Expert: Marie Charon - 12/6/2009

Question
I got my bird, Max, about a year ago from a pet store. He was 10 months old and very aggressive when I got him. I thought maybe he was just lacking love and attention and that I could bring him out of it. He is stil very aggressive toward anyones fingers especially my teenage sons and husband. He will fly to my shoulder and cuddle if I lay on the floor with him but I can not get my hands near him although he will take food from my fingers, after about nine months of trying. Any suggestions on how to move forward from here to get him to step up? Any help would be great. Thank you

Answer
First it sounds like Max doesn't know his place in the family. Birds are naturally very Dominant animals and will spend their entire lives trying to dominate. Put Max's cage below the eye level of the shortest person in your family (unless you have toddlers or small children in the house.)

Never hold or play with him above your eye level (this tells him he is in the dominant position, and you don't want this). keep him at about your shoulders height.

Take him to the bathroom, or some other small room without distractions, and set him on your knee. Hold out your hand and tell him to step up. If he flies off, just patiently put him back on your knee (I sit on my fanny with my knees bent: feet on the ground, knees towards the ceiling) Just pick him back up and put him on your knees and begin again.

If he is too aggressive to pick up and put on your knees, and it sounds like he is, you can use a towel to pick him up and put him on your knee.

If he tries to bite you blow air in his face, but if blowing in his face makes him more aggressive just say no....but DO NOT back down to him) End all training sessions on a positive note, in your favor) In general you do 3 10-15 minute sessions a day.

You may try just toweling him and making sit with you through a 30 minute t.v show while you coo to him and teach him to be petted and handled. Say no firmly and gently anytime he tries to bite, and remember not to back down or let him lose if he bites you. Let him lose at a point where he is relaxed and submissive to you holding him. Anytime you back away from a biting bird you give the bird positive reenforcement to bite you again. I know it sucks to get bitten and it hurts, but this is part of parrot training an aggressive bird. just use a towel to protect your hands as best as you can for now.