Psycho!

[Flapjack]

Ok, my brother-in-law, Greg, has a fischer/mix. He knew when he adopted him that he wasn't tame, and also knows that a mix can have "behavior problems", but he is pretty, and he needed a home.
I'm wondering if any of you with lots of birds have ever experienced this...
This bird is NUTS!!! He is becoming more aggressive by the day, drawing blood, attacks whoever comes near the cage, mauls Greg just for changing the food and water- and the bowls are even on the outside of the cage!
This bird has even learned to shoot pee at you when you walk by the cage:evil:
What's worse, one of Greg's favorite babies has fallen in love with the Fischer, and getting her out of the cage now is near impossible (they were just pining away for eachother, so Greg put them together).
Have any of you known of a lovebird so vicious? It's almost like he's rabid :omg:

[shylevon]

I've got ten.

In fact, I will be lucky if I can move my hand at all by tomorrow. Calais took a good sized chunk out of the back side of my pinky last night, and bloodletting aside, I yanked my hand out of the cage so fast I caught it in the cage doorway and almost broke my wrist. It is bruised to the bone, and swollen to the size of a football. I was in the process of hanging peas on the clip in the cage and I saw her coming over and so I pulled my hand away. I didn't see where she went so I stuck my hand back in to finish the clipping. Zap, she got me good. After the attack, I tried to finish the job, but she came at me again. A psycho bird cannot be trusted, and I have a whole houseful.

[BarbieH]

Oh yeah. Gracie used to be like this, especially when we first brought her home ... and for a year or two after that. (Time flies when you're having fun. :roll:) She was very territorial and protective, and she was going to protect herself at all costs! Plus she has a very hard bite; blood letting was the norm.

Some days were worse than others. That's when I would call her my little hormonal hen. :x

Eventually she learned that my hands wouldn't hurt her, but until she did, I had to make sure not to let her bite them. I had to keep in mind that she wasn't really mean, she was just trying to protect herself because she was scared. And although she is smarter than most, the bird brain can be one track, especially when they feel their survival is at risk.

That's not to say your brother's bird really is in any danger. What I'm saying is, she doesn't know that yet.

Will your brother's bird step up onto a dowel? That's how I get my little monster in and out of her cage. She just really hates hands in general, and I don't need to touch her in order to love her.

[Kirby]

Oh you should see both the brats in their cages....

I know if I REALLY wanted to hurt someone I hated without getting myself in trouble with the law, I would invite them over and tell them they can play with my birds... thus leading the enemy to putting their hands in the cages and losing fingers :p

I wiggle my fingers to the entrance of the cage and then on top of the cage which lures Kirby OUT without grabbing him inside. It takes agility and the ability to make your fingers look more appealing like worms :p

He only bites if we invade his cage or go to pet him.. other than that he's an angel

[carrier]

Ahhh...the Psycho birdie :evil: :evil: :evil:

Although Fenway is, in general, a very sweet birdie, I have recently found that first thing in the morning is NOT a good time to put my hands in her cage.:omg:

I swear she has teeth! ;)

Oh well...what's a little bloodletting between friends in the morning? :roll:

[Flapjack]

Oh... guys... if you actually saw this creature... :evil:
There is NO taming, NO dowel, nothing is going to change his loathing and hatred and contempt for the human race!
I think he just glares at you, dreaming up in his little psychotic birdy brain all the different ways to tear you up, gouge out your eyes, and pick your bones clean of their skin. He prepares the attack even before Greg is 2 feet away from the cage, and leaves scabs and scars every day when Greg is feeding him. It's gotten so bad, that this bird will try to get out of the door to launch an attack at Greg's body and face.
Greg has never been anything but patient and calm around this bird, and has considered many times rehoming him. The problem is that we're afraid anyone else would either hurt him, or set him free, because of his behavior.
And the pee shooting!!! He has really perfected his aim. :x

[Kirby]

:x :x :x

KIRBY WANNABE!!!!!

I have NEVER heard of a Lovie "Pee Shooting" ... it's actually kind of funny when I think about it :p What I would do, if I was in that situation, is squirt him with a spray bottle when he does it to you. Or do something he does not like being done. Example: If he hated being misted, if he peed on you, I would mist him. Then he might actually think about "hey.. i do this.. and they do this to me which i hate" thus having him stop?

I'm not too sure if this would be a proper technique for a stubborn little lovie. Please correct me if I'm wrong :)

[michael]

Holy mackeral! Gouge out your eye's. Pick your bones clean. Shooting pee.....How fortunate some of us really are!

