Echo biting more and more

[Pilaf]

My 13 months old green cheek conure Echo bites more and more often. He literally attacks me when I have things in my hand, like my phone for example. He also bites when I'm eating something. Then he bites my ear or my lips really hard. Also when I'm trying to play with him and I want to give him a toy he likes he attacks my hand instead of taking the toy. Can it be his age? Is he going through puberty or so? Or is it because it's summer and he's more territorial?
The bites are so hard that I bleed.

It's such a pity that every time I want to play with him, or be nice with him that he responds with such a hard bite. I don't know what to do about it. I feel like my relationship with my little friend is deteriorating because of it. I just don't want to ruin it.

He's out of his cage all the time, the whole day, by the way -- except when I'm not at home, and at night. But I work from home so I'm at home a lot.

 

[wrench13]

Lil stinker. He is pushing the boundaries to see what he can get away with.

 

[ChristaNL]

Ugh, adolescents... you should just deep-freeze them till they are old enough

Yup- you need to start setting boundries: if you do not play nice...you dont get to play at all!

Any facebite -> no more shoulderbird for at least a few weeks!
(it's a privilige, not a right)

Any hard bite is- shunning!


Have read the pressurebite-tread yet? http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html
and If he still bites: entertain each other in same other ways: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/60435-clicker-target-training.html

 

[Laurasea]

My GCC is very jelleous of the phone. And rightly so, I hold it close to my face a d talk to it, it I give it attention. I simply don't have use it have the phone around her. Else she butes need to and says no, it bites the phone abd says no to it.

 

[noodles123]

Sounds like he is doing it or attention or to get things he wants. When he bites, if you say anything or even make a face, your attention is pulled from what you are doing onto him. When any behavior increases, it means it is being reinforced. His emotional needs are being met in someway through this behavior. You have to figure out what he is after and prevent your responses from inadvertently rewarding him...even yelling is attention, as is picking him up to move him etc etc. If he does want attention, and that is just a guess (based on your post), make sure you pile it on when he does stuff that you like. If he takes a toy nicely, make a big display out of it, because he likely will enjoy it.

 

[MonicaMc]

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

Have you done any target training with him?