# Please help Rocky is being aggressive with me.



## LancashireLass (Feb 11, 2018)

Hi I'm very concerned about my Rocky. His full name is Rocky Balbudgie and at the moment is living up to his name, I bought him home mid Feb and he was 12 weeks old at the time. He has suddenly become quite aggressive towards me especially when I want him to step up. He has started to peck me quite hard which is not his usual behaviour. There are a couple of factors that could be triggering this but I'm not 100% sure . At the moment we are looking after my friends Budgie whilst she is on holiday so I am possibly thinking this could a reason for his change in behaviour. I have also introduced some new toys in which one of them is a swing and he loves it, he loves all his toys in id say that's his favourite, so my main thoughts for his pecking is he is protective over his toys, which isn't good. I have also been given lots of advise which conflicts against each other like take his toys away (which makes me feel like a bad mum). Then don't take away his toys but persevere as he has hit a certain stroppy hormonal stage and he will grow out of it. I am worried that this pecking will not stop and really need some help and advise. I have come down this morning tried to interact with him and he went for me, at present all toys and millet treats have been taken out of his cage and just left him be. Also as present he is still reluctant to come out of his cage.

I would appreciate any help thank you.
Jane


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## Blingy (Feb 26, 2018)

It sounds like Rocky is going through that grumpy teenager phase, which is completely normal. It's understandable that you'd be frustrated, but you have to be patient. i don't see any reason to take Rockys toys away. If anything, sitting in an empty cage would make him more aggressive I'd think because he has all this energy and nothing to get it out on. This thread explains it all really well.
https://www.talkbudgies.com/budgie-behavior/358802-why-my-young-budgie-suddenly-aggressive.html


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## JRS (Sep 3, 2016)

First of all, Rocky Balbudgie :laughing:!

I agree with Kellie, in that he may be going through a stroppy teenage period, but being reluctant to leave the cage and starting to develop cage territorial behaviour is a problem that needs intervention. 

He won’t connect removal of toys with biting/lunging at you so there is no point in taking all his toys away. Maybe remove the swing if it’s just that one specific toy that is causing the problem. If you want him to leave the cage, then outside needs to look appealing too; so if you haven’t already, try to create an inviting area outside (top of the cage?) with perches, toys and food.

I would not put any treats in the cage. Take a few steps backwards and treat him like a new bird who has just been home for a few weeks. 
Start by resting your hand on the cage for a while until he accepts that without objection. 

Feed him treats through the bars and if he does venture out of the cage and you need to get him to step up, then get him to stand on a perch rather than your hand - These things will help you avoid instinctively jerking your hand away if he goes to bite - we don’t want him to get confirmation that biting works at getting you to back off. 
You can then progress to opening the door and holding a treat in the doorway.... then and the end of an outside perch... etc.

Good luck


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