# Hahns Macaw...Aggressive to women



## GeckoD (May 30, 2010)

Hey there! Don't post in this section often...
As the title suggests really lol
My parents have a Hahns Macaw and most of the time she is alright with the people that know her (except when she's in season) then she's a nightmare!
But she just has this thing about women, she is fine with my mum and my sister but she's tried to maim any other woman that comes in the house...Every single girlfriend I've had come over( when I lived at home) has had a small chunk taken out of them lol It can be quite funny but when people are scared of them anyway it's not very nice for them, and it bloody hurts!

Is it a defensive thing? like defending her territory...If so, why doesn't she do it to men? 
The person she is closest to is my mums partner. 
She rules the house, kitchen cupboards are hers, doors and don't even think about touching her cage when she's near it!! 

So basically what I'm asking is; 
is this normal?
why does she do it?
What can be done about it?

Thanks guys:2thumb:
D


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## duffey (Mar 1, 2012)

*Hahns Macaw - Aggressive to women*

GeckoD

Aggressive behaviour in psittacines is complex and difficult - identifying the cause and finding a remedy is not easy!

I know that's not a lot of help! 

You refer to the bird as 'she' - is it sexed? The fact that it accepts some women, but not others makes me think the behaviour is territorial. How often is the bird out of the cage? Have you tried keeping her in the cage when visitors come? Possibly give her a treat - or get visitors to offer her a treat?

Sometimes behavioural problems have been caused by hand-rearing but that is something we have no control over.

You could try to cage the bird for a while - but she might decide to sulk & scream! If she does, ignore her until she behaves! 

It could be worse - you could have a Cockatoo! That's like living with a very loud, spoilt child!

I've been lucky with Parrotlike kept caged in the house - but they've never been allowed free flight in the room - while the cats used to sleep on top of the cages, 3 Maine ***** and a Hahns Macaw and Nanday Conure loose in the room would have been disastrous!


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## Antw23uk (Jan 12, 2009)

I owned a hen Senagal years ago and she was never impressed when females came round (except a gay friend of mine but she looked and acted like a boy, lol)

I also worked in a pet shop whilst at college and we had a double yellow headed amazon in once and he HATED men to the point of being dangerous. You would not trust this bird but if a women walked in he was like a soft cuddly baby and compelete putty in her hands ... unless a man was near them and then he would, in frustration, try biting the women but this was purely because he couldnt get to the guy.


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