Approach to being mauled while typing?

[strudel]

While I've had my "playtime" with my galah inside I've had my laptop there and thought we could just "hang out together" for a while. She went very "bitey" when she saw me type on the computer and she also started biting the keys. Even though I stopped typing and picked her up, she stayed "bitey".

Is there a way to get her to sit with me without going all "mauly" if I type? Or do I just have to put her away on her stand or somewhere else. She's not usually bitey, she obviously didn't like my fingers moving all over the place.

Thanks for any advice

 

[Captsteve]

Well, you couldget some voice recognition software and speak to the computer.

Well, maybe not. Everything you type might look like you have turrets syndrome SQUUUUUAAAAAKKK!!!

 

[Jayyj]

My galah is generally quite beaky - in fact, a lot of them seem to be - and whilst I'm sure it's intended playfully it can get quite painful. If she's getting obviously overstimulated and beginning to lunge at my fingers then she'll get a couple of sharp warnings (a loud "ap" seems to work well, gets her attention for a second or so), and if she doesn't calm down it's back to the cage for a few minutes to think about what she did.

But before it gets to that, I also keep to hand a few little wood twigs about 15cm long and 6-7mm thick with the bark still on them, and if she's basically playing nicely but the beak is beginning to open I'll just poke a stick under her nose and she chomps happily on it instead of my finger. It works surprisingly well as a distraction technique.

Generally speaking having foot toys to hand when you have work to do and a bored parrot wanting attention is always a good idea anyway!

 

[strudel]

SQUUUUUAAAAAKKK!!!

I actually have it on a different computer. It has a hard enough time comprehending "aussie" and I haven't yet figured out properly how to get it to understand me, let alone having her chiming in.

Thanks for the ideas. Yes, I'll look for some foot toys. I hadn't yet found any. I got some, but they are small, I think too small for her. Most of the pet shops around here don't carry a wide variety of parrot toys. I'll have to look into something homemade she can muck about with. She really doesn't want to play with toys (and I don't blame her) when she's with me. She wants to climb up my arm, and stare at me and stuff. She just doesn't understand multitasking, that I can talk to her and type on the computer at the same time

 

[getwozzy]

I think the only way to prevent it, is to keep her away from the computer while you're using it. Chili is the same way- she gets overexcited while playing with keyboards or my iPhone (she moves screens and opens apps with her tongue haha) and gets nippy.

I would also give her something entertaining while you're using the computer- otherwise come heck or high water she'll find a way to get where she wants to, and to play with what she wants!!! At least chili does lol

Try giving her some Popsicle sticks, plastic caps off water bottles, unwaxed paper cups, or put treats in a paper bag and let her rip it open, clean cardboard, etc.

 

[Blueridge]

My bird does the same exact thing. Except I type on my ipad usually. I don't know how to fix it except I just put him on my shoulder and bend over a bit so he can't get to my hands.