The Vicious Cycle

Needing help. Parker is being super nippy lately, I am trying to spend more 1 on 1 time with him so he is less bitey, but when I do he bites. Not always super hard but hard enough. I have tried trick training but so far either I haven't spent enough time working with him on it or he is just being stubborn. So the only thing I can do with him right now is let him sit on my hand or on the table where I am, if I try to interact I get bit...super aggravating.... good thing I love this guy. Any suggestions or is him being with me good enough. Maybe he just isn't as cuddly as he use to be. I don't want to get into his terrible twos and have even more issues. As far as tricks go we have tried spin and wave. Spin he does good with because I don't have to get near him with wave I have been getting him to step up with one foot saying wave and giving a treat, I can do this about 2 or 3 times before he bites.
For those who don`t know I have had Parker since he was 3 months and he will be 2 in may.

From what i've read Amazons go through a period in their lives where they become nippy. If i'm correct, BF amazons are a "hot" species. Keep working with him, and don't make him feel like he's the "boss" if that makes sense. Um, i'm not really well versed in this topic, just google search "hot amazon parrots" and i'm sure you'll find some information. i'm sorry i'm that helpful on this topic.

I had the same issues with my Sam a little while ago, Heather. He is the same age as Parker. He will be 2 in April.

I keep training/cuddle/snuggle sessions short. As soon as he gets nippy he gets put up. Like a super short time out. And he KNOWS when he's done wrong, too, because he'll tell me "time out" before I even put him up.

Does Parker laugh after he nips? Does he growl, too?

It's just a phase - well, it was for Sam. I'm pretty sure he's gonna go through it again. They just constantly test you, forget their good manners and do what they want. :54:

He does growl but not at me, usually when he is playing with his toys. He has even started getting nippy when I go to get him out of his cage... and he seems to always go for the knuckle grind...man it can hurt...I tell him know in a firm voice, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

If he goes for you while you try to get him out of his cage, try and have him step up backwards.

When Sam is in one of his "foul" moods, I put my hand behind him, touch his foot and tell him up. He is then so confused, that he quickly steps onto my hand without using his beak.

I'm in the same boat with Willow.

we had her out yesterday (the men were gone, so it was a good time)

She was on Sarahs arm and started pulling at her sleeve, then drilled her out of nowhere, I went to remove her from Sarah and she bit my finger.

sorry, I don't know much about amazons and their temperament.

Wendy that sounds like a good idea, but where his perch is in the cage I can't get my hand in behind him

He isn't really being mean about it most of the time but it still hurts

Patience! training takes lots and lots of it. no animal is "too stubborn" to learn. remember, we don't speak bird and they don't speak english. nipping can be a variety of things. try rearranging the cage so you can get behind him. it helps a lot. plus don't let the bird go in and out of its cage on its own. that doesn't mean dont let him out. but let him know that you have control over the outside space. have him step up and put him on the cage. then you can leave the door open so he can back when he feels like it. birds are very intellegent and by "going in after" you are creating a stressfull situation that provokes a fear response, biting. but really, i know bites hurt but those are war wounds of love. wear the scars proud!

I'd say 98% of the time I get him out of the cage and put him back in...