Kim I am fairly new to this myself, however dont worry you will get plenty of quality and friendly advice here. It may help if you could give an idea of where you live in your profile (even just a county will do). Good luck with it, I will follow the thread with interest.

Hi Kim,
You say it is two years since your dad passed away but its only the last year Percy has become more aggressive. Can you think of anything else that has changed in
your lifestyle, routine etc that may coincide with the first time you noticed a change in his behaviour.
Have you moved his cage, dyed your hair,started wearing glasses.
He is five years old, and it could also be hormonal. Some birds can change dramatically once they reach sexual maturity. The nicest cuddliest bird can become a little demon.
Try giving him some camomyle tea on a regular basis. I found it did help with my macaw when she was at that stage. It has a natural calming effect.
I can understand you and your mum being nervous now, and it wont be easy, but the worst thing you can do is let Percy see that. Keeping him in his cage for long periods may actually only aggravate the situation even further. Try to keep him off your shoulder, as he will also be dominant on there. You need to be above him at all times, so that he is in a submissive position.He needs to see you as the flock leader.Let us know how you get on.

hi kim

like anne has said, a certain change could have brought this on...but you must keep working with him or it will get worse, i can understand your mum now being nervous.......dont let him near your shoulder i use my full hand up my arm to stop birds getting any further, dont use a finger its too tempting to bite lol.......one trick for your mum if she is a little scared.....wrap a t-towel around your arm under a jumper or cardigan and offer that to step up on if they bite they get t-towel not flesh, it will take time and courage and maybe the odd bite, but you have to show in an assertive but nice way you are in control not the bird not that he has the upper hand.

Kim yip I'd give him a little time to settle in and get used to all the new things in his life, keep calm as he will pickup on your stress.


really wish you good luck and keep in touch.

Paul

thanks Paul I really do hope he settles here in his new home.

Hi Kim,
Sorry a long post but it may help. I took in Dizzy two years ago his elderly male owner passed away, Dizzy was agressive throwing himself at the cage bars as you passed attacking if you tried to clean him or do anything with his feed bowls. It has taken two years of patience, calm and strong routine I'm getting only the odd bite when I push my luck way too far. He no longer lunges at the bars, is happy to help try clean his cage with me (more of a pest!) and loves to try to get into the feed pots as your trying to put them in! Dizzy is 47 has catarracts and hasn't been handles in 17 years - in the last two weeks with grateful thanks to knowledgeable people on this site we are having break throughs all the time - yes I did get bitten the other week my fault I misread him. He comes out of his cage everyday I only started to let him out after 10 days of being here knowing he'd got used to the new sounds of the house. I make sure I don't have to be anywhere and the house is "safe" before opening the cage he goes back in when he's ready not because I've had enough or want to be somewhere else he loves to potters about. He's recently started to let me give head tickles and we've have started to gain confidence with step up without trying to dismember me lol. All I can say is it takes time and repatition. I can now just about read his intentions such as what flashing his pupils means when combined with a certain body stance. I never expected Dizzy ever to come around and was happy if he was happy he didn't have to be tame but he's deciding that maybe I'm not so bad and I'm a bit of a soft touch so treats for understanding what I'm after and him doing it are freeflowing - they are very smart. We still have a long way to go but am sure we will get there - wherever it happens to be in the end. If we can do it am more than sure that you can too. Best regards Natascha & Dizzy

thankyou so much Natascha, it sounds like Percy and Dizzy have a lot in common. He to throws himself at the cage bars as you walk past. I spose one good thing is that he is familiar with us, he's just got to get used to his new surroundings. We have been letting him out for an hour or so in the evening he sits quite happily on top of his cage. He will take a biscuit if he feels like it or he will move very quickly to warn you off and try to bite. I really do hope we can overcome this as he used to be such a lovely bird after reading your story I am feeling quite confident. Keep in touch.

Errr did I say Dizzy tries to help clean his cage hmmmm I should have put he spends his time stealling whatever I've got out to do the job with I've just spotted him heading off behind the settee with the bar cleaning brush!!!!

should Percy have his wings clipped?

