How should I react to my Alexandrine trying to bite me?

Hello all. I have had my 2 year old Alexandrine for about 8 weeks now and we have been making a lot of progress in regards to building trust. However, I feel we aren't making much progress in the 'stepping up' department.

I try to do training at the same time each day in the afternoon, but some days there is no official training time as I'm at work (he still gets plenty of time outside his cage with my partner).

I am using sunflower seeds as the treat and if he is focused he will step up about half the time if the sunflower seed is in view.

Other times he goes very pin-eyed and will attempt to bite me. It is almost like he isn't focused, or that he would rather do his own thing.

Any advice is much appreciated. I would really like to make steady progress with the training before his flight feathers grow back completely and he becomes less manageable. Thank you in advance.

My alex does the same thing when we are training, I took the risk and it turns out he was not actually going to bite me, but what i call beaking. Maybe your alex is doing this

Thanks Breeze How would you describe the personality of Alex's compared to other parrots? Would you say they are any harder to train?

Forgive me because I don't know your full training routine. But maybe it's a case of being to routine, and they thus boring for your bird? I have not practiced repetitive step up with my birds, instead once they understood the concept a few times with treats, step up became a gateway to fun stuff. Step up we go look out a window, step up we go to your play station where yummy veggies await. I also try a partner type aprouch, if they refuse a step (very rare) I come back a few minutes to half hour later. Maybe mixing up your routine will move forward your progress? If there is no stepping up at all, maybe try sitting in front of the cage with yummy treats you are eating or some crunchy paper you are playing with, when his curiosity is peeked ask for a step up. Good luck with your beautiful friend! There is always more than one way to accomplish a goal, I will be reading everyone's ideas to see if there is something new for me to try too. Will love to hear when you have a great success, and share your setbacks.

Honestly, it depends on why he/she is biting.


If he/she is biting to get attention or a reaction, then that changes things.


If he/she is biting to get out of what you ask (escape ) then it is different as well.


If he/she is biting to get access to a specific person/object (tangible), again your response will be different...


And if he/she is biting due to a lack of chewing opportunities OR legitimate fear (sensory), then that is different as well.


You do not want to reinforce the behavior, so when you know WHY the behavior is happening, then you can avoid inadvertently reinforcing it....For instance, an escape behavior should never be followed by giving up or leaving the room (following a bite)---that just shows the bird that biting gets it out of undesirable situations and increase the liklihood of biting in the future.


In conjunction to looking at all of these things, consider providing additional rewards for desired behavior. For instance, if the bird really wants attention or a reaction (yelling etc), then ignore biting when it happens, calmly put the bird down, and walk away...When you do successfully push boundaries and the bird does not bite, reward with lots of attention as well as favorite treats etc.


You really need to know the WHY before you can address the HOW. Try charting behavior using an ABC chart. A= what happens right before the behavior (antecedent), B= behavior that the bird exhibits, C= consequence (NOT PUNISHMENT) just whatever happens directly after biting...as in the result and reaction of people etc (good or bad).