Specific biting problem - young ekkie

faysalitani · Oct 15, 2017

Hi all,

I’d really like some help with a problem that’s driving me up the wall. I recently brought a 4 month old ekkie home, and he’s settled in nicely over the past week. He eats from my hand, generally likes attention, and he’ll even rub his beak against my hand (if I make a fist!). But the moment he sees fingers ... chomp. I mean a real bite. And I’m not sure whether this is related but he wont step up either (he did it for the first day or so, but won’t do it anymore). If I bring my fingers near him he’ll bite. Now I have gone back to using a T-stand to get him to step up, which he does after giving it a nice bite.

Today I got him on my hand and gave him treats. But then he decided to bite my hand after a couple of minutes of peacefully sitting there. I had to set him down and it was a bit aggressive but I couldn’t help it

What am I doing wrong

tashawithanekkie · Oct 16, 2017

You might not be doing anything "wrong." He's a baby, learning and testing boundaries. Look into bite pressure training.

Something I've learned from this forum is, if you have a bird you will get bit. So you have to help him learn how to avoid giving you a serious injury. Chances are good that he doesn't mean to really hurt you, but that he's trying to tell you something. Bite pressure training will help him learn to get his message across without you needing stitches.

In the meantime, stick with the T perch. Get to know his body language so you know when he's nervous or getting ready to bite. And give it time and work and lots of patience. Good luck with your baby.

faysalitani · Oct 16, 2017

Thanks Tasha!

Okay so I’ll take your advice with the bite pressure training. Sounds like something I should be doing anyway.

When it comes to stepping up thoughI know exactly what he’s doing to do when I try and can perfectly read his body language, which is getting ready to bite me. Lol. Is there anything I can do to actually make him willingly go along (without pressing the perch against his chest etc)? Should I just be doing the Step up training that’s usually recommended - holding out a treat for him to reach over my perch hand, etc.?

Thanks for helping out a rookie

jm0 · Oct 16, 2017

Like tasha is saying he's still a baby, and don't know the boundaries yet. When i got my bird he was 6 months old, and was biting me as well. The techniques that worked for me, was that every time he bit me too hard, i left the room for 10 minutes, i use the same method for screaming. It's called negative punishment, it's basically just taking somhething he wants (your presence, attention or treats), and removing it from his environment temporarily as a "punishment". It's a harmless method that is proven scientifically. It works! Just give it time and be consistent, you know what is too hard, so leave the room every time he passes that threshold. This way he'll slowly begin to associate that every time he bites too hard, you leave. So he'll naturally know the boundaries. Parrots are smart so he'll figure it out eventually. In the wild, birds are rarely seen biting each other, but when they do, the bird that gets bitten squawks and then flies away. So do the same thing with your bird, he'll get it pretty quickly if you're being consistent with this method. As he learns his boundaries it might be helpful for you to always have a soft wodden object (cork, balsa, yucca, or pine) in your pocket to redirect the bite from your fingers to the object, this worked like a charm for me as well, as you say you're good at reading his behaviour, show him the object every time you can see he is about to bite, give him something acceptable to bite. And for heavens sake, try to avoid getting bitten in the first place

LordTriggs · Oct 16, 2017

I didn't even leave the room with mine (tricky to do with a mostly open plan space), a quick plop down on the floor for a minute let him know I was displeased and he would come back to say sorry

itzjbean · Oct 16, 2017

Now that your baby is home, it is up to YOU to keep training your bird. Just because he stepped up on day one, doesn't mean he will keep stepping up without proper training. Bite-pressure training is a must, as well as step-up training. After you can get around his hatred of fingers then you will have to continue to show him that fingers are not to bite. Great advice already given!

faysalitani · Oct 16, 2017

jm0 said:
Like tasha is saying he's still a baby, and don't know the boundaries yet. When i got my bird he was 6 months old, and was biting me as well. The techniques that worked for me, was that every time he bit me too hard, i left the room for 10 minutes, i use the same method for screaming. It's called negative punishment, it's basically just taking somhething he wants (your presence, attention or treats), and removing it from his environment temporarily as a "punishment". It's a harmless method that is proven scientifically. It works! Just give it time and be consistent, you know what is too hard, so leave the room every time he passes that threshold. This way he'll slowly begin to associate that every time he bites too hard, you leave. So he'll naturally know the boundaries. Parrots are smart so he'll figure it out eventually. In the wild, birds are rarely seen biting each other, but when they do, the bird that gets bitten squawks and then flies away. So do the same thing with your bird, he'll get it pretty quickly if you're being consistent with this method. As he learns his boundaries it might be helpful for you to always have a soft wodden object (cork, balsa, yucca, or pine) in your pocket to redirect the bite from your fingers to the object, this worked like a charm for me as well, as you say you're good at reading his behaviour, show him the object every time you can see he is about to bite, give him something acceptable to bite. And for heavens sake, try to avoid getting bitten in the first place

This makes perfect sense. Thank you So you don’t support the theory that if you leave you’ve reinforced the biting etc? So many contradicting theories. That’s what drives me mad. Lol.

faysalitani · Oct 16, 2017

So in addition to the bite pressure training you guys helpfully described, do you recommend the step up training method that I usually read about? Making my bird extend over my perch hand to reach a treat etc? Or should I get him used to my fingers first through bite pressure training?

