Guess I finally need to confront to Bellas biting..,

[ConureCrazy]

Wel, I've been ignoring Bella's nippyness/biting for about a week now hoping it was just a baby phase. It seems to be happening on her cagetop or playtop where she spends 90% of her day on. Then again, I never intrude into their cage to pick them up, I let them come out themselves. I don't think it's happening as much away from the cage. Bella would be my last suspect for constant nipping, but it's true. First of all, I'm trying to figure out the cause. I think it has something to do with her protecting her cage from my evil hands. :31: second, how do I stop it??? common problem but I'd like your insight. Thank you all.

 

[DannyA93]

What i did that worked right away for a green cheek at petsmart was everytime he went to bite me i just closed his beak with my finger. I just put my finger on his beak when he was going after me and just shut it. not crazy or anything just nice and gentle and i did that for about 10-15 mins and left and went back the next day for an interview and visited him did the beak thing for about 5 mins and before i knew it i was giving him scrathes all over! i had a croud of employees behind me in shock because he bit EVERYONE!! i was happy lol I don't know if that'll work for your GCC and I don't know how fast your reflexes are but you could try that since you know when she is going to bite Good Luck!!

 

[ConureCrazy]

Hmm.... I do know when she bites, she does a clicking noise a good 3 seconds before. I will see. Thank you...

 

[Pookamama]

Does she do it when you are asking her to step up?
A few things I though of/have read in the bird behaviour book:
Warning her, "Be careful" before you pick her up
Holding something else in your second hand for her to bite while you keep moving your hand for her to step up. That way she bites the object instead of you
Maybe try clicker training a bit-reward her for stepping up for a while and see if that helps.

 

[ConureCrazy]

Does she do it when you are asking her to step up?
A few things I though of/have read in the bird behaviour book:
Warning her, "Be careful" before you pick her up
Holding something else in your second hand for her to bite while you keep moving your hand for her to step up. That way she bites the object instead of you
Maybe try clicker training a bit-reward her for stepping up for a while and see if that helps.

Yes, it's when stepping up. If distracting her with a popsicle stick doesn't do it, I think I'll have to go back into clicked training.... Oh boy...

 

[Pookamama]

Oh, and forgot to add the other thing-having her step up onto a stick instead of your hand! I need to start doing that occasionally with Pepper-she's going to hit sexual maturity in the next year or so and I want to be prepared if she gets moody on me.

 

[Kantia]

She is probably doing it for many reasons...
* To balance herself when stepping up.
* She is pleased to see you and gets over excited (happens in the morning with Tich).
* The simple nippiness babies have (Taken about 3 weeks for Tich to calm down but still happens sometimes).

You mention it happens when Bella is on top of her cage or playtop. In her mind this may signify that she is the dominant one because she is at the highest point.

Also, if she is at the highest point and you want to get her to step up, she will be moving further down which some birds don't like. Because that's like a "danger zone".

 

[ConureCrazy]

OMG I'm sorry, didn't see either of your responses! Sorry
And I'm so thick I forgot to mention. After she hips/soft bites me, she puffs up a bit and stretches her neck and goes back to normal size, then stretches her neck and puffs up again. She does that maybe 4 times then goes on normally. What is that? I would take a vid but my camera is down. . Going to start clicker training. BTW, of I have a treat she is her regular self...

 

[Mudkips]

After she hips/soft bites me, she puffs up a bit and stretches her neck and goes back to normal size, then stretches her neck and puffs up again.

That's what GCCs do when they're excited!
Do you play any games with her? She's full of energy and she's playing a fun game with your fingers!

 

[ConureCrazy]

After she hips/soft bites me, she puffs up a bit and stretches her neck and goes back to normal size, then stretches her neck and puffs up again.

That's what GCCs do when they're excited!
Do you play any games with her? She's full of energy and she's playing a fun game with your fingers!

Ohh, thanks, glad I finally know. So... Do you think shes just overexcited?? Then, she's not becoming aggressive at all, just super hyper and excited lolol.

 

[Mudkips]

Play a game with her on the top of the cage, then she'll step up with no problems when she's tired of playing.

I recorded this for an earlier thread, but I guess it applies to this one too:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO7LKYDtcc0"]Attack Bird - YouTube[/ame]

 

[DannyA93]

Mudkips what cage do you have??

 

[ConureCrazy]

Thank you Mudkips!!! You are very helpful. I will have to try this with posicle sticks; Bella loves them. Birdy acts exactly like Bella.

 

[Mudkips]

Mudkips what cage do you have??

I posted it here in the Cage Pics thread just now.

Thank you Mudkips!!! You are very helpful. I will have to try this with posicle sticks; Bella loves them. Birdy acts exactly like Bella.

No problem! Let me know how it works on Bella.

 

[ConureCrazy]

Well it definitely took the unspent energy out of her. She only nIpped 2 times, and one was when she first woke up so that doesn't really count lolol. Significant changes. Can't wait until she gets the gist of it. She's just acting like a 4 year old on a sugar high lolol. Until I tire her out, of course.