upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

So - my wifes mother came for a visit for my wifes B-day. She walked by our bedroom door and Cisco acted like he wanted to say Hi. He bobbed his head several times and leaned toward her so I put him on the floor. He walked to her - looked up walked away and then put his beak on the floor and pushed it on the ground for a foot or so. He repeated this again and then followed her out the hall towards the bathroom. I got him and brought him back to his breakfast.

About 10 min later we were downstairs in the kitchen and he headbobbed again so she held out her hand to him and he bit her good. He was biting and not letting go. I got him off and then my wife took him to calm him down. Mom walked kind of near her and he dove off her hand on to mothers and laid in to her again. He chomped her really hard this time - fortunately he did not break the skin, dented it, but he did bruise her and hurt her feelings. He just had his beak dulled so this probably saved her from a bloody wound.

Cisco has been around lots of people and he has nipped a few - just seems as a warning and some people he was very tolerant of - but this was the first time he has bitten with intent to do harm. Is this beak push thing a warning behavior? I seem to have read about before but obviously did not remember what it meant.

On the other hand he is VERY attached to my wife - she is his queen - so that probably had most to do with the second time.

Freddy

No Freddy, pushing the beak around is just something a lot of species do. It has nothing directly to do with 'attacking' or lunging. Part of the caique nature is to be very assertive and protective and Cisco was likely just letting you see some of his true personality.
When they get to a particular age, you will find more of this type behavior. Of course every caique is different, but this isn't unusual behavior for Cisco, even if it's new to you.
The beak pushing is sort of an exploring type of action. Since they use their beak like a hand, it's just another way to 'check'out' things around them. I've never seen any bird slide their beak along something, then do anything note worthy. Beaker's has always just been random 'exploring'.

If your mother in law were to be around him without you there, he might not try to attack her, but that's not for certain. Besides, if she shows a nano-hint of hesitation about being near him, he's going to know that and take advantage.
I know I was devastated when Beaker flew at someone's face for the first time! I couldn't believe it, but it happens. It's called being a caique and we have to live with it. Beaker even tried to attack my friend Sally Blanchard, and she KNOWS caiques. lololol Her bird Spike, is fine with me and hasn't ever done that, but he's also almost 20 years old and is a bit more sedate. He does do all the other things our birds do however - get beaky, get testy if you get near their food, etc., etc.

Take it in stride, he's being his 'own bird'. Mom-in-law may just not ever be able to be part of his particular 'human flock'.
Andrea

Yup, what she said.

Oh, Freddy. What a shame your m-in-law couldn't appreciate how wonderful Freddy is. It is so disappointing when they become hostile to other people. Thank heavens that his beak had been trimmed.

I worry about my future grandkids. The only person Yankee likes is my Mom. He tries to bite everyone else. My nephew calls him "Devil-bird!" That's not a problem, because he just stays in his cage when company comes, but kids get so curious.

Yeah it was not nice to see that side of his behavior - hes just so good with us and has never come close to doing that with anyone else.

Im not sold on the beak push on the floor thing not being related. This was the first time Ive seen that from him and the first time he's ever bit someone like that. I suppose it could be coincidental, but........... Id like to hear more opinions. (No offense Andrea)

Freddy

Cookie bit me like that but it was a toy that she hated. My bird has not attacked anyone yet, but you never know?! Sorry to hear the bad news.. On a better note, I got some new toys for her at the local aviary. Some leather and blocks and some wiffle balls with bells in them on plastic chains.... she loves them! gotta go and make some soak and cook! Nanc

bailey pushes his beak along everything! the table top, the floor, his perches..i always thot he was just using it to explore too as he never follows up with any type of aggression after this behavior? just curious did you notice if cisco's eye's pinned? i heard that's a good indicator of a bite coming. bailey has not bitten anyone yet either, but he's only 7 mos. old. i do encourage the whole family and friends to hold him when they're around. he seems to enjoy everyone at this time. but i know with age things can change

Hi Freddy,

Jamie puts her beak on the floor/counter/table and walks backwards for fun. She has never done this behaviour before biting - but she does give a few warning signals.

With Jamie, the attacks started when she was just over 1 year old. It seems like she changed overnight - it was really sad to see. She still likes all men but she attacks most women. She was raised by a guy - I don't know if that has anything to do with it...

Anyway, back to your original question: You will have to watch Freddy more closely now when someone comes over. Every bird is different and it is possible that Freddy's beak on the floor could mean something that triggers his attack (it is hard to know what goes on inside a caiques head lol).

