Conure Biting

Okay, I love this bird to death he is a green cheek conure. Harley is 3 yrs old, and today I have just about had it, he has bitten me 5 times today drawing blood. He is really biting, drawing blood and wont let go when he does bite...Im to the point of letting him go, because I cant deal with the biting anymore. They say you cant yell no, or put him in his cage when he is bad. But Im out of options before my temper gets the best of me. He feeds on Harrisons in his cage every day, and when I let him out he gets mixed seed. He also gets other goodies, likes pop, tea, pasta, crackers, cereal. PLEASE someone help me...Brian

yoshi got to biting me after i was using a measuring tape in the kitchen....
she was on the kitchen table, an freaked out over the tape...

it took her 2 weeks to stop biting me,
it took alot of effort on my part to re-gain her trust,

i was giving her my hand and pulling it back when she looked like she would bite,
(while my daughter or wife were holding her)
an eventually she gave in, now she stalk's me all around the house still

weve only had her for 3 months or so

id say give her some constant attentiuon/treats ,

give her sometime

Ok how you guys doing?ok ima try to explain this as easy as possible thru typing video would be much better,but if nessary we will chat,ok so here is my little trick or training birds not to bite,first how long have you had the bird?if since born this should be no problem to get him not to bite,if recently keep doing what you do but take the mixed seeds away,now get a stand a back of a chair something thats about mid level for you and your bird he must see your face but still see your hands now get sunflower seeds for your pet store make sure its for birds not something we eat,now everyday try to get him on this chair an have him stand there then just give him seeds from your hand and say goodbird then wait till he eats it then give him another seed then say goodbird now what your doing is that everytime goodbird is said he gets a treat now do this for a week (seed,goodbird,seed,goodbird) for about 10,15 mins now bring your hand closer DNt touch him you need to build his trust,bring your hand close about 5 in away you can see the confert level say goodbird then give seed ,put hand away let him eat then again but a little closer if You see him trying to attack just turn around for a few seconds and wait then turn back around bring hand closer and say goodbird give seed ,try this untill you can touch him it takes time but its worth it,let me know how it goes,if anything feel free to email me [email protected]


I learned this from my goodfriend Dave womach co-owner of birdtricks.com
http://www.birdtricks.com

Henry

Others above have made good suggestions, I would add go to the store and buy a bag of popsicle sticks use these to pet your bird (ok he needs two things a perch and wings clipped) with both hands at the same time if he bites (if! I know LOL) one keep petting him with the other and work the other away from him and go back to petting him touching his toes and under his wings and give him scratches with the sticks. He will soon understand that biting the sticks doesn't stop the touching and that the touching doesn't hurt and in some measure feels good. Now limit this touching to one or two minutes at a time and end each session with a treat sunflower is good if that is the only time he gets them. This will allow him to learn that touching is good and save your fingers from getting chomped (thus your sanity) and when he is no longer biting at the sticks you can cheat them back into your hand and extend your finger behind the stick and start scratches and touching and if he tries to bite just rotate the stick back into the way. (Chopsticks can be used also) I have used this method on birds from parrolets to bare eyed cockatoo's with great success and it depends on the bird but most learn to accept the touching in less than a week. Be sure and post back and give us an update.

When Georgie went through her nippy phase (about 2-3 yrs old) she was really kind of nasty during that phase. Made me mad, because she was so loved and spoiled and could be so moody and bratty.
I clipped the wings and took her out away from her cage (out of her dominance zone) and played with her, made her step up, etc. If she got nasty, i tried to stay calm and put her back in her cage and tried to ignore her. It made her mad to not be the center of attention or to not get her way. It wasn't 'punishment' in her cage but it was "you won't be with me unless you are nice to me".
I'm not sure if this is specifically what worked or if she outgrew her "snit". I swore some of it was hormonal, because her 'nasty' phase was around sexual maturity.
In any case, your bird will probably get over it if you don't let him/her get under your skin too much. (Some birds seem to adore drama and make a game of getting under your skin).

Pritti is 30 yrs old and with our family whole time (last 20 yrs with me) - So there's been lots of experience here with his bites.

Basically, he gets a time out - like a young child would - and then we have a little talk and move on.

I'm talking about truly hard bites - meant to draw blood here (not nips or big nips):
Usually occurs when:
(1) he is in fear
(2) caught off guard, i.e. a sudden quick movement or finger showing up in front of face while he is zoning out on something else (that's a big one)

I can only think of rare ocassions with an isolated bite because he was mad or felt annoyed. But in those circumstances there is usually warning, like he will open beak and posture when getting real close to him, or he'll push finger away with a little growly/squeeky noise. Keep at it and he'll just clamp down hard.

I know lots of people's practice is to not say "no" or put them in cage or react much. But before we knew that (way back when) it is what we did in response and so it's what we still do because it works and has worked for us for decades -- so now if Pritti needs to know some behavior like big bite won't be tolerated, he does get a deep firm "No" "No" and he will usually comply after that, get on finger and he is put inside his cage on a certain perche (doors are left open so he isn't locked in and can come out). He usually stays there for a minute (contemplating, I like to think), then inevitably he'll start throwing kisses, or he'll go out to top of cage and stand in the corner closes to us and look all cute

If the bite occurs while he is on his cage or perch, then I just say the "No" "No" and look him in the eye and walk away and do whatever I was doing. I'll usually try to go to a different room like kitchen or den (he has a special large area in our great room in front of a window for his flight cage). I don't lock him in though.

Sometimes I think we don't realize that there is something else going on that may have altered our immediate relationship with our bird that is causing jealousy, anger, confusion, fear. For example -- schedule change for you and bird, or another family member in house at new times of day, lighting change, sound changes, rearrange furniture, new hair style or color, glasses on or off, skipping favorite foods like u go on diet and stop sharing foods he was used to, spending more time on phone in front of him/her, new shoes (footware always gets Pritti's attention). All these things can make change a birdie's mood or preception a bit.

(I save a completely different tone, less firm, more cheery "No" for little things, like walking somewhere he shouldn't, or chewing at something he shouldn't.

Seems to work for us. Just another experience and perspective.

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Example -- He was in car sitting on top of his travel cage on passenger seat (about 18 years ago). I was in driver seat. We were parked for a little while. I was talking to someone sitting behind me and quickly picked up my had with finger pointed to jesture and the finger/hand swiped directly in front of Pritti while he was quiet and calm and zoning out (I forgot he was even there), and he grabbed on to the finger so hard and literally wouldn't let go. I had to actually shake my hand hard a few times to get him unstuck (like shaking down an old fashioned thermometer). That was probably the hardest bite I ever got. He and I were both stunned for a while ! But I think his defenses just kicked in and he was under a "surprise attack" by my finger.