More than anything I just want the birdie to leave my fingers alone. I think I can train step up pretty easily after that's in place.

jm0 · Oct 16, 2017

faysalitani said:
This makes perfect sense. Thank you So you don’t support the theory that if you leave you’ve reinforced the biting etc? So many contradicting theories. That’s what drives me mad. Lol.

I understand, parrots are pretty complex animals, you'll find your way around things. Try to see what works for you. At the moment the negative punishment technique might not be effective enough, as you're not fully bonded with your bird yet. The bird of course has to WANT you around, for this to work properly. As you say, it could easily have reverse effect. The bird then learns that whenever it bites, you go away. That would be an unfortunate thing to learn him, so be careful with that

Otherwise you're left with step up training, and general bonding and building trust, just hang out with your bird and enjoy life, get to know him, be careful to not become the militant commandante parrot owner though, move at his pace, avoid as much negative interaction as possible, try to aim at making every interaction a possitive one. Consider the wodden object method at least, with this, you can't go wrong, plus it will spare your fingers, and completely avoid developing into a bad habit of his. It will save you alot of headaches IMO.

Martin93 · Oct 16, 2017

It might also be a thing that has something to do with his age.
My eclectus was very sweet and calm until about 3.5 months old he started growling and getting real aggresive towards my hand.
What helped for me is whenever he bit me i dropped him and let him step up again. Usually he was a lot calmer afterwards and now he only bites me when he's put in his cage, so almost no biting.

faysalitani · Oct 16, 2017

Thanks all! Very kind of you to offer all this advice. I'll combine all of it and do the following:

General bonding and chilling with the bird
Step up training only with T-perch (until he stops hating fingers)
Beak pressure training
Place him on the floor if he bites too hard

Wish me luck

jm0 · Oct 16, 2017

You're welcome, the first one (on your list) is the most important one

You just got your bird, im so happy for you! Parrots are such magical creatures, hoping to hear more about your new ekkie, i love the eclectus parrots! Good luck!

faysalitani · Oct 16, 2017

Thank you! I’m already falling for the guy. Rushing home after work to spend time with him. Lol.

faysalitani · Oct 17, 2017

Okay we’ve made *some* progress. I think. Sort of. The little dude is more than content to step up on my forearm without any prompting at all, so I’m guessing we have the trust thing down. Now if only he would stop hating my fingers...

clark_conure · Oct 18, 2017

when he bites fingers, stand up say no put him on the floor, not cage not playstand, make him walk back to you, in the wild birds are "shunned" for biting. DOn't move to get him make him come back the long walk makes him think about what he did. He will learn that biting is unacceptable.

faysalitani · Oct 18, 2017

Thank you very much. Gonna do exactly that.

faysalitani · Nov 1, 2017

Much progress over the past few days. Now he only bites when he’s in his cage. Lol. Outside he’s much more docile. Steps up, stays on my hand, etc. I guess this is territorial behavior?

clark_conure · Nov 1, 2017

Oh yeah, that is our bad....all of us...our fault!!!!!!!!!

NEVER enter the cage unless invited.....in a few months, more or less, your bird probably won't give a crap......but your like a vampire, you can only come in if invited thats his "safe space".

Use treats to coax him, I like to use words, come on, come one..I shouldn't have to buy good behavior.....

Anymore though with me...bear in mind this is 2 years later and he sits on me almost all day long on a weekend; I can put my hand in. but it is HIS HOUSE. you might be and awesome neighbor with the beer and the BBQ and the swimming pool and all that but don't just walk into my house, DUDE!

faysalitani · Nov 1, 2017

Hahaha. Very well put! Im working on it. I can put my hand in just fine, but when I reach in to remove him... bam!

clark_conure · Nov 1, 2017

one word....treats and well; make that four words.....treats or verbal coaxing.

And again that was our bad; we should have said that first off.....

Specific biting problem - young ekkie

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Uh oh, I suspect birdy puberty...?

Is it preening or playing? - New owner questions

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