last night Pearl and I had a great time playing with balls and things….then just before bed I took Pearl out for a quick snuggle and let Pearl on my shoulder (something I don’t normally do) and Pearl tried to take my ear off. Not a nice way to end the night. Then this morning I took Pearl out for a quick snuggle before work … put Pearl on top of cadge for tending water and food. I reached for an up up on my finger to return to cadge… and Pearl tried to take the skin off my finger and hand in full bird attack mode!
Is this a hormonal thing? Or What?
was ready to murder
Moderator: Mods
I think it's pretty normal. Pearl might not want to play so close to bed time or she might not want to come off her cage and go back in when you need to leave. Who knows what they're thinking? As for ears, I think birds just cannot resist dangly things in general.
I wouldn't worry too much about it or read too much into it.
My critter, Ruffle, can be like this too. Cuddle monster one second and just plain monster the next. I let him sit on my shoulder and travel with me but if he gets nippy it's straight back into his cage. If he's out and I need him back in, I don't let him boss me around with his beak. Yeah, it's unpleasant when he bites but such is the nature of bird ownership.
I find that when I assert myself with him and make it clear that he cannot win through bad behavior, he figures it out pretty quick and gives up. He also doesn't bite as hard as he used to. His angry bites are more like warnings now. He will close his beak on my finger, for example, but not bite. I suppose the message is something like, "I could really clamp down if I wanted... be warned!" Ears are still fair game for him, though. Just another toy.
I wouldn't worry too much about it or read too much into it.
My critter, Ruffle, can be like this too. Cuddle monster one second and just plain monster the next. I let him sit on my shoulder and travel with me but if he gets nippy it's straight back into his cage. If he's out and I need him back in, I don't let him boss me around with his beak. Yeah, it's unpleasant when he bites but such is the nature of bird ownership.
I find that when I assert myself with him and make it clear that he cannot win through bad behavior, he figures it out pretty quick and gives up. He also doesn't bite as hard as he used to. His angry bites are more like warnings now. He will close his beak on my finger, for example, but not bite. I suppose the message is something like, "I could really clamp down if I wanted... be warned!" Ears are still fair game for him, though. Just another toy.