So, I've had Oliver for about 7 months now, and I think we are pretty well bonded. He wants to spend time with me whenever I am home, and loves to be petted, eat the things that he sees me eating and interact with the things that he sees me interacting with. He was very aggressive when I first got him, but his temper tantrums have become more rare, and he only bites me infrequently. Occasionally something will happen that will trigger his aggressiveness, and it's most upsetting when he's on my shoulder and bites my neck, but again, this is a rare occurrence.
Ol will get along with my mom for the most part, as she spends the most time with him when I am away, but he will bite her more often as she is generally less interested in putting effort into correcting his behavior. My dad and youngest brother don't want anything to do with him because they are afraid he will bite. He also does not like my friends or strangers in general.
I guess what I'm wanting to know is if anyone has had any luck in getting your parrotlet to be friendly with strangers? My other brother came to visit today and Oliver started freaking out and biting at me while he was on my shoulder and my brother was in the room. (To be fair, my brother does have a very loud, booming voice and there were also strangers in the yard re-pouring cement in our driveway that scared him, so he'd had a moderately stressful day already by the time I got home)
I just get a bit discouraged because I want to show off this animal that I love, but he gets aggressive, which makes people think he is mean and psychotic and not want to interact with him, which in turn keeps him in this fairly antisocial state. I don't want people to get bit, but I don't want to put him away whenever there is company over, because then he gains nothing.
There is a pet store near where I live, and whoever owns it has pets that live in there. One of them is a caique who sits on a perch in the middle of the store and is completely cool and calm with anyone and everyone who walks bye. I was in there for the first time, and the bird quite willingly and calmly climbed on my hand and back off again with no fuss or fear. I have no idea how old this bird is, but he's obviously use to strangers and I want Oliver to be like that too eventually, but I don't think I have enough people who are willing to help me teach him that strangers are okay.
I know my bird is still young, and I don't expect him to love everyone, but I would at least like him to learn to be polite, and the sooner the better - but I feel like I am working with a lack of resources. Does anyone have any experience in this regard?
Ol will get along with my mom for the most part, as she spends the most time with him when I am away, but he will bite her more often as she is generally less interested in putting effort into correcting his behavior. My dad and youngest brother don't want anything to do with him because they are afraid he will bite. He also does not like my friends or strangers in general.
I guess what I'm wanting to know is if anyone has had any luck in getting your parrotlet to be friendly with strangers? My other brother came to visit today and Oliver started freaking out and biting at me while he was on my shoulder and my brother was in the room. (To be fair, my brother does have a very loud, booming voice and there were also strangers in the yard re-pouring cement in our driveway that scared him, so he'd had a moderately stressful day already by the time I got home)
I just get a bit discouraged because I want to show off this animal that I love, but he gets aggressive, which makes people think he is mean and psychotic and not want to interact with him, which in turn keeps him in this fairly antisocial state. I don't want people to get bit, but I don't want to put him away whenever there is company over, because then he gains nothing.
There is a pet store near where I live, and whoever owns it has pets that live in there. One of them is a caique who sits on a perch in the middle of the store and is completely cool and calm with anyone and everyone who walks bye. I was in there for the first time, and the bird quite willingly and calmly climbed on my hand and back off again with no fuss or fear. I have no idea how old this bird is, but he's obviously use to strangers and I want Oliver to be like that too eventually, but I don't think I have enough people who are willing to help me teach him that strangers are okay.
I know my bird is still young, and I don't expect him to love everyone, but I would at least like him to learn to be polite, and the sooner the better - but I feel like I am working with a lack of resources. Does anyone have any experience in this regard?