J
ohn has
an adolescent parrot that he loves dearly, but a problem has been developing recently that
he doesn't understand at all. When his bird is away from its cage it's a sweetheart, but
near its cage, it turns into a monster -- lunging and biting when John or his wife reach
for it. At first it only did this when it was on top of the cage, but now the behavior has
expanded to the point that neither John or his wife can safely reach into the cage to feed
and clean. The bird is also starting to get aggressive when it is playing on its jungle
gym. John hasn't the foggiest idea why this is happening.
Guarding One's Turf
This behavior is called cage territoriality or cage dominance, and like many (most?)
of the behaviors we see in captive parrots, it has a foundation in instinct. In the wild,
a parrot must protect its territory from invasion not only by predators but also other
parrots. Dr. Charles Munn, in his National Geographic article on macaws in the Peruvian
Amazon ("Macaws: Winged Rainbows", Jan. 94), comments that "a contributing
factor in the macaws' low reproduction rate [in the wild] is an acute housing
shortage." An unprotected nest is often subject to a hostile takeover by another pair
of parrots eager to start a family. So guarding one's territory is necessary to
successfully raise a family and therefore fulfill the Prime Directive of propagating one's
own species. John's parrot didn't exhibit this behavior before, because it was just a
baby.
In working with clients, I like to use as an example the
behavior of a pair of mockingbirds who made it on the news several times a couple of years
ago. (It must have been a slow news week.) These birds had built a nest in a parking
garage and they were dive bombing any humans who dared try to retrieve their cars. After
describing the situation, I then point out just how small a mockingbird actually is [about
10" from beak to tail] compared to the size of a human. To say the least, this is a
formidable instinctive drive!
Aberrant Behavior
In captivity we often see territorial behaviors that have become excessive, with the
bird driving off not just strangers but other members of the household (other flock
members) and even the person with whom the parrot is most bonded -- the equivalent of the
bird driving its own mate away from the nest. Obviously, this is a serious behavior
problem, which will seriously threaten the animal’s pet potential if allowed to go
unchecked. It is also extremely common.
Some people feel that a pet parrot should
be allowed this territorial behavior -- that its cage is its very own special place and it
should be allowed to do as it pleases within that area. I emphatically do not agree.
Just as a human child should be allowed privacy in their own room, I
feel a parrot should be allowed to have its moods -- and sometimes it will simply not be
in the mood to interact with its human – it is playing happily by itself, it for
example, or pondering a particularly tough concept of astral physics. An experienced
parrot owner knows when their bird is not in the mood by simply watching its body
language, and he/ she respects the bird's privacy and does not approach during these
times.
However, privacy notwithstanding, I don't feel it is acceptable for a
small child to be allowed to ban parents from his/her room -- nor do I think a pet parrot
should be allowed to refuse their human flock entry into its "room" -- which is
what John's parrot is doing.
If a person has a pair of breeding birds, that is a different story --
I would liken that to having a grown child visiting his parents with his wife -- at which
point the rules change. In that case, I think the young adult's room should be private
with the parents entering by invitation only.
Establishing Nurturing Dominance
A pet parrot that is excessively territorial is a bird who has been allowed to believe
it outranks the humans in its flock, and is therefore, ordering these humans around. To
get this little tyrant under control, the humans must establish a relationship of
nurturing dominance or guidance (a la Sally Blanchard) by teaching the bird the commands
of "up" and "down" to put controls on the bird's behavior. This simple
and incredibly effective training technique was explained in detail in a separate article ("Nurturing
Dominance: What It Is and How To Establish It").
As I explained in that article, the bird is
removed from its cage and control is taught in daily training sessions that take place on a
neutral perch in a neutral territory -- a perch (i.e. the back of a kitchen
chair) and room (i.e. a guest room or bath) that the bird does not consider to be its own
turf. (Trying to establish controls over a headstrong parrot while it is in, on or even
within sight of its cage is an exercise in futility and a great way to get bitten.)
Once the bird is responding to the human's order by stepping onto
his/her hand every time the person says Up and off the hand onto the perch every
time with a Down, then the human can start moving the training perch out of the
neutral area and into the area of the bird's cage. He/she needs to move the perch slowly
-- maybe only a few inches at a time -- and then work again on the commands, making sure
the bird follows them to the letter. To maintain consistency from then on, the person will
ALWAYS use these commands whenever and wherever he/she is handling the bird.
Back on the Bird's Turf.....
Once in sight of the bird's cage, the training sessions often become more difficult,
but the person should not lose heart.
With patience and consistency (and a little
time), the bird will again respond to the commands that it followed beautifully when out
of sight of its territory. Under NO circumstance should the human lose his/her temper
(tempting though it may be at times), since that usually provides the drama that parrots
love -- few things tickle them more than making their pet person mad enough to yell. After
all, what a wonderful game! (I discussed the Drama Reward in another article.)
When the teacher and the pupil have at last worked their way back to
the cage, the human should put the bird onto his perch in the cage with the Down command,
then immediately pick him up again with the Up command. Doing this several times in a row
will teach the bird that these commands work just as well inside the cage as out. This
process should also be repeated on the cage top, as well as on and around any other place
where the parrot hangs out.
New Patterns For In and Out of the Cage
From that point on, whenever the bird wants to be let out of its cage, it must
step onto the person's hand when the human says Up. If it refuses, then it is not allowed
out of the cage until it changes its mind and follows the command. Under no circumstance
should the person simply open the cage door and walk away -- this will convince the parrot
it is again in control of its life and the humans in its flock.
Once the bird has come out of the cage with
the proper commands, if the human wishes, the parrot can be placed on top with the Down so
it can go in and out at will. At the end of the day, the bird should be returned to his
cage with a Down.
Altitude vs. Attitude
Always keep in mind that height is correlated directly with dominance in the mind of
the companion parrot -- so a bird above eye level generally considers itself higher on the
pecking order. This height significance must be considered when choosing the training
perch, as well as with perch placement in a parrot’s cage. Aggressive birds should
not be allowed to perch higher than the person’s chest level. The top of the bird's
cage may not be a good place for the parrot to play if it starts getting delusions of
superiority. A separate play area set on a low table usually solves this problem.
Even after the parrot is behaving itself
around the cage (and everywhere else), the human should keep up training sessions every
week or so, just to remind the bird that the rules are still in force. It is also critical
that any other humans handling the bird should use the same commands in exactly the same
manner -- ALWAYS using the Up to get the bird on his/her hand, and off the hand with a
Down. Otherwise, the bird will become confused -- just as a human child does when two
parents enforce different rules.
Also keep in mind that nothing is permanent in the mind of a parrot --
in the wild, there appears to be a constant push-pull going on within the flock, with
challenges happening constantly. So the human should not be surprised when a previously
well behaved parrot suddenly refuses a command -- it is just checking to see if the human
is really in control. By insisting the command be followed, the human simply reaffirms
that.
So by following these easy training techniques and handling their
parrot in a firm, loving and consistent manner, John and his wife can get control of their
headstrong bundle of feathers -- therefore regaining the loving relationship they used to
enjoy.
This article was originally published in CAGED BIRD HOBBYIST, Vol. 2,
No. 5.
Liz Wilson, Certified Veterinary Technician, has been assisting pet bird owners
with parrot behavior problems for over a decade through lectures, phone consultations, and
house calls in the Greater Philadelphia area
She can be reached at (215) 946-5964 9AM -
9PM M-F
Website: http://www.upatsix.com/liz