Hi Kim,
Wing clipping hmmm theres a whole bag of worms!! Personally I hate to see wing clipping and wouldn't go down that alley if wild horses dragged me.... others have had success with wing clipping. If he has to have his wings clipped and he is used to flying this could cause all sorts of stress and accidents plus if you have never clipped them before you could do major damage so would say go to an avian vet to have it done if really be done - plus he/she may say there is anoth option How about exhausting all your other options first before going down that path? There are no quick fixes you could always ask if one of the ACO's could pop around and let them have a look at him and see if they can give you some pointers in the right direction - they are all so very helpful and knowledgeable on here.
To get Dizz slowly used to my voice and my habits I started by clearing one hour a day to sit by his cage (about 2ft away) and reading a book to him out loud - just me him a good book and nothing else going on. Dizzy I have learned loves people to whisper things to him he also likes being sung to! There are no quick fixes just time and patience and different things to try what works for one may not be right for another. Its taken two years with Dizz and some never come around, I never needed Dizz to fit into my lifestyle or had any preconceived ideas of what I wanted from him my only concern is he's happy and healthy. Best wishes Tasha and Dizz

not planning on getting him clipped, just didnt know if it would calm him down a bit. He has been coming out of his cage in the afternoon and having a treat although today he bit me. Don't know why.

Hi Kim,
Sorry to hear you got bitten hope he didn't get a good hold on you and your alright. I've been nailed quite a few times stitches and xrays and by gum they don't half hurt when they get you good and propper, you have my full sympathy :o(
Have you had a think through the situation as to what proceeded the bite, did he fly or rush at you in attack mode as soon as he came out or was there a loud noise to startle him, did he give worried grrr noises beforehand, did you decide to put him back before he wanted to go, was he flashing his pupils (not that any of us want to be too close when thats happening lol) just wondering what pushes his buttons to trigger the behaviour. With Dizz it's simple everything pushes the buttons - I'm having to work hard to earn a little of his trust at a time. The other thing I've found is if I react to a bite then he keeps doing it he gets the desired effect of dominance - darned hard not to react with a chuffing ammie hanging off your pinky!!! The other thing is Dizzy is still in the clutches of breeding season to which he's decided to do a bit of moulting to add to his agression and grumpyness. I've spent time desensitising Dizzy to touching him by using one of his feathers that he cast off last year and using it to tickle his toes and stroke his head and chest with. Worth a try maybe????

Wondering if there was a male present when Percy was out and about, if Percy likes men rather then women could be he just really objects to you being there and doesn't want to share the man he has his eye on.....!

I let him out earlier than I usually would he normally comes out around 5ish and is pacing up and down his perch I let him out at about 3 maybe he didnt want to come out. There was only me and him in the house. I was very good didnt speak to him although I had a good swear under my breath when I went to get some tissue for the bleeding when I went back into the room the little devil had climbed back into his cage. Previosly to him coming out he was letting me tickle him! He's still calmer tho and whistling seems quite contented. This morning I gave his cage a good clean he was watching me asked a few times if I was alright bless him. Will just have to take each day as it comes.

Ooooo sounds like he gave you a nasty bite :o( you do like me lol go into another room and curse hoping he won't hear the words or associate getting his own way. There's another thing that Percy and dizzy have in common if I leave the room when he's out he goes back in ..... I find it really odd, if I'm here he's happy to be out pottering about if I nip into the kitchen he climbs back in and waits for me to come back into the room before yelling at me and after about half an hour he'll come back out again!!! Some days it's almost like I'm his safety blanket if I'm not there it's not safe to be out. Don't you find it such a relief tho to know that they knew their cages are their safe haven, I know I do. I never changed Dizzy's routine for the first 18 months I stuck rigid to it in the last six I've been adding to it that way he always knows what's basically going to happen next and doesn't feak out he turns into something out of horror movie when he goes on overload. My granny used to tell me "Have patience child Rome was not built in a day" but she failed to tell me how long it actually took!!!!!

well my little featherd friend has the right ump today! See what tomorrow brings.

Another little update!!

things continue to improve with my featherd friend. Percy makes his way over to the window sill when we let him out, he's so funny he's only out for around 3 hours at the moment when we want him in he steps up (most of the time) onto a cushion and he is transported to his cage where he goes in like a good boy. Still not confident enough to let him onto my hand as he is still is a bit wary he lets us tickle him and I can put my hand in the cage to remove his perch for cleaning and he dosnt seem to mind. Trying to teach him to sing "you are my sunshine" he thinks im completly mad but his throat is moving to the sound of my voice so I think he is taking it in. Will keep you posted. Just orderd him a stand so he can be out a lot longer and I can put him where I can keep an eye on him!!

i know you do not like wing clipping im also not a lover but i have seen such a change in agressive birds with a wing clip it is worth a try? i have had some birds we could not touch but after a wing clip a real snuggle bunny i grows out so its not for ever but gives you time to work on making pals with him my feelings are its worth a try at some point but that.s my oponion all the best and good luck