Beeps attacks

Mostly because he ignores Beeps's triggers, Thomas has been getting attacked regularly. He is usually able to avoid getting bit, but if you play with fire enough, you will get burned: Thomas got bit today. I'm hoping this will be a wake-up call to Thomas to listen to me!

For example, one of Beeps's triggers is the plastic container in which we keep the lizards' food. I left early this morning to go running, so Thomas had to feed the animals this morning. I keep Beeps in his cage until the lizards are fed, but Thomas likes to live life on the edge, so he lets Beeps out. As he just said to me, "I live my life. I don't let him dictate what I do."

Beeps launched six attacks this morning, though Thomas was always able to avoid getting bit. Once, apparently, Beeps actually landed in the container. Thomas said Beeps was so shocked he wasn't sure what to do -- so then he threw the greens on the floor and Andreas had to eat floor food.

Beeps also does not like it when we put our hands behind our neck extend our elbows out -- the stereotypical relaxed pose. I never make this pose, but since Thomas realized this triggers Beeps, he's been making it more (at least that's how it seems -- Thomas denies this.)

This morning, Thomas successfully thwarted two attacks launched by Beeps due to this pose, but Beeps won the third (ninth if you count the earlier attacks) round -- he bit Thomas on the inside of his ear (good aim!)

Thomas fell to the floor in pain, a bit melodramatically. I immediately jumped up to get Beeps securely locked in his cage, then started to put the rest of the birds away, figuring Thomas would want time away from them for a few minutes. When I finally returned to the kitchen to see how Thomas was and get Stella, the only parrot still free, I found the two of them on the floor together. She was preening him.

That's when Thomas made his comment about Stella being the only one in the house who cared about him. Almost immediately after he hit the floor, she flew down and started preening him and giving him kisses. He wasn't seriously injured (no blood, but definite beak indentations inside his ear), so I let all of the parrots out again.

Hopefully Thomas learned his lesson, but I doubt it.