I got angry and grabbed my screaming Lorikeet. Will she trust me again?

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I got angry and grabbed my screaming Lorikeet. Will she trust me again?

by Kevin
(California)

I have enjoyed a perfect relationship with my Rainbow Lorikeet for six months. She is out of her cage and with me almost all day long and lets me pet her constantly. She screams a lot and my neighbors complained and my landlord threatened to make me get rid of her or move. I became so stressed out every time she screamed and I lost it and grabbed her off her stand and yelled at her "shut up, shut up, shut up!" She was obviously stunned and emotionally hurt.

Now she still wants to come out and be on me all day and she lets me pet her head, but she is not as relaxed and doesn't seem to enjoy it as much as before nor want the petting as eagerly as she did before the grabbing. She also backs up a little bit onto my back when I reach up to pet her.

Have I permanently destroyed the trusting bond we enjoyed or will she come around with patience and love and become the relaxed, eager to be petted companion that she was before I grabbed her? I am heartbroken and angry at myself. Please respond. Thank you.

Comments for
I got angry and grabbed my screaming Lorikeet. Will she trust me again?

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Jan 01, 2012

it'll be ok
by: Anonymous

Hi from Australia , i have had lories all my life and unlike conures and eccies they need discipline as they are pretty much the 2 yrs old temper tantrum kid of the bird world my current lorikeet is a little over a year and a half old and he can be as noisy as hell , you can do a few things to curb the screaming if its for attention , Rainbows have a strong tendency to acquire separation anxiety cause owners ( including me too ) spend too much time with them they will scream the house down when you go any where that they cant follow you , one thing you shouldn't do is shout at them, that creates a game and they will scream for the hell of it , in a deep voice say NO and lightly tap on the beak ( that will work if you do it immediately ) another thing you can do is put them in a cage in a quiet room , only use that cage for time out another thing , ive read people are giving Lorikeets honey that's a NO NO do not give any lorikeet honey you can give them diluted Manuka honey from Australia or NZ , but never use it for any other purpose and NEVER EVER given them Maple syrup , it doesn't exist in Australasia and they cannot digest it properly , feed them fruit bar citrus and pineapple and also there is no need to feed them wet mix contrary to what people say , my family has been breeding them for 30 yrs and have never fed them wet mix , they will naturally mix the food themselves , if you can find it supplement water with nectar once a week and feed them some protein in the form of mealworms , in the wild in Australia they also eat grubs occasionally as they do need protein as well

do's

water: fruit veges mealworms

dont's : honey bread maple syrup refined sugar

Anthony

Adelaide South Australia

Aug 31, 2010

Problem Resolved
by: Kevin

The problem I was having with my Rainbow Lorikeet has been resolved. The bird has not changed. I realized that it is me that needs to accept her the way that she is, the most beautiful and wonderful companion I could ever have. I am clicker training her and she has learned to turn around when commanded for a taste of honey or maple syrup. She is so smart! She just wants to be with me constantly and when she is on me or we are playing and learning together she never screams. She is saying Hello, Pretty Bird, What's Up, Good girl, and a bunch of other words I cannot yet understand, she is 9 months old. She is such a joy to have and everyone loves her.
I take her shopping with me and to the beach and she just loves it. She understands what clothes are! I bought her several flight suits and put them on her cage for a few days and she played with them. I also dress in front of her so every time I put on a garment I hold it up and say to her "Daddy's suit", then I touch her flight suit and tell her "Rainbow's suit". She has no problem wearing her suit, in fact after she puts it on she struts around like she thinks she's so cool to wear clothes like Daddy does.

My landlord spent the afternoon here and came to the same conclusion as me, Rainbow really isn't very loud. The reason the neighbor is complaining is because they want a puppy and dogs and cats are not allowed. My landlord told them to stop complaining and that they can get a bird for a pet instead of a dog. They went to the shelter yesterday and applied for a cute little Senegal that someone had decided to give up!
I will never give Rainbow up, I love her and she loves me. Thanks for your advice Linda!

Aug 29, 2010

I got angry and grabbed my screaming Lorikeet. Will she trust me again?
by: Linda

This is a very good subject to discuss as it can happen to any of us. Yes your bird will come to trust you again, and yes, she may keep screaming some as well. Sometimes, parrots are not a good choice for apartment living unless they are of the small variety where their voices are not so loud and carry so far.

There are some bird training materials on this site you may wish to take a look at on the Parrot Training page, and BEFORE starting any kind of training program, please take her to an Avian Vet to be checked out for any physical problems. Diet can also be a major issue in making birds nervous and on edge. Organic pelleted diets along with organic fruit and veggies are the way to go, and Tracie has some organic pellets and mixes here on site. Make sure the one you get says it is also for Lori's. Do some reading as well to learn more about the Lorikeets if you have not already done that.

As for the trust issue, never, ever lose your temper because you lose the bird's trust at least for a while, and you stay tense if you are worrying about her screaming and having to move. It may become necessary to find her another home, but do what you can first and be sure and take her to an Avian Vet before you do anything else. Make sure she has plenty of toys, and they have to be changed out once a month to keep bird's interest. Toys that can be chewed on like safe wood toys are ideal. You may wish to find some Lori breeders and other Lori people on the internet to talk with about her.

Keep us posted on this and keep your temper in check because this is NOT your bird's fault as she will do what she does. Bird's in apartments can work, but ones left alone all day long need a companion in the form of another bird in another cage, so they have someone to talk to during the day. If she is being left alone while you work all day, then she is most likely screaming a lot then as well. The new bird does not have to be another Lori. If you get a bird smaller than the Lori, always make sure you are present at all times when they are both out of cages at same time. A nice, sweet little Cockatiel might be a good companion for her, and they do sing sometimes loudly. All the parrot family can be noisy depending on the bird as to how noisy.

Linda

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