Ok. every year something new develops with Eve. And I take this to mean nothing more than the normal progression of adult vasa behavior. Well this year head hunting has become the new thing.This year at the start of breeding season Eve started hunting peoples heads, and this behavior has since continued. This morning he flew by and attacked the top of my head by using his feet to grab the top of my head and his beak to repeatably stab the top of my head. Needless to say it hurt. I'm thinking that this is part of the hunting instinct of vasa's and would make sense that as they age they would try to prefect this skill. Eve is 7. I am wondering how to redirect this behavior? I realize that if it is a natural behavior trying to eliminate it is pointless, but to redirect the behavior to some where other than my head would be nice, oh and we also hunted the cat yesterday! If anybody has any idea on how to redirect this behavior even if it is something you came up with but don't know if it works or if even better it relates to raptor training I'm all ears. Most people I know all have vasa that are younger than Eve and do not show these behaviors yet. SO please any ideas will be helpful! I do not want to walk around with a scary hat on my head all day.
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Ouch! - Off Limits isn't working here??? - or you would have said something........

I can only think that patience & persistence will work - poor you - wish i had more wisdom to offer.
A scary hat sounds good - just not a target style.


I hope that didn't sound callous - maybe when he's attacking you could call out another command???

no "off limits" is only used for dangerous situations, which is what it might turn into so he chooses to use me as practice. If I try to throw something in the air for him to hunt he looks at me like I'm on crack. I had to put him in the cage this morning because I almost dropped my coffee during the "hunt" It's crazy! and it's associated with food, that much I know because he will only head hunt when you are eating or making his or your own food, or carry food. This makes sense given that he's hunting, but come on he flies around like a lunatic than goes in for the kill! I'd be happier if he was stealing my lunch, which he used to do, than attacking my head.

Check your Inbox.

This is very interesting - and a tad bit funny . I have no advice to offer, but I'm interested in how things progress.

It might end up with him in the crock pot. I always threaten him with my crock pot vasa recipe, or vasa pot pie.......

I know you're not laughing...but I'm getting a good chuckle! I have no advice to offer- the one time Ollie flew at somebody's head with an attack on the mind (my bro's friend who has a huge afro), he hit the floor and she was forced to then land elsewhere. Hasn't happened again.

Oh please!!!!! Eve tried to fly away with my roommate! latched on to her head and tried to take off, seriously....how big does Eve think he is? The little moron.

ok so i was just making lunch, Eve started flying around like usual looking for scraps. I kept ducking so he couldn't land on me, temporary fix I know, finished making my lunch and brought some cheez-its out...his favorite training tool. Well I decided to just hold one up, but at the same time not allow access for landing on my arm to get the treat. The first one he snatch right up out of the air, landing on the treat and taking it away. Cool, but than all other attempts failed. He suddenly became confused as to what to do, which I understand because it's the same method I use for flight training but I want him to land on me instead of snatching a treat. So I think what I'm gonna try is to train him to the word "hunt" and than treat him for getting the treat, as opposed to treating him for something already done. I theory is that once he learns what the word mean than I can move on to actually having him seek out and hunt his food for him self. By saying , hunt, it should be the cue for him to go off and find his treat. I don't know if this will stop him from head hunting though? Since it's almost a spontaneous reaction that happens when he's all geared up.

I know its not funny but I have to chuckle, I have an eagle trapped in a sun conure body but so far he only hunts the little dogs. I can only imagine how rough Eve can get since he is a little larger than a sun.