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They "kick in" at unpredictable times. Some birds will go for 20 years and then suddenly decide to start laying eggs.

The first thing I would think of is to rule out any medical causes. He should have a complete checkup, blood work, weight, etc. Is he suffering from any ailments such as arthritis? When you feel bad or hurt you get crabby. This might be the case with Bozo (or maybe after all these years he decided he didn't like that crazy name LOL).

Scarlets are "notorious" for being high strung (this is a very dangerous and annoying stereotype and generalization about macaws, but can often be true.) They are very volatile and SNICKETY. Mine loves me to the exclusion of everyone else, but even I get chomped if he doesn't like the way I talk to him or move around him. Beautiful, elegant creatures, can be absolutely amazing, but they can be the Naomi Campbells of the bird world, only they use their beaks instead of bonking you with a cell phone.

Get a full physical done. Make sure there is nothing going on with liver, aspergillosis, respiratory, tumor, arthritis, whatever. Could be a passing hormonal phase; unfortunately the phases can last for months.

Another assessment you might want to undertake is whether or not something has changed in your home. New curtains, furniture moved, new painting on the wall, new rug, different amounts of daylight, different working hours, different routine, lots of visitors, some sort of domestic crisis (seriously ill member of family), haircut, new member of household (boomerang kid?) Anything that changed which coincides with the befuddling behavior? Parrots are such intricate and frustrating creatures. Sometimes I feel as though we are the stumbling, bumbling ones who cannot see and feel the things that parrots can sense with their heightened awareness and intelligence. I wonder if they don't often get frustrated with us and think in their little parrot heads, "it's so OBVIOUS! Why can't they SEE???

Let us know how it is going.

Joanne

Schreech used to get really upset when people came to the house cuz he was really jealous. He can still get very jealous at times. He is jealous of my husband!

You mentioned you have taken in more macaws as well as mentioning a visitor who came by and you getting bit at the time. It could be a jealousy thing and the added macaws adding to it because to him it means sharing more of you with others. Just a thought...

Taking in three macaws all in one fell swoop! Hats off there winged clown person!

As Donna says, parrots can be EXTREMELY jealous. It's mystifying as to the sudden behavior change. Maybe to you it's sudden, but there might have been signs or indications of a subtle shift that you just didn't pick up on. Then again, just like people, birds change. They grow, evolve, change allegiances, likes and dislikes, preferences. Free will I call it.

Joanne

Not always! Schreech can really hold on to things when he is very miffed about something!

Bozo will likely adapt but if jealousy is his thing, he could be jealous of all time not spent with him.

Ron and Schreech have a good relationship it is just not as hands on and bonded as Schreech and I and he does not handle Schreech when I am nearby. I can be in the same room, I just need to be aware and so does Ron. Ron handles Schreech daily just as I do. Keep in mind that Schreech is our only pet so he is used to having HIS time, etc.

It is their hormonal time of the year too. Has he been going through an uncomfortable molt? Mine all went though a really heavy molt the last few weeks and they were a little cranky. I try to give my flock time outs in the cage for bad behavior. I'm pretty lucky with Simba. He is fairly gentle. He does have a tendency to get a bit nippy when visitors come and he's sitting on my lap.

He might also just be overly excited at having 3 new macaws in the house and simply does not know how to resond to that. I know when I first got Simba - he was 8 1/2 years old and he was not used to being around other large parrots. He was very pushy and rough with the other birds although he really meant well he just simply did not know how to act. He's fine now and has learned to share and behave for playground time and outdoor cage time with all the other birds. Good luck with him and the others.

Sheri's point is a good one. There are really lots of possibilities and I shared one that is familiar to me.


Schreech has also had some hormonal times that were very tough to deal with, but we get through it. I just give more space and don't handle him as often during those times. And Sheri mentioned excitement and that is so true as well. If Schreech gets over stimulated/excited he can get that way too!