7yr old conure biting so often help!!

[kdoyle]

hi! I haven’t posted much on here so if this isn’t the right spot for this please let me know.
My conure basil is about 7 years old now and she’s always been a little on the nippy side but never to this extent, In the past two days alone she’s bitten me 20+ times a couple times drawing blood, she isn’t hand shy at all she just gets so angry immediately when things don’t go her way, she had to stay with my mom (who she loves and is comfortable around her) for a month when I moved last month but she is back in my care now,

her biting started before I moved though. Like any time I try to move her or take her off of my shoulder/don’t give her my food that/put her in the cage/sometimes even just asking to step up she just goes for the kill I swear, I am very careful not to encourage hormonal behaviour I barely even pet her nowadays just because she’s like a cat, everything’s fine I’ll be giving her scritches and then all of a sudden BITE. I’ve studied bird body language and am usually very good at telling how she feels but in her feisty moods I can’t tell what she needs
I just don’t know what’s causing it she’s almost like ‘entitled’ and has a temper tantrum any time she doesn’t get what she wants I’ve never really spoiled her though I don’t know why she’s started really biting it’s become really hard to even enjoy being around her
She gets 12 hours of dark/quiet and is on a pellet/seed mix (she doesn’t like pellets that much so I’m very slowly trying to get her to enjoy them) and fresh fruit and veggies daily, I do 10 minute training sessions with her daily (she knows how to spin, spread her wings on command, target training, recall) one of my roommates joins me sometimes too I’m trying to get her more used to other people and she’s done really well she is a great bird it’s just that she bites soooo hard??

 

[wrench13]

Biting, whether intentional or not, just over preening your skin or actually taking chunks of meat out - all are PAINFULL! In the wild that sort of behavior is not tolerated by the flock. They ostracize flock members who continue to act like that. We call it 'Shunning'. This WILL work, but needs to be done correctly to get the message across and it needs to be done IMMEDIATELY so the parrot can associate the bite with the shunning action. And it needs to happen every time and with anyone involved with the parrot.

When the bite or over preening occurs:

• Say in a forceful but not shouting voice "No Bite" or other endearments.
• Immediately place the parrot on a nearby, handy chairback. NOT the cage (that would only teach the parrot to bite when he wants to go back to his cage).
• Turn your back to him and ignore him for 1 minute. No peeking, no talking about or too him, NADA. NO eye contact. No less or the message is lost, no more or the bird will not associate the action with the bite.
• After a minute you can try to re-establish contact.

Rinse, repeat as needed. Most parrots get the message after a few times, some may need more. Also very important - make sure the bite is not your fault. Annoying your parrot, asking him to step up when he is otherwise preoccupied with eating or playing, bothering him during known moody times like mating season, or ignoring the warnings and body language of your parrot - these are bites that you deserve! Learn, and be a better parront !!

 

[kdoyle]

Biting, whether intentional or not, just over preening your skin or actually taking chunks of meat out - all are PAINFULL! In the wild that sort of behavior is not tolerated by the flock. They ostracize flock members who continue to act like that. We call it 'Shunning'. This WILL work, but needs to be done correctly to get the message across and it needs to be done IMMEDIATELY so the parrot can associate the bite with the shunning action. And it needs to happen every time and with anyone involved with the parrot.

When the bite or over preening occurs:

• Say in a forceful but not shouting voice "No Bite" or other endearments.
• Immediately place the parrot on a nearby, handy chairback. NOT the cage (that would only teach the parrot to bite when he wants to go back to his cage).
• Turn your back to him and ignore him for 1 minute. No peeking, no talking about or too him, NADA. NO eye contact. No less or the message is lost, no more or the bird will not associate the action with the bite.
• After a minute you can try to re-establish contact.

Rinse, repeat as needed. Most parrots get the message after a few times, some may need more. Also very important - make sure the bite is not your fault. Annoying your parrot, asking him to step up when he is otherwise preoccupied with eating or playing, bothering him during known moody times like mating season, or ignoring the warnings and body language of your parrot - these are bites that you deserve! Learn, and be a better parront !!

Thank you for your response! That’s actually quite helpful, I’ll try that!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you for your response! That’s actually quite helpful, I’ll try that!

Until you break her of this habit I would keep her off your shoulder so she can't attack your face. Shoulder sitting is a privilege not a right!
I would also use a "stick" or perch to move her around from place to place for now.