Biting/aggression

[MrSquak]

Our little Alexanderine is about 10 weeks old now and most of the time he's still really sweet but sometimes he's getting defensive and nippy, not out of fear I don't think but sometimes if he's somewhere new that he just found and wants to stay he'll nip when he get too close.

He's still really young and we want to correct this behavior! He's so social and gets lonely when we're not here so I know he doesn't want to be a caged bird, he wants to be out here with his friends, but the nipping has to stop before his beak gets really strong.

Forgot to mention he's also weaning, we're trying to get him to eat less of the formula and more of the pellets, fruit, and seeds we have. Any time we feed him formula he'll eat 2 spoonfulls like he's starving, then start trying to play...fly up on my shoulder etc. He'll play for a minute than he'll want to take another spoonful or so, but it makes feeding him take 30 minutes!

Could the stress of weening be affecting his behavior? What do you more experienced parroters think we should do?

 

[mysteryfoxes]

When I'm at work and I handle the Conures I usually say "Ah ah!" or "No!" with a firm voice while touching their beaks gently. It helps them find some inhibition for nipping (at least for the ones I've handled).

 

[HalfInsane]

Given how young he is, he's probably just experimenting with his beak, which is quite normal at that age. He doesn't really yet understand how hard he can bite.

First, don't react by pulling your hand away. This will teach him that biting is a good way to make you leave him alone! Instead, in a stern (not dramatic, not angry) voice say "no" or "no biting", if this alone does not illicit a response, try giving him a stern "no" while also shooting him a dirty look (just for a couple seconds). I know it sounds odd, but it works.

 

[Pedro]

MrSquak, Alex's at that age & when weaning do behave that way & it's usually the hens I find that play up the most the male are a bit more sooky. I just ignore them & pick them up regardless, it will soon pass. If you react in a negetive manner your bird will take longer to stop it.

Have you taught it to step up yet. If not start ASAP. perch bub on your hand, ask it to step up on your other hand when it does, praise it & ask it to step up again keep repeating for a minute or two then stop. You can do this a number times a day but always praise him/her. I usually say Good boy/girl. And give a big cuddle.

Do you have a cage for your bird? You need to set some boundaries now. Also make training fun.

 

[MrSquak]

Hey Pedro, what do you mean by step up? Our bird pretty much always perches on a finger once offered, never had to really do anything to teach him that and when you give another finger bird will step up onto the new one.

Yep, he's got a cage with some toys that he likes to play with. He's got a little rope toy on the roof of the cage that he likes to perch upside down on.

Good to know that it's common at this age

 

[lene1949]

Max weaned when he fledged at 9 weeks... He never was really biting, unless he mistook my hand/finger/arm for a toy... It didn't last long... I kissed his beak and told him 'gentle', and he quickly learned what that word meant.

He already was on a healthy diet of fruit, vegies and seeds, when I got him, but still needed hand feeding for a couple of weeks.. (the breeder said he was 4 weeks old, and only recently have I started comparing pictures, and they suggest that Max would have been at least 7 weeks old, when I got him)..

If your alex is eating well on her own, you can try just a comfort feed at night... If she's not interested, give it a miss.