Learn from my mistakes!!

LoveMyConlan

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Mar 31, 2015
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Pennsylvania, USA
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Gcc- Conlan... Sun Conure- Mouse...Jenday- Kellan... RLA- Happy...B&G Macaw- Rhage
My female Gcc, Conlan, who I've had over a year can be a priss. She not a cuddle bug by any means but enjoys a good scratch.... Or did.

Her usual place is on my chest as I recline on my bed and read. She 'reads with me' and preens and chatters. The other night while in our usual position she randomly turned and bit my face. Birds rule #1 I didn't follow? Don't let them near your face. But for over a year she's been nothing but calm. What could possibly go wrong right?

No warning, no provocation. And when she didn't let go after a firm 'release', not thinking in the pain, I made mistake #2. I flicked her beak with my finger to get her to let go.

And the final kicker? As I'm trying to stem the blood from pouring down from my lip and nose, I snag her off the bed and shove her back into the cage to race to the bathroom.

I was not calm. She was scared. I was angry. She was confused. 3 strikes, I'm out.

Now I have to start ALL OVER on hand trust. Every time I try to scratch her head or Cheek I'm met with a snap, though she will still step up..


PLEASE learn from my mistake. DON'T let your bird near your face. 1 second is all it takes. DON'T think they will just let that feeling go. I KNEW better and I did it anyway and now o have to start all over with my best friend.:(

I feel so horrible, but I'm going to give her a few days to cool (for both of us) and I'm going to start target and trick training. To rekindle our bond.
 

faeryphoebe1

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Feb 1, 2013
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It's not your fault. Something may have startled her. Perhaps a passing shadow or a sound that your ears didn't register, like other birds outside taking off, a horn honking or a dog barking. Maybe it's a temporary hormonal surge.

It really could be that simple. And yeah, when they really chomp down, "ouch"!
You'll get your bond back. Sounds like she's growing up.
 

Flboy

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Dec 28, 2014
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Also, your baby is hitting terrible teens, hormones!
Mood swings! Did I mention, mood swings?
Just try your best to love and avoid any issue that can provoke a bite.
FYI, you're not starting over, you have a bond with your partner, she is only a bit confused/mad!
 

plumsmum2005

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Nov 18, 2015
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Lou, Ruby, and Sonu.
Fly free Plum, my gorgeous boy.
It's a bit of a downer when this happens out of the blue but as a % of all the times she was good it's hardly anything is it? Plum put his beak on my cheek last week - no pressure so no bite and I haven't a clue what that was about, shame they can't just tell us isn't it. You will be both be back up to speed in no time!
 
OP
LoveMyConlan

LoveMyConlan

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Mar 31, 2015
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Gcc- Conlan... Sun Conure- Mouse...Jenday- Kellan... RLA- Happy...B&G Macaw- Rhage
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I hope so! She's my girl :). We've had our bumps but I'm just hoping we can get back to normal. I miss giving her her morning scratches. It's insane that I'M the one who's gotten used to it ROFL.
 

snowflake311

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Jun 7, 2016
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One little bump in the road. You guys will be fine just give her some time.
 

MySweetJess

Member
Feb 17, 2017
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0
Gloversville, NY
I yelled when he bit a finger practically off like if I wrongly went too fast to get him to step up. When you're startled you're going to react. So I learned to use a perch to move him out of the cage to clean it or needed to set him down somewhere. He was fully winged and had free range of the house and it was great to see him fly down hallways, around corners, landing on my shoulder. But I wished I had learned to slow down and take deep breaths sooner. That lousy period came to pass and then there was the "extreme affection" period when he was regurgitating to me every morning when I brought him into my office and kissing my mouth. Alas, that passed too.
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
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Western, Michigan
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DYH Amazon
Great advice from all above! I can only add: Also take care of the odd new soft feather that is coming in!

Learning at the Beak of a Parrot! With an Amazon, one wants to clearly see the Amazon (or any of the really big beak Parrots).

Thank-you, for accepting this as a mistake on Your Part! That will go a very long way in redeveloping the Bond quickly.
 

wrench13

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We are all human, and the immediate inclination when someone or some thing has given us LARGE pain is to lash out, first to stop the pain and then to retaliate. Not condoning your actions, mind you, since you are the big brain human, but understandable. Slowly build up the trust with Conlan, you had it, and I'm sure you will have it again. Just learn from your mistakes after you have clearly established what they were. Learning can be painful, as all parronts know.
 

EllenD

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Aug 20, 2016
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I'm going through this with my male Quaker right now and with all of my experience with birds I was still shocked and quite upset that he bit me. He's just under a year old and has recently been really moody, and I actually told him last week that his hormones were getting the better of him, joking around with him about it...So why was I shocked when he was sitting on my shoulder for an hour, doing nothing, and suddenly chomped down on my ear and drew blood?

He was as surprised that he did it as I was, and he flew off immediately after he did it and went in his cage in the other room. I actually had to laugh at that, as I looked to my left and saw the blood on my hand, I looked at him, and he was like "Whoops....Yeah, I'm outta here!" and the next thing I see is him in full flight going out the door and around the corner to the room where his cage is. It was hilarious actually. I let him stew inside his cage for a while (while I cleaned up my ear), and when I went downstairs I sat on the couch across the room from his cage for about an hour and a half watching TV, all the while he just stayed in his cage and was silent (which is unheard of). Then suddenly he flew out of his cage to the floor and walked over to my feet, and stood up and looked up at me, and I put my hand down for him to jump on. We were both fine, but it was upsetting that he bit me. He never had before, and since then his hormones have been raging but he hasn't bit me. He has been fighting with my green cheek conure who he is very close with, so they've been separated which is hard on both of them.

It's a strange age for your bird, hormones cause them to turn into little monsters sometimes. And it's natural to react to a bite in the lip the way you did, it really hurts when they won't let go! I agree that you're not starting over, your bird is just surprised that he bit you and surprised with your response. You two will be fine.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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Apr 14, 2015
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Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
I am starting to experience some negative actions with BB now :eek:. He has just turned one year old ( not sure when tiels reach "that" age) and he loves my shoulder.
He has started to all of a sudden nip my lip! A quick "jab" from his beak,all of a sudden. It startles me more than hurt..yes sure there is a pinch of "ouch" to it.
I tell him NO BEAKY! in a loud voice,and put him immediately back in his house for 10 minutes or so...got to nip this action in the bud.


Jim
 

GaleriaGila

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Well, I've already implicated myself in videos so completely that I don't even think I'll bother to lay low.

I let the Rb on my shoulder and give him kisses when he wants. I WILL say that I feel that I know him so well that I obviously just feel safe. I hope I know when to toss a green chile into the cage and lock his bad self up.

I know you're right, though... Rule #1. I'm pulling a "do what I say, not what I do".

Tell y'all what. If he ever CHOMPS my face, I'll take a picture and eat my words in public.

Sorry about your bite.
 

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