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Escape can change a bird's personality
It took time, but I developed a good relationship with my Senegal parrot, Smokey. Then on July 4, a firecracker down the street startled him and he flew out of the sliding glass door. I searched for him night and day for four days. On July 20, I got a call from a lady who said she had my parrot. She was an hour and half away. I drove like a maniac to get there and right away - there was no doubt - this was my bird. He kissed my lips, nuzzled his head under my chin, and just was basically the Smokey I adore. But when I put him on my shoulder he became very aggressive. I took him home, put him in his cage and he didn't seem to be familiar with it at all. Now he won't let me near him. He hangs from the top of the cage most of the time and he had never done that before. Could his 16 days outside have been so traumatic as to completely change his behavior? Several strong thunderstorms passed through the area. Or do I have someone else's Senegal?
-- Mary Blanchard
THIS IS A TOUGH ONE! While I obviously can't guarantee you he is or is not your bird, I can tell you that he might or might not be! (I know, not much help, huh?) One thing you can do is check the lost and found ads in the paper to be sure no one else has lost a Senegal. However, I think the odds are good that you've got the right bird and that his time outside has affected his behavior.
An African grey I was doing a show with once was blown out of our theater by near-30 mph winds. He was outside for less than an hour - he spent most of the week he was missing being cared for by a rescuer who couldn't believe her good luck at finding a "free" African grey - but by the time we found him and brought him home, he had forgotten most of the tricks he had been performing for years without fail. We allowed him time to readjust and then started retraining him. Within a month, he was able to perform all but one of his old tricks.
If your bird endured bad weather and possibly other traumas, his behavior may have been more permanently affected. However, with time, patience, and positive reinforcement, I'm sure that you'll be able to reconnect with your feathered friend.
ParrotChronicles.com
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