Conure biting?

[Malaika]

And the million dollar question: How do I stop my conure from biting?

I have a four-month-old GCC that I've had for almost a month now. For a little over a week, he was pretty docile -- at least, as docile as playful conures can get. Yes, he nibbled, but I realized that was just part of a conure's nature. However, once that week was over, he started biting. Hard. I've been trying the "earthquake" technique, but it hasn't been working.

So I thought perhaps I could find out what was causing this if anything. Could sleep or diet affect this? He was on a seed diet when we bought him, so I transferred him over to pellets, but I can't remember if that coincided with when his overly biting behavior started. As for sleep, I try to keep the room quiet and dark (with a cover over his cage) starting from 8PM. However, I still hear noise from his cage for a long time after that.

Any suggestions/deductions?

 

[Flboy]

Yep, been there, be back!
Read and reread until it clicks!
http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html
I must say, I have had JoJo now close to three years and just tonight I picked him up out of his cage wrong, and I am bleeding because of it!(minor)

 

[clark_conure]

read this thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/69953-gcc-biting-baby-2.html

I recommend the time out method and a lot of people have reported back it works...I don't subscribe to the earthquake method or any "Quick" methods...the long walk back seems to make it sink in and you will find he will be apologetic once he makes it back. Any rash action will only reinforce the attention getting. Being put aside or "shunned" till he walks back makes an impact to them that it's not acceptable in his new flock. Just a firm "no" and put him on the floor, make him/her walk back to you.

 

[T00tsyd]

Yes ignoring works for me, plus making sure I am concentrating when picking him up so that I read his body language. If I suspect that he is unwilling I will either ignore or if he really needs to step up I grab a bit of perch which is always to hand. He rarely refuses that and if in desperate need I grab a treat, then he is all smiles!

I prefer to pick any fights we have - not that there are many - rather than just get into a situation where I am likely to come off worst. If for any reason Syd is in a mood I treat him like a toddler and if he has no audience he rapidly forgets all about it. Bless him!

 

[wrench13]

I also subscribe to the time out method. Salty went thru his bitey time 7 months or so ago, but a firm NO, and being put aside, and my back to him, for 5 minutes, worked. I think it important that the time out take place almost immediately , so they understand why they are being 'shunned'.

 

[LordTriggs]

I also subscribe to the time out method. Salty went thru his bitey time 7 months or so ago, but a firm NO, and being put aside, and my back to him, for 5 minutes, worked. I think it important that the time out take place almost immediately , so they understand why they are being 'shunned'.

I subscribe to this idea myself. It's how things work in the wild, I find that using specific rooms or even the cage to be a back-fire waiting to happen. Almost rewarding them with a space to go to when they bite. so in the future when they want to go back to the cage for food or water or for anything they know if they bite you they get the express train

 

[Malaika]

I'll be trying that then. Thanks all for the advice!

 

[Malaika]

However, is this normal? His biting has gotten progressively worse, and he's been biting nonstop today, and won't even let go of my hand unless I pry him off.

 

[Flboy]

Reset your relationship! Take a step back and try to figure out what is going on.

 

[T00tsyd]

Yes back to basics. He is biting because he can. Talk to him in his cage, offer treats through the bars, take a couple of days before thinking about getting him out, give him a perch rather than your hands to step up on, but any signs of attack withdraw. Increase sleep time perhaps. Something has unsettled him and he has lost trust a bit. Re-establish the relationship as if he is new to you again.

Some days with Syd I feel I'm going backwards but then suddenly he comes good and we are further along than I thought.

 

[dhraiden]

It's a lost cause with me (GCC decided I'm a threat to her bonded-gold cap, and my SO) but when our GCC bites the lady, she'll do a firm NO, put her down, or sometimes put her in a separate room. It probably works. Don't reward them by returning them to their cage/territory, do try to link the idea of shunning with biting early, and often. Usually I suffer a "step-up/pick-up" bite just to get some cuddle time, which weirdly she tolerates/enjoys except for the initial interaction. *shrug* Good luck!

 

[clark_conure]

so basically the time out method is a proven route.....the earthquake and beak holding methid are crap. Spread the word when newbs come on

 

[T00tsyd]

so basically the time out method is a proven route.....the earthquake and beak holding methid are crap. Spread the word when newbs come on

I don't use the drop, but I sometimes hold his beak if he is just getting excited and the biting is getting harder the more excited he gets. Its a bit like a small child who enjoys something so much they start laughing until they are out of control and then end up crying.

I will just hold his beak and say no biting for a few seconds and that is enough usually to give him space to collect himself. If he persists then I put him down somewhere away from me to think.

 

[LordTriggs]

so basically the time out method is a proven route.....the earthquake and beak holding methid are crap. Spread the word when newbs come on

I don't use the drop, but I sometimes hold his beak if he is just getting excited and the biting is getting harder the more excited he gets. Its a bit like a small child who enjoys something so much they start laughing until they are out of control and then end up crying.

I will just hold his beak and say no biting for a few seconds and that is enough usually to give him space to collect himself. If he persists then I put him down somewhere away from me to think.

