Bite Pressure Training Blind Bird

[OutlawedSpirit]

Do you think it would be possible to reliably bite pressure train a blind bird? He cannot see and will bite when he is startled by anything. I don't know if a frightened bite can be pressure trained or not. I currently wear gloves when handling him due to this, but if I could get him bite pressure trained to bite softer when startled, I would like to handle him bare handed. Or is it simply a case of, since he is blind, he will probably never be able to shake the bite to do damage startle reflex?

 

[SailBoat]

Your biggest friend is being consistent. Using a word or a sound with a specific actions so that your Blind guy can connect and understand where and what you are doing! This must be in place and by this point you should have at least a couple in place. The more consistent you are the quicker your guy will build comfort, the fewer bites you will experience.

See the light blue highlighted Thread in the Training Forum for the basics in teaching Bite Pressure Training.

I cannot stress how important it is for you to develop strings of sounds and words to convey to your guy what is going on around him. With in days you should have and can create a great level of comfort with your Parrot.

Example 1: Close you eyes and have another individual in your home spin you around (slowly) a few times, so that you are unsure of direction. Now start walking (hands and arms at your side). Prior to you walking in something have the another individual give you a sound /word that means STOP. Your Parrot will learn as quickly as you do that if you do not Stop, you will walk into something. As you can see, you can quickly become very important to your Parrot's comfortable life!

Example 2: As you come into the area where your Parrot is, use a contact call /sound that will allow your Parrot to know that you are approaching. Every other step should have a contact call /sound. This allows the Parrot to track your movement. Use another sound /word when you are next to his cage. Point is, if you are showing up next to the cage and then using a sound /word! He has every right to bite you as hard as he can - that is just cruel and not at all the Pretty Chicken owner I now.

Bite Pressure Training begins after you have developed a good communication interaction with your Parrot. In fact, as soon as you have developed that communication, the biting will fall off quickly. Now, the contact between your fingers and his Bill with be a constant as he becomes comfortable with you guiding him with your finger. That is when Bite Pressure Training really begins!

 

[OutlawedSpirit]

All of my interactions with him now are vocalized. I talk when I approach him, if I am getting him food or water, if I am opening his cage, if he is allowed to come out when I open his cage, etc. I seem to have the most issues with him biting if I already have him out, and something else startles him. Like if someone else bangs a pan in the kitchen, a dog barks, etc. I wear the gloves because I cannot control every external noise that could startle him. It was my thought that if I could bite pressure train him, even if he is biting when startled, then I wouldn't have to rely on the gloves to interact with him on a daily basis.

 

[SailBoat]

Yup, you are the Pretty Chicken Owner I know!

It is still way too early to begin Bite Pressure Training without a glove!

But it is not too early to begin training with the glove in place!

Start with using 'Its OK!' or the like to be used with anything that in your mind may startle him! As you hear it, you say /use that clue! Its you ID'ing what may startled him and letting him know that you're watching out for him!

At present, he will likely continue to bite and when that pre-bite movement starts or if you catch it at the bite - you use your clue word (slightly louder /stronger, but not to a point that you also startle) for letting your Parrot know that a hard bite is not permitted. See the Thread in the Training Forum for a couple of examples.

NOW, your Blind Parrot will likely use some level of a bite (goal is a grasp) to communicate his feeling fear, but it should be a gentle grasp not a bite! Based on that fact, I would recommend that you use a clue like gentle.

As his pressure reduces bases on a combination of 'hey, my Human(s) is watching out for me and a greater comfort with you and your family. Once he reaches a grasping level (a hanging on, just in case I may fall type) level. Its then time to begin the bare hand training.

NOTE: Make sure you start slowly introducing your bare hand. Here, the clue word you are use for something may startle you could be used to introduce your hand, followed with 'Step-Up.' Once he has a comfort with your hand, you can slowly eliminate that clue word.

FYI: Get everyone in your Family and also any Visits to use the Clue Word when they drop or bump something will help everyone! That way, your Parrot gets to know that all his Humans are looking out for him!

Hope its helps!

FYI: Use the Startle Clue Word 'Anytime' you hear something that may startle your Parrot - Anytime!

 

[Notdumasilook]

Just curious if you are able at this point to pet the bird or rub his head.. or if he bites as soon as hes touched? 30 some odd years ago when I got my wild imported BFA I actually 'tamed" him in a pitch black room... using a soothing voice and before I would touch his head I would rub my fingers together next to his head then pet him. He could hear me coming but not see me. And yeah in the beginning I would get nailed.. back off then repeat. My will (and enduring the pain) worked and he realized getting his head rubbed actually felt good... The taming continued with the lights on of course..me rubbing my fingers and thumb together saying "rub his head?".. to which he would then bow his head and accept being rubbed. Im just thinking if your bird is in the dark all the time he can make the connection of hearing the rubbing sound with the pleasure of getting preened. To this day I do the same motion with Cookie.. make the rubbing motion and ask "rub his head?" and as expected he gladly bows and accepts... just a thought there.. // good luck

 

[Mariar]

Good luck to you....my doolie had one eye. He was a handful but we learned a lot from each other. I'm curious so keep us updated.

 

[LeeC]

It was my thought that if I could bite pressure train him, even if he is biting when startled, then I wouldn't have to rely on the gloves to interact with him on a daily basis.

Greetings. I would love to read a follow-up on this topic. I just adopted a blind Sun Conure, and I have the same biting issue with her.


You can read my brief explanation of rescuing her here.
http://www.parrotforums.com/cockatiels/80364-advice-requested-care-blind-cockatiel.html#post817014