A friend of mine had a really really mean lovebird. Although she never peed on anybody, she would not let others in her space, period. That meant the whole house unless you closed yourself in a separate room. She did eventually change after a new cage, toys, and moving to a different house. We can only speculate for the change in attitude, but rest assured, he's told me, you still ain't puttin' your mitts in her cage. I kinda wonder about spraying them with water. It would be awful to have them ultimately fear water just because of that. I've never heard of shooting pee though, only after they've taken in a bit of extra water or after a bath. Are you abolutely sure he's a he? I think I'd be more tempted to use a dowel for getting the baby out and one of those grabber things that poeple in wheel chairs use to reach his bowls with. I also believe your right about rehoming him. He doesn't deserve to become a foster bird anyway anyhow. And you never know, he could still change in time. Wish you all the best of luck........Michael and Goofy

[Flapjack]

Oh yes, no doubt about it- he is aiming and shooting pee, and delighting in every squirt!
I think Greg has 19 birds, and this is the only one who is mean. No one knows how old it is, and since it wouldn't be fair to the next owner, or, ultimately the bird, to get rid of him, Greg is in it for the long haul. Not to mention poor Tulip, the bird who loves him.
I'm telling you- if this were a dog, he'd be snarling and foaming at the mouth!

[Ilovelovies]

HeHe, okay I know it's not funny, but I can commiserate just a little bit. One of my birds, namely Ms. Jiggy is one vicious bird when she's in her cage. She would take a finger off in a minute and not look back.

She especially hates my husbands fingers. He has threatened to put a sign up over her cage with a red cross that says ,Save a Parrot..Give Blood :eek:

~Sharon

[Flapjack]

In the cage- out of the cage- makes no difference...
If he were out, it would be like "The Birds"!

[LauraO]

Has the bird actually been out of the cage and out of site of the cage. This sounds like one extreme nesting behavior and having a new friend/mate is only making things worse. Even being in the site of a cage or dark place can make a bird aggressive. I've personally not had this kind of problem so can't give much advise. I do know Barb's Gracie was pretty bad at one time so I would read through some of her posts. Unfortunately, alot of the younger posts are one due to the forum change, but I'm sure she would answer any questions.

If your brother in law does want to work with the bird, this would be about the only time I would say gloves may be okay (stilll a maybe I just don't like the idea of gloves) to get the bird in a darkened room away from the cage to start working with her. You may also want to call over to the Avian Medical Center in Portland cause they do have a bird behaviorist who works there and they do work with lovebirds.

Good Luck:x

[BarbieH]

he is aiming and shooting pee, and delighting in every squirt! Sounds like Gracie. The pee shooting actually would signal that she was getting near the end of her crazies. I really think your brother's bird is hormonal, which means the excessive aggression will pass. It will probably come back again too, in time, but at least you'll know that it will pass.

It can take a long time to build up trust with a bird like this. Respect her boundaries: If she doesn't want to be handled, don't force it. When she calms down, try holding a perch next to one of her perches in the cage; if she steps onto it, praise her.

Sit next to the cage and talk to her. Do all you can to prevent getting bit. For the longest time, I had to change Gracie's dishes with one hand, while distracting her to another part of the cage with the other. If I didn't, the hand changing the dishes would get bit. I still need to do this when Gracie has eggs she is protecting.

Above all, remember: The bird isn't mean, she's just trying to protect herself. It's all about survival.

Best wishes,

[Flapjack]

I dunno....
I think Greg has had the bird for about a year now. It came to him this way when he adopted him. I think that's why it was being rehomed. Deb, at the bird hut told Greg that the psychotic behavior was because it is a mix.
It is encouraging to hear that some of you have birds that have been able to overcome this kind of aggression. We'll see how it goes!

[acardz]

Pee shooting,lol. Mindy did this when i first got her but only when i was trying to handle her. One time i was laying on the floor had the cage next to me a i was like what was that! Right on my face and near my eye. Mindy was physco but i just left her alone for six months and let her study me.She had come from a pet stoe and it was a small cage with 20 lovies in it.Give your bird time mindy is very tame now. But she does fly and poop on me.grrrrr

[esmay211]

wow shooting pee! when i play that in my mind all i can do is laugh! i never heard that one before.
my bird doesn't like to bite.
she only does when i get my hands too close to her and shes never drawn blood. actually now that i think of it, her bites don't hurt at all.
there basically just a hard nibble.
lol i guess i got lucky.:p :D

[Pips mom]

Wow! so many territorial mean lovies out there----I am lucky! I don't think mine would ever even think about being mean! He is the sweetest little thing! He does love to harrass the tiels though-----knowing he is driving them crazy, but would never hurt them-----yeah, listening to them whining is fun enough! lol but he is really not mean at all, and will only bite if someone were to grab at him or threaten him in some way----he just loves to have fun, run around, play with toys, get into things, chew the leaves off of my artificial plant-----little stinker! but never mean! adventurous, curious, full of energy, and happy little guy!

