by Pajarita » Thu Jan 27, 2022 11:17 am
Hi, Sam and Chilli, welcome to the forum. Let me explain a couple of things that it seems to me that you missed about the situation. Number one, It was a BIG mistake to separate a female from her mate and her flock. And two, parrots do not bond with a family, they only bond with an individual and they never, ever, ever bond in two weeks, it takes months and months.
Now, as to her attacking you... I have to tell you that this is not a good thing, not only because she is biting but because it is happening during the honeymoon period when rehomed parrots are at their best behavior and even the chronically aggressive ones don't attack (her flying to you to bite you is an attack and not just a mere 'leave me alone' bite -like when you put your hand in front of them so they can step up and they bite it).
It's impossible to determine with any certainty why she bites because nobody can get inside a parrot's head, we can only guess. And my guess is that she is terribly unhappy with her situation -it's like somebody taking you from your family without your permission and putting you in the middle of giant aliens, you would be mad at whoever did it and unhappy and depressed from missing them, right?
I don't know what process you followed when you first brought her home but a bird that feels betrayed and depressed needs to be handled very carefully... she needs to be kept in a large flight cage for around a week to give her time to get used to the people, new home, schedule, routines, diet, environment, etc without any interaction except talking to her and spending, at least, 4 hours a day keeping her company -talking, singing, dancing for her and, every now and then, giving her a healthy treat (and I say 'healthy' because ekkies require a VERY special diet and cannot eat things like sunflower seeds, peanuts, pellets, etc). It's not only that feeding them seeds or pellets destroys their liver and kidneys, it's also that high protein always causes aggression in birds.
Once she is comfortable in her new home, you can let her out but, if she immediately flies to you to bite you (wait until she does because you have to give her the benefit of the doubt), use a stick to put her back on top of her cage or stand. You will have to do this many, many times but, eventually, she will realize you pose no threat to her and will stop. But, I warn you, this will take a long time because this was obviously a breeding bird, not a pet, and she is highly traumatized and blames you -and, most likely, all humans- for her situation.
Now, the biting and my explanation makes the situation seem kind of hopeless but it's not. ALL parrots, even the most aggressive ones can be made into 'good pets' BUT this, sometimes, does not mean what people usually expect from a pet parrot. I have a male Yellow Nape Amazon that had been severely abused and hated all humans so when he came to me, he would fly out to bite me (and I am talking big holes in my head with blood dripping all over) every single day. It took me 3 years (it was gradual) but he is now fine. I cannot put my hand for him to step up but he obeys me when I tell him to go back into his cage or move out of the way when I am cleaning, he doesn't attack me or even bite when I put my hand in front of his beak to put food or water for him - they are out of their cage (he has a mate) all day long and behaves like a little gentleman. So, yes, you can 'make' her into a good pet if you put the time and work into it - she might never be a cuddly bird but she will learn to trust you and enjoy your company... and might even learn to love you.