I personally don't like the concept of holding the beak. I know it does work for some people but I don't want hands to be seen as part of a negative experience if possible which of course having your primary defence held in the jaws of a hand-monster sounds negative to me

 

[T00tsyd]

I personally don't like the concept of holding the beak. I know it does work for some people but I don't want hands to be seen as part of a negative experience if possible which of course having your primary defence held in the jaws of a hand-monster sounds negative to me[/QUOTE]

I know exactly what you mean but it seems that Syd is very comfortable with it. I don't hold hard and tend to stroke down both sides of his beak while he is biting and he seems to understand and straight away ease up.

I would imagine it depends on personalities, and the relationship between bird/human. If he was really cross and attacking then I don't think it would be appropriate but we are usually playing and he's just getting carried away.
I guess it's just a way of gently reminding him that I'm fragile too.

 

[LordTriggs]

I know exactly what you mean but it seems that Syd is very comfortable with it. I don't hold hard and tend to stroke down both sides of his beak while he is biting and he seems to understand and straight away ease up.

I would imagine it depends on personalities, and the relationship between bird/human. If he was really cross and attacking then I don't think it would be appropriate but we are usually playing and he's just getting carried away.
I guess it's just a way of gently reminding him that I'm fragile too.

Oh yes definitely personality based. I especially find myself not to be the trusted party in that. Due to other conditions I have dyspraxia like issues with my hands meaning I'm very shaky and have issues with gripping objects so I wouldn't want to accidentally snatch a beak

On a side note I love the name of this thread. Every time I see it I think "yep, that's a Conure"

 

[Notdumasilook]

Ive never used a "time out" trying to train a bird. I just don't see how they get it in the abstract.. I do not see any "birdie jails" in the wild. I do recall being put in to solitary confinement myself in my younger days...but then of course I knew I messed up and confinement was punishment for that offense. My success on actual biting has been to teach them the word NO. I always briefly restrain the lil offender... shake my finger in his face and say firmly "no". A few times is usually all it takes.. and then in the future to curb a problem I can just shake my finger and say NO. Once they get the concept of that one word with the gesture lots of other potential issues seem to go away... and you can work more on positive training with praise and treats.

 

[clark_conure]

it's not a jail, it's the separation...there is no right answer esp. for all the different species but conures bond hard. And putting them on the floor after a bite they learn that the bite was the issue. Every time I had to put clark down on the floor he came back literally in bird fashin saying he was sorry and was all kissy...I never have to do it anymore....he learned the threshold.

 

[LordTriggs]

Ive never used a "time out" trying to train a bird. I just don't see how they get it in the abstract.. I do not see any "birdie jails" in the wild. I do recall being put in to solitary confinement myself in my younger days...but then of course I knew I messed up and confinement was punishment for that offense. My success on actual biting has been to teach them the word NO. I always briefly restrain the lil offender... shake my finger in his face and say firmly "no". A few times is usually all it takes.. and then in the future to curb a problem I can just shake my finger and say NO. Once they get the concept of that one word with the gesture lots of other potential issues seem to go away... and you can work more on positive training with praise and treats.

have you ever seen a video of wild parrots where one will start nipping another, then suddenly the entire flock seems to move one branch over from the nipping bird? that's their time out. A finger waving in the face I personally could see to leading to a bite in the future out of annoyance or even fear. If it works it works though. The key to a parrot learning is direct cause. So their brain links an action with the immediate reaction. I chirp and jump about my owner lets me come play, I hold my head down and fluff up I get a scitch, I climb up when I hear "up" I get a treat. It also works for a negative thing so for a bite with the floor method it would be "I bite, I go on the floor" and being they don't normally like the floor out of safety reasons their brain associates the floor as bad and the floor being a result of being so ere-go bite is bad. It's why you get birds that bite to go in the cage when they're given cage time outs

 

[Notdumasilook]

Oh I have seen how they scold each other in the wild as well as interactin at home. Cookie ..my BFA has adopted Booger the SC. They love each other to death but sometimes get in to a squabble. If Booger becomes a pest Cookie would grab him with his foot and give Booger a beak bang on top of his head....at first. Booger learned quick. Now...for Cookie to get Booger to settle down he simply raises his foot.. which gets a squeal from Booger and Booger settles down.. no beak bang needed. Im doing bout the same thing. Just never thought of using "separation anxiety" as a training method... nor taking toys away. Using a lil harmless contact, verbal command, then gesture...has always worked very well in the last 40 years and honestly never resulted in a bite. Usually they get a finger wag from across the room...for instance if Cookie trys to sneak over and eat my TV remote while Im cooking A simple NO with a wag will make him rethink what hes about to do. Of course they get tons of attention, praise, goodies etc when we spend time together as well. I almost never get bit... last time I wasn't paying attention reaching in to Cookies cage to change out food/water/etc. without first letting him know my intent and got a half hearted bite as a result...and right away I apologized to my buddy and he accepted. I also get watched very closely when giving meds to Booger...he gets them twice a day...and Cookie supervises on my shoulder while Im dosing the lil one in my hand. We have an interesting dynamic going on here based on trust and communication. It didn't happen overnite though and when I became a bird nut there was no such thing as internet either...sheesh im old!!!!!!!!!