[jayme]

what would happen if Greg just sat near the cage for an extended period of time just reading a book, typing on a laptop, or knitting (some kind of hobby). just to let this bird know that his intentions aren't all to do with making it uncomfortable. sure it will lunge and glare but i think it could help just to stick around it's cage so it can watch Greg's character and get to know him that way. then again, i'm not so experienced with this.

[BarbieH]

Jayme, I think you're right on the money with that idea. :) Eating near the cage is another great way to bond. It makes them feel like you're part of the flock. If the bird starts eating from their dish at the same time, that's a big step in the right direction. :)

[mjm8321]

Larger parrots are known for aiming with great accuracy and firing pee or poop at humans, cats and dogs. Our conure, fires at me everytime I pass his cage. I haven't seen a lovebird do it, but I never, ever put anything past these little guys.

As for the aggression, I have only seen that type of behavior in hormonal hens and it doesn't last. Has your brother contacted his vet about this? There might be something that can be done, medically or even holistically to help settle the little monster a bit. Chamomile tea comes to mind and I'm sure there are other things that might help.

Being a hybrid can definitely be a part of the issue but there should be something that can be done to make this little one a bit less crazed. Kelly, at Avian Medical Center in Lake O, might have some good suggestions to help.

[Flapjack]

Thanks MJ, I'll give Greg the name.
Geez, if you had any idea HOW crazed! And I do think you're right about it being a hen, because Tulip, the mate, who we thought was a girl, keeps trying to mate with the Fischer.
This bird is so whacked out, that we almost feel guilty even being in the bird room, standing near the cage. Just being there, even if we're talking to the OTHER birds in the room, is almost like teasing or taunting the Fischer. As soon as you come into the room, it tries to get through the bars to rip you to shreds!
Like I said, it came to Greg this way, almost a year ago, and there is NO WAY to ever tame this thing.
Lucky for the Fischer, that Greg is so willing to give it a home, and loves it anyway, bloodthirsty and all. :evil:

[Kali]

This bird sounds just like my Junior. As mean a bird as one could find.
She would attack me if I was in the same room, could whiz over as fast as a jet to bite any exposed skin. I actually put her in the outside aviary at one desperate stage, where she met her match and was attacked by someone else. Then it was a trips to the vet to patch her up. Not a recommended solution. She eventually bit her way through a wire flyscreen and was gone.
I loved this bird more than any others.
I still miss her terribly and if I lived anywhere near Greg I would love to take this troublemaker of yours. I do believe she will get better with lots of patience.

Kali


http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2093105829

[ittyandrita]

Jeni- just a bit of insight as to why a hybrid might be a bit more 'testy' than others. Certain instincts are different in the various species of lovebirds (how they carry nesting materials, how they nest etc...) and so it confuses and frustrates them. More specifically,
"Fischer's lovebirds and Peach-faced lovebirds can interbreed and produce sterile offspring. Interestingly, the lovebird hybrid displays intermediate nesting behavior. Fisher's lovebirds carry single strips of nest material in their beaks. Peach-faced lovebirds tuck many pieces of nest material between their rump feathers. The hybrids show a poorly organized mixture of the two strategies: they tuck nest material between their feathers but fail to let go, pull it out again, and start over. After several months, they can become partly successful, managing to transport some material back to the next site, but not in a manner that resembles either parent species. Sometimes they just turn their heads toward their rumps without tucking, then fly off with the material (Dilger, 1962)."
It is one of the most commonly used examples of problems that occur from hybridization

[Flapjack]

Yeah, it's too bad when that happens. We don't know how old the Fischer is, or where he came from originally. Don't even know if it was bred intentionally. That's one of the reasons I hesitate to get a blue masked (which is what I want next) as a buddy for Jack. I would love to see them cuddling in the same cage, but I guess even if I never introduced a nestbox, they may still find a way to breed.
I haven't had the nerve to pluck feathers or cut a nail to DNA Jack, and no matter if Jack is male or female I would definitely get a boy next so as not to end up with the possibility of two hens. So, if in fact Jack is female, maybe I'll never have my masked.:cry:

[Kirby]

Good god, it sounds like you're having a **** of a time with this bird.

If you want my honest opinion... I wouldnt breed him/her. Especially if some people think his nasty behaviour is caused by the hybridization. You don't want that trait to be carried down to the future young.

I think maybe grumpy birdy should be put in an Aviary instead of as a pet :(

I dont really know what else to say. Everyone has put their excellent ideas and opinions in here, all I can really add is what I would do.

Good luck with him

[Flapjack]

Yes, Lauren, you are correct. I would never create a hybrid. That's actually what my last post was about... the fact that I have pf, and want a blue masked next, but would never let them breed.
Besides, Greg's psycho bird can't breed with Tulip anyway... hybrids are "mules", meaning they are sterile.