He is not a fan of allowing me to scritch him as of yet.
-Anna


Most of this sounds like fear. You identified it...nervous, crest up. He didn't mind you getting him off the floor but he did neet to warn you to make sure you didn't have further interaction at that time. What about using a step up perch?

Easy

[FoxersArtist]

Where were you in relation to Andy when the bird did the biting? Was there anything there that the bird was afraid of and wanted his chosen person to remove him from (awkward, but you'll understand)?

Bhodi doesn't have a favorite person yet. He's still adjusting. I wasn't even in the room. I heard the whole thing from another room. The bird couldn't see or hear me. Actually, neither of us were in the room when Bhodi removed himself from his perch. Andy got up from the table to go put Bhodi back on his perch when we both heard him climbing down. No noises, no open windows, no children around, no TV going. No other birds in the area, nothing. Bhodi wasnt afraid. He was angry and throwing a tantrum, I am sure.
-Anna

[FoxersArtist]

Most of this sounds like fear. You identified it...nervous, crest up. He didn't mind you getting him off the floor but he did neet to warn you to make sure you didn't have further interaction at that time. What about using a step up perch?

Easy
I think Bhodi may have been a bit afraid both times he bit me. His body language did suggest it...but when he bit andy...no. I don't think the bird was conveying fear.
-Anna