New GCC sudden mood swing question

[brandneweyes]

Hello everyone! I'm glad to have found an active forum. I'm having an issue with my GCC biting, and hard, seemingly out of nowhere.. I purchased him about 2 weeks ago now. He's got a big, spacious flight cage with all sorts of toys. I leave fresh fruit for him in there when I'm gone at work. I try to have him out from the time I get home from work, till I go to bed. He has a little play area on my desk next to me with food and toys. I started teaching him step up and he caught on quickly. However, he has taken a liking to my shoulder and my head which was fine until I realized it was nearly impossible to get him off if he became nippy. Ive been working toward laddering with him, and keeping him on his play area, or hand feeding him apples (his favorite) to avoid him climbing up me. However a few days ago he started to really bite quite hard out of no where. He would step up on my hand, act perfectly fine for thirty seconds or so, and then start really going at the tip of my finger. Or He would be on my forearm, gripping my sweatshirt and then begin biting the skin of my wrist extremely hard. I've tried putting him on his play area, putting him in his cage, placing him on the floor, lightly blowing air in his face. Nothing seems to be working. When he's on his play area, walking across my desk, or on the top of his cage he leans in to me making me feel like he wants to be picked up. But the second he gets on my finger he b-lines it up my arm and onto my shoulder/head A handful of times now I've had to pick him up bodily without him wanting me to and place him in the cage which seems to make the biting worse. For example, tonight he was crawling along the chest of my sweatshirt, and walked up to just below my neck, bit me so hard I flinched and I couldnt get him to step up, so I had to grab him and place him in the cage. Ive tried saying "ow!" and looking at him sternly, that didnt work. Now i've been trying very hard not to make noise, or make it too obvious it hurts because I'm wondering if I'm reinforcing it? The first two weeks he would nip here or there, and I would gently place my finger on his beak and say no, and he would relax and stop. Now there seems to be no way for me to stop it unless I put him back in his cage. He was only lightly beaking in the past, and now he's almost drawing blood. I am a first time parrot owner, but I have been reading and doing research for sometime before purchasing my GCC, Cosmo. Im frustrated because I feel like I'm doing something wrong to continue this situation, but I'm unsure of how to resolve it.

Any advice would be amazing. I apologize for the wall of text but I'm stressed out over the whole thing. :/

 

[brandneweyes]

I forgot to add, he was getting the hang of cuddling with me and letting me pet him. And now to be honest I'm really nervous about doing so because I don't want to get bitten.

 

[MonicaMc]

However, he has taken a liking to my shoulder and my head which was fine until I realized it was nearly impossible to get him off if he became nippy.
What methods could you use to teach him to get off your shoulder?

Could he... step up for a treat?

Walk down your arm for a treat?

Step onto a perch or his cage for a treat?


Ive been working toward laddering with him
This is not a good training technique, as most people do this incorrectly. We want the bird to *willingly* step up, not be forced to step up. That is, don't push into their stomach, don't lift their toes, don't push against their chest, don't unbalance them.

If a bird is willing and eager to step up, they will lift their foot up in anticipation of climbing up! And once they step up, they get a reward!

Please take a look at how you are training this behavior and consider whether or not you may need to take a different approach.


However a few days ago he started to really bite quite hard out of no where. He would step up on my hand, act perfectly fine for thirty seconds or so, and then start really going at the tip of my finger. Or He would be on my forearm, gripping my sweatshirt and then begin biting the skin of my wrist extremely hard.
It may seem like "out of no-where", but he's biting for a reason. Maybe he's frustrated? Or bored?

What off-hand activities can he do with you? Could he... play with foot toys? Forage for treats? Or what about training new behaviors such as target training? Turn around? Fetch?



Now i've been trying very hard not to make noise, or make it too obvious it hurts because I'm wondering if I'm reinforcing it?
Biting itself can be it's own reward. It can also be a form of communication.

http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html



Now there seems to be no way for me to stop it unless I put him back in his cage. He was only lightly beaking in the past, and now he's almost drawing blood.
If the only place he can't bite is in his cage, then lets start there! Leave him in his cage for now.

Get a clicker (not required, but highly recommended), a target (this could be an empty pen case, a craft stick, knitting needle, chop stick, etc) and figure out what his favorite 3-5 treats are.

First thing in the morning before he's eaten (if you leave food in the cage, take it out at night), try this.

1.) Show target to bird
2.) Bird looks at target
3.) *Click!*
4.) Give reward to bird

Repeat a few times - next step

1.) Show target to bird
2.) Bird moves head towards target
3.) *Click!*
4.) Give reward to bird

Repeat a few times - next step

1.) Show target to bird
2.) Bird takes a step towards target
3.) *Click!*
4.) Give reward to bird

Repeat a few times - next step

1.) Show target to bird
2.) Bird takes two steps toward target
3.) *Click!*
4.) Give reward to bird

Repeat a few times - next step



And so forth! Do this while he's in his cage and have the target on the outside of the cage. If at any time he doesn't go on to the next step, then take a step back. He doesn't need to physically touch the target in order to be target trained. (although step up is a form of target training! )

Repeat this behavior until he targets well around the inside of his cage. Once he's good at that, then try target training through the cage door. If that's all good, then try target training around the outside of his cage.

Make sure to not get bitten! The only reason you'd get bitten is if your flesh is too close! So learn how to give those rewards without getting bitten! You can have him reach for the *tiny* reward through the cage bars (think - 1/4 size of sunflower seed or smaller), offering it on a spoon, or having a treat cup inside the cage you can drop the reward into.


Mornings are a great time for training as this is the time they'll be hungriest and highly food motivated. After 1-5 minutes of training, end on a good note and offer him his food for the day. You can try again later in the day or just keep it at once a day, in the mornings, it doesn't matter that much! Main thing is to keep training sessions short and sweet!

