Baby "nibbling" is becoming painful

[EdiferiousRex]

When I got Linus it wasn't a bother that he'd try to chew on my finger, but now he's getting to a point that if it doesn't stop it will hurt soon. I've never encouraged him to nibble on me, but I haven't discouraged him either. Phoebe (My sulpher crested) came to me aware of how much pressure was too much, how do I teach Linus this?

 

[SharonC]

I had the same problem with Fred. He didn't seem to know "how hard is too hard". I basically told him, when it got too rough...by saying "Too hard, Fred" If he continued, I put him back in the cage. He learned quickly, and plays with my hand now, without hurting me.It's a good feeling to have my finger in his mouth now! LOL!

 

[Cowtown]

Abby has not learned yet how hard is too hard... she just nips with the tip of her beak and it is like getting pinched with pliers... OUCH... I just keep telling her not bite and I put her back in her cage.

 

[Rani]

Rani is very gentle... Or she is just being nice LOL. I have had few times when she will try to grab your finger hard and then climb on your hand or arm... We have noticed that she gets restless when she needs to Poop and tries to get attention. Or atleast i think that. When she holds my finger hard i would raise my finger and say NO. It seems like she is trying to listen but then forgets quickly.... 80% of the time she is very gentle though.

 

[EdiferiousRex]

Thanks for the advice guys, I felt pretty dumb asking, but all my other birds are or have been older when they've come to me so I've never dealt with it. I knew yelling/fast movements would be incorrect in dealing with it because it doesn't work for other problems...But I wasn't sure what did. I'll try the "No, Ouch" calmly and then return him to his cage away from the family as punishment. Its just so strange because I trust Phoebe to give kisses all over my fingers/arms, face whatever and know she knows better...Not that she wont bite, she will if she's upset and I don't notice soon enough, but its never very hard, she's drawn blood a total of two times.

 

[mtdoramike]

My year old Senegal (second hand bird) came to me at 11 months old and although most of the time he is sweet and just nips or pinches my hand, finger or arm. But that is when he wants to go back to his cage. He will how ever have his days like this morning where all he wants to do is pinch or nip and sometimes quite forcefully. That is when I leave him be no metter how much I want to play with him or he squawks or carries on. I just look at it as having a bad day just like us humans do at times.

 

[MikeyTN]

They have good days and bad days like we do. I never trust my face to my parrots. You just never know what they would do. My macaw rip my skin open like banana peel long ago because he was scared. I took him outside and he does not like going outside. That was the end of that... whenever he's cranky, jealous or upset he will nip.

 

[mtdoramike]

They have good days and bad days like we do. I never trust my face to my parrots. You just never know what they would do. My macaw rip my skin open like banana peel long ago because he was scared. I took him outside and he does not like going outside. That was the end of that... whenever he's cranky, jealous or upset he will nip.

Yeah, and that Macaw has a beak like 5 times the size of my Senegal Tiki

 

[jgourd]

My baby eccie does the same thing. I just hook her bill with my thumb and say no. Over time she has gotten better at this as she gets older. All my birds try to climb my glasses though.

 

[EdiferiousRex]

jourd: My glasses seem to look like fun to my birds too.


Ok, so our biting is getting a bit better, but now that we're down to one feeding (Sometimes none) by spoon a day he screams his baby scream whenever he sees me. He'll do it the whole time we play and everything, it's getting so annoying I can't stand to be in the same room some days. He doesn't do this to anyone else in the family, just me.

 

[jgourd]

I just went through this. It does get better. My baby, until about 4 weeks ago screamed every time I came in the room, the hungry scream. Now she is quiet, tries new vocalizations, is down to one feeding of veggies, pellets, and seed a day.

Her favorite place is either on my shoulder or on a perch right next to me. Sometimes she just flies to the kitchen and sits on the floor looking up at the counter, quietly.

 

[EdiferiousRex]

jgourd: Thats good to hear that there may be relief in my future, it's so incessent I feel like a horrible mom avoiding him. I let him spend time daily listening to the TV and my sulpher crested. He's started to make new noises but as soon as I'm visible it's screaming for food. If I offer the food usually he spits it at me and continues to scream.
I'm trying to ignore him when he makes the noise, and pay attention to him as soon as it's stopped. Is this a good idea? It seems it would be similarly trainable as if kennel training a puppy, and thats how I was always instructed to do that.

 

[jgourd]

I am no expert but it sounds like you are doing the right thing. Babies scream.