Help, my bird bites

[SandiSefcik]

I just got a cockatoo 10 days ago. She seems to like me for the most part, comes to me and climbs up on me, but within only a minute or two she bites me hard, drawing blood. The bites are unprovoked and sudden. I don't know what to do. Now I'm scared of her, especially when she climbs near my face, which she always does, which I'm sure makes matters even worse.. Betty is 24 years old and I don't know how she was treated before me. She never bites my husband.

 

[chris-md]

Hello and welcome!

I’m sorry you’re having this challenge with your new bird. I know this can be frustrating.

I don’t pretend to know much about biting correction protocols but a common refrains around these parts is that a bite is the fault of the human, never the bird. You say it’s unprovoked but in truth i would bet dollars to donuts she actually is giving you signals and you aren’t listening.

I encourage you to review situations when you were bit, and think about what was going on. Common reasons:

1. One person bird - it’s revealing that your bird bites you but not your husband. Many parrots, if not well socialized, can turn into one person birds. This means they choose one person they are head over heels for, and can be aggressive to anyone else. If your husband has been chosen, you might be on the receiving end of the aggression.

2. Displacement biting - this would be biting YOU when something scary comes around. Could be you alone in the kitchen, then your husband/kid enters the room. This bite is meant to run YOU off to protect you.

3. Territorial - bird may be cage bound and hates coming out of cage. Any attempt to remove may result in a bite.

4. Is something you are doing scaring the bird or startling her? Moving too quickly? I’ve been bit on my ear once by my eclectus because he was on my shoulder and I turned around too quickly.

Your key here is to learn QUICKLY how to read her body language. She’s new, and it could simply be that you are trying too much too quickly.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums! I'll first offer some safety advice: Do not allow Betty to approach your neck or face. While the shoulder is a magical place for parrots, it should be an earned privilege. That means you have complete trust, as bites to the neck or face can be extraordinarily dangerous and disfiguring.

Do you know the species of cockatoo? If not, please post an image! From your narrative it seems Betty has chosen your husband and sees you as a competitor or distraction. Cockatoos are not always one-person birds, there are some steps you can take to foster trust and hopefully a good relationship.

Is there a difference when you are alone vs with your husband? The use of treats to reward good behavior is helpful. Similarly, a lunge or bite can be discouraged with a short time-out in the cage. These threads help establish bonding, trust, and bite pressure control:
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

Betty is still new to you and likely has "baggage" from past home(s). It is helpful to proceed at her pace and have patience!

Let us know how she progresses!

 

[clark_conure]

Your bird may be attached to your husband over you. This could be because of gender (SEX) or temperament or emotions...aka Vibes she gets off both of you.

Ask your husband if he is afraid of being bitten...if he even thinks about it. If the answer is yes, then never mind, don't even read any further; if the answer is "um no not really." It might be because he's just naturally calm around the bird and the bird picks up the difference between you and him.

We talk all the time on here that sometimes you need a reset, with the bird. But in this case (and I don't want to be mean here or anything I'm trying to help) but you may need the reset. You may need to project yourself less the scared owner; and more the powerful mommy. The term "pecking order" came from bird reactions, specifically barnyard chickens. But you need to be more assertive (not aggressive) and say no when she bites, and put her down on the floor 15 feet away all by herself. Make her sit on the floor wondering what she did, then walk back and apologize.

It is not ok for her to bite you, and it's ok to be assertive to the bird and let her know how you feel about being bitten. If you show fear, if you raise your hands up and away from her as he climbs up your couch or pants, those are all things she's going to pick up on. Relax, breath, you're the big tough momma!

 

[Silverstone205]

Welcome and welcome in the club of having a biting parrot. We got a 6 year old ARN and like you, we don’t know her past. She doesn’t trust us after now 2 month. Okay she takes treats out of my fingers. But that’s it. Stepping up to a stick training can’t be done because she is flipping out only seeing a stick. Hands and fingers are a “magnet” for her to bite. If she gets on my arm then only if I hide my hands in the sleeves. She starts right away chewing my sweaters. Leather gloves upset her like crazy and she starts biting my fingers right away. But I can touch her head with my index finger with her beak ready to bite if I do her wrong. Shoulders are off limits so far. She was once there but I don’t trust her that much. ;-)

 

[LordTriggs]

welcome

yeah they do that, invest in bandages

and of course do what you can to avoid a situation where they bite and definitely avoid a situation where they can bite your face until you know they wont

 

[GaleriaGila]

I hope this helps a little.
The Rb was an angel until he becam a rooster at about age 4. And then, he became a raging, demanding little stinker. He's a fun mimic and an entertaining character, but
I have reduced biting to almost zero over the decades... not because I've changed the bird, but I have changed me. And a lot of that has involved giving up on a lot of my desires/expectations. After years of battle, I surrendered. I don't do stuff that gets me bitten. I don't scratch his head much, ever... tail is okay. I NEVER do stuff that makes him mad... I don't touch others when he's out; I rarely try to get him to step up onto my hand first. Hand-held perch first, then hand. In some ways, I swallow my disappointment at having such a little monster for a pet, but he is what he is. I ALWAYS wear my hair down when he's on my shoulder, so all he can bite is hair. Really, I don't involve hands much... he doesn't like them. He seems to think the real ME is my head, perched on a weird moveable tree with questionable appendages.
Since he's fully flighted, the ONLY way I get him into the cage is to toss a chile pepper in and he flaps in after it. So food reward is a necessity for me. Time-out doesn't exist in the Rb's kingdom.
But please... listen to and try all the good advice you'll get here. Don't surrender until you know you've done your best. Then just accept and love whatever/whoever your bird turns out to be.
My darling is kind of a worse-case scenario, but we have it all worked out between the two of us.
Very, very best of luck to you.
Good for you for reaching out!
Oh, and... every now and then, he breaks up with me. Gets mad for no apparent reason and won't come to me, won't call my name, won't even look at me. It can last days or weeks. Then he gets over it and takes me back. Little monster.
But he's a beautiful, wonderful half-wild, amazing parrot, alive and living in my home. Sometimes that just has to be miracle enough. He'll be with me as long as I am alive. I hope you can find a way to offer your little wild-thing the same.
Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!