 

[clark_conure]

He's bonded to you so that's good, makes it easy, here's how you solve biting, once he does it, say NO and put him on the floor like 15 feet or ten feet away, make him walk back to you. It might take a few times to sink in but the long walk back and the "shunning" his bad behavior makes it sink in. It's a time out. He will come back and when he does he will be sweeter. Don't put him in the cage or an area he likes, just exposed in the middle of the floor somewhere. It won't take long to figure out if he bites he gets "shunned" by his "flock" and he will stop the behavior.

 

[brandneweyes]

He's bonded to you so that's good, makes it easy, here's how you solve biting, once he does it, say NO and put him on the floor like 15 feet or ten feet away, make him walk back to you. It might take a few times to sink in but the long walk back and the "shunning" his bad behavior makes it sink in. It's a time out. He will come back and when he does he will be sweeter. Don't put him in the cage or an area he likes, just exposed in the middle of the floor somewhere. It won't take long to figure out if he bites he gets "shunned" by his "flock" and he will stop the behavior.

I have a friend who's had parrots his whole life coming over today to watch us interact and see if maybe I'm doing something wrong. But I will definitely try that. Thank you!

 

[Notdumasilook]

Similar method here that's worked well for me over the past 30 years... Briefly restrain the critter when he bites.. Wag a finger at him and give a stern NO. Doesn't matter where you put him after. Sometimes I just set em on back of couch or even back on my shoulder. A few times doing this should do the trick... plus in the future you have taught your bird what NO means. Lots of times (if they are doing something they shouldn't) I wag a finger and give the same NO.... and they stop ). Birds are VERY smart and learn quick. Its all about communication!!

 

[LordTriggs]

of course figure out before restraining or shunning if it's something you're doing or something around causing it. It's easy to correct your own behavior before his. Like after a biting session from mine over a hoody I had on I stopped having it in his sight. Instantly went back to a happy bird.

Time to get your sherlock hat on!

 

[brandneweyes]

Similar method here that's worked well for me over the past 30 years... Briefly restrain the critter when he bites.. Wag a finger at him and give a stern NO. Doesn't matter where you put him after. Sometimes I just set em on back of couch or even back on my shoulder. A few times doing this should do the trick... plus in the future you have taught your bird what NO means. Lots of times (if they are doing something they shouldn't) I wag a finger and give the same NO.... and they stop ). Birds are VERY smart and learn quick. Its all about communication!!

restrain as in, pick him up with my hands around him/his wings gently?

 

[brandneweyes]

of course figure out before restraining or shunning if it's something you're doing or something around causing it. It's easy to correct your own behavior before his. Like after a biting session from mine over a hoody I had on I stopped having it in his sight. Instantly went back to a happy bird.

Time to get your sherlock hat on!

Ive been trying really hard to pin point it. But like perfect example, taking him out of his cage and letting him perch on my finger. I would normally say hello, and talk to him for a few minutes while he sat looking inquisitive and sometimes making little noises at me. Now, he is still for a few moments but then begins to bite..

 

[LordTriggs]

of course figure out before restraining or shunning if it's something you're doing or something around causing it. It's easy to correct your own behavior before his. Like after a biting session from mine over a hoody I had on I stopped having it in his sight. Instantly went back to a happy bird.

Time to get your sherlock hat on!

Ive been trying really hard to pin point it. But like perfect example, taking him out of his cage and letting him perch on my finger. I would normally say hello, and talk to him for a few minutes while he sat looking inquisitive and sometimes making little noises at me. Now, he is still for a few moments but then begins to bite..

sounds like boredom, or maybe attention seeking

how much sleep does he get? a tired bird is a grumpy bird. Of course they do "test their limits" and work out their beak strength. He could even be meaning to preen you but doesn't understand that much force hurts

yes hold them in a way they can't escape gently. Have a look at the standard vet restrain, best way really. Essentially, palm on the back, thumb and forefinger on each cheek making sure to leave the throat alone so they can breathe easy. Add a stern but not shouting "no" and an angry look and they get the picture super quick. Any time a bite occurs do this, it's essentially a long-term bite training, letting them know where their limits are, but do allow them the softer bites that are more warning based, they need to set their limits with you which need respecting

 

[brandneweyes]

Thank you, that's exactly how I have been holding him, and calming saying "no" and letting him settle down before letting him go. I was worried that I would be making him more aggressive. Its definitely boredom I'm noticing. Ill give him treats but I'm also trying to let him be alone on his play area so that he can entertain himself. He's so fixated on getting on my shoulders that he just walks around trying to find a way up, constantly, its exhausting. He has all sorts of toys and what not, so I'm not sure why he's bored. I think I need to be putting him to bed early. The issue is, I dont get home from work until like 5pm, and I leave at 7am. So if I covered his cage for the necessary 12 hours, I would never see him. Any advice?

 

[LordTriggs]

Thank you, that's exactly how I have been holding him, and calming saying "no" and letting him settle down before letting him go. I was worried that I would be making him more aggressive. Its definitely boredom I'm noticing. Ill give him treats but I'm also trying to let him be alone on his play area so that he can entertain himself. He's so fixated on getting on my shoulders that he just walks around trying to find a way up, constantly, its exhausting. He has all sorts of toys and what not, so I'm not sure why he's bored. I think I need to be putting him to bed early. The issue is, I dont get home from work until like 5pm, and I leave at 7am. So if I covered his cage for the necessary 12 hours, I would never see him. Any advice?

well it's more 10-12 but about 12-14 if they're being super hormonal so 12 is normally the go to

I'm in the same boat as you with that. Maybe bed at 8, uncover at about 6:30 to have breakfast with you