Becoming a one-person bird?

[ladyknight]

Hello all- I've got a bit of behavioral issue development....

My Coconut seems to exhibit signs of her becoming a one-person bird. For the last couple days, if she's perched on me and anyone else offers their finger for a "step up", she promptly goes into attack stance and gives them a good solid nip. I would like to discourage with behavior. She doesn't really have to be a "family pet" sort of bird, as I'm going to be moving out in a month and a half, but I'd like it if she were at least receptive to affection and attention from others, especially friends/roommates of mine.

She doesn't seem to have an aggression issue if I'm the one who places her in someone else's hands- unless she sees me, whereupon she does everything in her power to get herself back somewhere on my person. She just simply (and violently) refuses to perch on others if she's the one allowed to make the decision.

I've also noticed a certain "nippiness" when it comes to me holding her while I'm typing/texting. For some reason, she can be perched happily anywhere else on me or near me, playing, snacking, whatever- and as soon as she hears the key clicks, she's at my fingers in a second. She's started to deliver some pretty hard bites. No breaking the skin, but definitely enough to hurt. I've been reading on here that this is a common behavioral thing with young birds- should I be concerned that allowing this to continue will produce a biting, aggressive bird?

Any good ways to discourage these behaviors?

[kimberly1985]

I don't have any advice really but Yoshi is kind of like that.

He seems to only want me if he has a choice in the matter. He does seem to prefer women over men though. He's not too fond of my little boy or husband but doesn't seem to mind my sister, niece, or daughter. But if he's able to, he will always fly back to me.

As far as the nipping goes, Yoshi just started this behavior. Fingers don't bother me but my ears sure do. I don't allow him on my shoulder anymore because of this reason. When I'm typing on my computer, he does the same thing as your bird does. I think he's only playing though. Kind of like a cat or dog when you move something in front of them, they attack it.

[thebubbleking]

She views you as her mate and is protecting you, i have a couple of birds who are one person birds also.
As far as the keys on the keyboard the clicky noise they make is very similar to the clicky noise a male lovebird makes when courting so it is probably viewing it as competition for your love :)
Basicly it looooooooooooves you :)

[ladyknight]

The bird is just 10 weeks old- could these protective, mate-like behaviors be creeping up already? I was thinking that these didn't start until sexual maturity.

As a side, are these indicative of gender?

Thanks for the input- sounds like Coconut is definitely bonded to me. :)

[Mummieeva]

I agree. Your bird sees you as his/hers. This behavior could go away on own or it could stay. I had a bird who would nicely go to my husband. Then pluck his hair out then fly back to me. My oldest daughter and I were hers. She did not like sharing us with anyone. It changed a little when she became a mother. But she still prefered me and my daughter.