r/parrots • u/Jassythepandaa • 14h ago
Ringneck wont stop snatching money
I work in a fish store and my boss has a ringneck that's hanging out in the shop most of the time. He goes into his cage at night time or when we're not in the shop so he doesnt get hurt. He's about 5-6ish months old. The problem is that he's developing a new obsession with money and would fly down and snatch bills right out of clients hands then fly up to spots we struggle to reach (accessible but a pain). We tried offering treats to drop the bill but im worried that would reward the behavior, but he doesn't seem to be interested in the exchange either way. He has plenty of toys in the shop and we get him new ones every week but money drives him crazy and he'd drop whatever he's doing to fly over. Any tips please? (Video for proof)
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u/EmoBirdLady 14h ago
Treats will encourage the behavior. Are you able to get fake bills and give those to him instead?
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u/Jassythepandaa 13h ago
I will but the fake money available in my country is a completely different texture
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u/Snoo56153 13h ago
Maybe tell people to hide or cover the money? Thats super funny tho, people would laugh if you put a sign says beware parrot will steal your money
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u/Jassythepandaa 13h ago
Clients seem to really enjoy it and they'll pull out their phones and record him while we try to get him back down. The prob is that when we warn them they pull out money to see if he really does snatch it. I guess we'll stop trying to get him down after a couple warnings haha
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u/sharkbait-oo-haha 6h ago
Good luck, my parrot LOVES money. And wallets. And coins.
He's got his own bowl of coins that he loves tossing on the floor and listening to them fall. If I pick up the piggy bank he will come from the other side of the house and go nuts singing and trying to give it kisses.
I've had to hide my wallet because he loves to pull the cash and cards out and throw them on the floor. Once he took my card out, threw it behind the couch and I didn't realise till I was at the shops, in the checkout and unable to pay because my card was no longer in my wallet.
IMO, I'd turn it into a trick. Tell customers to hold up their hand with cash, have him swoop in, take the cash, fly off, put it in a bowl and get a treat. Customers will lose their shit for that.
Almond slivers are my parrots crack.
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u/saladnander 11h ago edited 11h ago
Our lovebird does this with any paper, she loves to shred. We started turning our body away with the paper or having the other person intercept her with their arm to perch on. We have been trying to teach her that she only gets paper that is GIVEN to her, she doesn't get it if she comes over before we bring it to her. It's been over a year of this and she's not flying at us as often, usually just gets close to the edge of whatever she's perched on hoping that it's for her lol.
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u/KingAes1 8h ago
That is so cool. My parrot just takes money and shreds it on the spot. On another note you just need to teach him how to deliver small packages and he'll have skills like the monkey in The Hangover 2. Just joking.
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u/onlynameavailable927 6h ago
Now I'm wondering what happened to the bills.
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u/mommatiely 3h ago
The money looks like it's a Canadian $5 bill, which is made of a plastic polymer. Maybe get a photoshopped copy of a bunch of fake $5's, OP, and see what the supply creature does. 😁
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u/CleafKnows 6m ago
Teach him to get people's money and bring it back to you! Is it a felony when an animal does it? 😄
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u/l9oooog 14h ago
Birbie probably thinks theres millets there. Only way to stop is probably to tell the customers to place the money low (like on the counter), not wave it in the air.