Help with a 7 month painful biting conure

[Chim]

Hello I'm new here and I would like some advice. My 7 month conure keeps biting me and every time he does my skin turns red. I tell him to stop but when that doesn't work I have no choice but to remove his beak from the spot. The thing is I'm pretty sure he doesn't hate me since he likes to sit,crawl and be pet by me.
I'm not always around him as he lives In a different room to me maybe it's that? I've also never picked him up as I know he will bite me again.
Please I need help, i don't know what I can do to make him stop cause I hate having to forcibly remove his beak but I don't know what else I can do to make him stop or atleast make it less painful.

 

[LaManuka]

Welcome to the forums, Chim! I'm sorry you're going through this with your GCC - unfortunately (or fortunately!) it's not an uncommon issue with them!

Many young GCCs are taken from their parents to be hand-reared before they have a chance to teach them much in the way of manners, and this includes teaching them not to take liberties with biting! At your baby's age, the best thing to do is to use a method that's called "shunning" to correct this behaviour. This involves, whenever he bites you, you pop him down somewhere neutral, like the back of a chair or table. NOT the floor as this is often not safe, and not his cage because that may well reinforce a behaviour whereby he bites you whenever he wants to go back to his cage - it's ok if he makes his own way back there but you should not take him there. You then turn your back on him and make no eye contact for a minute or two to show you are not happy with him. Again, it's ok if he makes his own way back to you but if he bites again you repeat your response in putting him down. And it's VITALLY important that everyone in your household consistently follows this routine if he ever bites them in order to reinforce that it's not acceptable. A parrot who is a prey species in the wild like a GCC is will quickly work out that to remain within the safety of the flock they need to learn how to interact with everyone more politely!

I hope this helps, and don't forget to please tell us his name and post some pics of your baby, cos we LOVE baby photos around here!! 💝

 

[TeekoGreenCheek]

Yes follow the steps above! Best method.

 

[00089]

The thing is I'm pretty sure he doesn't hate me

He doesn't and never will.
Birds are limited to simple and fundamental feelings only.

(to clarify, this means feelings that do not require complex abstract thinking about other beings)

 

[wrench13]

Well I don't know about what friend 00089 is saying about parrot feelings, but 100% certain that friend L Manuka's advice on 'shunning' is absolutely THE best way to move forward with your biting issue.

 

[00089]

Well I don't know about what friend 00089 is saying about parrot feelings, but 100% certain that friend L Manuka's advice on 'shunning' is absolutely THE best way to move forward with your biting issue.

Take a look at the message I referenced.

 

[TeekoGreenCheek]

Birds pick up on things very very fast. They are highly intelligent..and do process feelings. Like sadness, anger, and about everything us humans feel. They are capable of mourning over their owners feeling sad, if not givin attention. They are capable of becoming impatient when they are tired of waiting, Or bored with the training. They are capable of feeling love. They are more than fundamental. Simple feelings. And, they can even solve problems puzzles. "The hardest thing you will ever do is gain a birds trust. The easiest thing you will do is lose it"

 

[00089]

Birds pick up on things very very fast. They are highly intelligent..and do process feelings. Like sadness, anger, and about everything us humans feel. They are capable of mourning over their owners feeling sad, if not givin attention. They are capable of becoming impatient when they are tired of waiting, Or bored with the training. They are capable of feeling love. They are more than fundamental. Simple feelings. And, they can even solve problems puzzles. "The hardest thing you will ever do is gain a birds trust. The easiest thing you will do is lose it"

I have never claimed otherwise. They can naturally process feelings; sadness or other. If I had claimed so, I would be stupid, as I too, am a bird owner. If I didn't know the extent of their feelings I would never have been able to tame a canary.

I think you may have misinterpreted what I meant.

What I mean by simple and fundamental feelings is ones that do not require complex abstract reflection/abstract thinking of other beings. These are not essential for birds to sustain themselves.

Birds will react negatively if they have experienced fear and will naturally show aggression, however they are unable to despise anything.

Despisal is an abstract feeling that only we possess, as far as we have looked into it.

 

[wrench13]

Friend 00089, this is a good topic for a separate thread, don't you think? Let's not crowd up Chim's thread with off-topic thoughts, interesting as they are. You too, Teeko, you naughty thing. Thanks!

 

[00089]

Friend 00089, this is a good topic for a separate thread, don't you think? Let's not crowd up Chim's thread with off-topic thoughts, interesting as they are. You too, Teeko, you naughty thing. Thanks!

Yes, not a problem

 

[TeekoGreenCheek]

I have never claimed otherwise. They can naturally process feelings; sadness or other. If I had claimed so, I would be stupid, as I too, am a bird owner. If I didn't know the extent of their feelings I would never have been able to tame a canary.

I think you may have misinterpreted what I meant.

What I mean by simple and fundamental feelings is ones that do not require complex abstract reflection/abstract thinking of other beings. These are not essential for birds to sustain themselves.

Birds will react negatively if they have experienced fear and will naturally show aggression, however they are unable to despise anything.

Despisal is an abstract feeling that only we possess, as far as we have looked into it.

Ohh. Sorry I totally misread what you said!! 😅

 

[00089]

Ohh. Sorry I totally misread what you said!! 😅

Not a problem. Your reaction was reasonable.

 

[Sera]

I have never claimed otherwise. They can naturally process feelings; sadness or other. If I had claimed so, I would be stupid, as I too, am a bird owner. If I didn't know the extent of their feelings I would never have been able to tame a canary.

I think you may have misinterpreted what I meant.

What I mean by simple and fundamental feelings is ones that do not require complex abstract reflection/abstract thinking of other beings. These are not essential for birds to sustain themselves.

Birds will react negatively if they have experienced fear and will naturally show aggression, however they are unable to despise anything.

Despisal is an abstract feeling that only we possess, as far as we have looked into it.

Yea I misinterpreted it too, I thought you are either new or have never owned a parrot because they’re so complex in their feelings and your comment sounded like what most non-owners view birds, just simple no thought beings. And about not being able to hate I would beg to differ on that because they remember their past owners and everything and those that treated them wrongly, I guess I can’t say hate exactly like the way we hate but definitely some negative feelings going on