When a visitor comes, Jamie is always in her cage. The visitor goes to Jamie's roomand starts talking to her. If Jamie's feathers kind of stand up and her eyes change a bit, I know it would mean an attack. The visitor can also try to put his/her fingers close to the cage bars (but not close enought to get bitten). If Jamie wants to attack, she usually goes after the finger fast with a different look in her eyes. If Jamie's feathers/eyes don't change and she just walks closer to the finger/or stays on her perch, she is fine with that person. I

have had a few visitors who proceeded to put their finger through the bars like a perch and Jamie immediately climbs up onto the "perch" and wants to play "up and down" or "hop". Not that I recommend people put fingers throught the bars - but it is interesting that Jamie makes up her mind right away and if she is fine with the person in the first minute, she is fine with them for the whole time (unlike my Senegal Joey who wants to go to everyone but can turn evil within a few seconds and I never know when...).




Kate

Hi Freddy,

Ooops - I meant to say "Cisco" when I was writing about your caique! Sorry - I was still hafl asleep when I wrote it! lol


Kate

Yeah - you made me giggle Kate

Freddy

I spoke to my Mom earlier today and asked her about the beak thing. She said that her U2 pushes her beak on the ground when she is getting ready to be aggressive. Ive been around parrots long enough to recognize many of their signals. This was almost like a bull would do when pawing the ground and Ive def not seen it before. He was facing my mom in law when it was happening so I could not tell if he was pinning his eyes.

Ps I saw that vid of Jamie walking backwards - its very cute. Almost like she uses her beak as a //balance.

Ill post this on BC also and see if any other experiences.

Freddy

Freddy wrote: Is this beak push thing a warning behavior? I seem to have read about before but obviously did not remember what it meant.

On the other hand he is VERY attached to my wife - she is his queen - so that probably had most to do with the second time.

Freddy

I would definitely say that is a warning your caique is sending out. Mine has never bobbed his head up and down, then sideways unless he wants to attack a stranger or a few of my buddies he absolutely hates. Hes very sneaky and he times his attacks perfect so the victim doesn't know its coming. He has flown all around my apartment chasing a buddy of mine, going for the face and neck. They are extremely aggressive/jealous and cant really be trusted around new people no matter what the circumstances are. My brothers that are over all the time have no problem playing with chico but he tests them all the time seeing how hard he can bite without getting yelled at or put in his cage. hahaha hes a character for sure!

Sorry to hear what happened. Caique is definitely protective. A neighbor was babysiting Jujube for few days and got along well. Then one time he came over when my husband was doing someting in the garage and he kind of startled him(from behind) and Juju attacted the neighbor. Since then Jujube's eyes would change color and try to attact the neighbor when she sees him. It's been couple years, Jujube still remembers.

Maybe something your mother-in-law did Cisco thought was a threat to your wife or you. I also believe sometimes they just don't like certain people like Jujube doesn't care for kids.

Jujube's warnning signs are pinned eyes, eyes turn kind of red. Juju also put her beak down but she never have aggressive behavior after that. Each one of them is different and that might be just Cisco's sign...

Hey Freddy,

Sparky did something similar a while back. My folks were over visiting. They had been here before with the birds out and Sparky had been over to their house and had been fine around them. It was spring, last year I think, so Sparky was a bit hormonal. He kept wanting to go see my dad and I kept collecting him again because I knew he was a little worked up and I figured he might go after my dad's glasses or something. Sparky flew over and bit him hard on the cheek. This landed him in birdy jail for the remainder of the evening. It is a bit startling when they take a rather sudden dislike to someone when they have been so good up to that point.

Also, sparky does put his beak down to explore but sometime he puts is down and rubs it back and forth, just before he launches into a tantrum or lunges for a bite. It is definitly a hormonal/territorial behavior in this case, often triggered by my attempt to wipe something up with a paper towl. I am his (or so he thinks) and paper towl have some connection to nesting in his mind. His eyes are ussually pinning and he sometimes bobbs his head very vigorously, too. Watch Cisco's body language carefully. He may also have picked your wife for himself and so he will be more likely to be agressive to defend her especially in the spring.

Sandy

These seem like the same behaviors that Cisco showed. Im sure that will be his "watch out" calling card. I just feel bad for mom. She adored Huey (he tolerated her), and her feelings were hurt more than her hands. Its going to be a learning experience for us , too. Huey liked almost everyone while this kid seems to be much less tolerant. He is so good with both of us, its hard to remember that he has another side.

I understand that the whole sexual maturity thing happens around Two years old - will I have cause for concern this year in th spring, or do we have one more "kid"year left.

Freddy