I need everyone's advice

[traciediann]

I'm sure that there have been many gcc owners who never had a problem with nippiness..And I can tell the difference between beaking and biting. Cause when he bites, he means it. And now i feel even more guilty after I read that article saying that biting was NOT normal and not the way birds solve their disputes or normally interact...and I'm like "so he's just going out of his way to let me know he doesn't respect or necessarily like me!" What have you other gcc owners out there done to discourage and eliminate the biting, if indeed yours did? I just want to know he's happy, he hasn't even contentedly ground his beak on my shoulder or anywhere...no signs of love, even though he does indicate he wants to come to me and does. It's really disheartening and it's really sad, and St. Francis hasn't come through for me yet either....maybe I should trade? Maybe he'd be happier with someone else and maybe I'd be happier with a loud sun conure that don't bite as much or some other type of conure that don't bite as much. The conure we had before, Daisy, she was so sweet. Never bit, I trusted her to be on Belles shoulder at any point in time...and she was five months old and I rescued her from a stinky crowded outbuilding full of depressed birds. I'm just trying to be honest, please don't judge me because of these thoughts...I just would like to learn a technique that works, and i will try them ALL. Thanks yall.
trace

 

[Mare Miller]

come on you super moderators, step up...

 

[Conuregirl]

I don't say ouch or get real loud when it bites. I tilt my hand side to side so the bird loses balance. When she did bite me, I made a mean or mad face so the bird knew I didn't like it.

 

[BillsBirds]

There recently was a post about biting that was very good. Go up to Search, and type in biting. Search those posts for a link to a great article about dealing with biting, and read other posts, as well.. Sorry I do not remember who posted it.

 

[jewels04]

conures are nippy it's just how they are. I have a young sun and she is a nipping machine. I would give your new baby more time.

 

[traciediann]

I appreciate everyone's advice, and it is all good advice. But I discovered, by accident that playing with Sandoval really improves his interaction with me. Albeit, I played with him today, and he was on my hand and gave me several painful nips..I know something must have set him off, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out what. On the up side, he will lay on his back in the palm of my hand while I praise him, so I assume that's a sign of trust. I just don't know. After he bit my hand several times, I put him his travel cage and covered it, and he bit me hard! lol I'll get him out in a bit, thirty min tops. I just wish I knew what set him off. On the up side, he really enjoys treats for good behavior, but that doesn't curb his random bites. Any advice? Anyone?
Thanks,
traciediann

 

[Akraya]

My Misha was the bite-iest (real word) little green cheek ever, he was never hand raised I did that myself and I know all about how painful their bites can be! When he wasn’t hand biting he’d try for the face which is the worst =(
What worked for me was getting to know his body language, and there’s so many little hints, and easy one that I picked up on was if I asked him to step up and he'd move away I'd leave him for a bit then try again then he'd usually step up without a problem.
I’ve also gotten him used to me patting his beak, like when I give him a treat, guess it shows them that hands are sometimes ok…
If he does bite I'd tell him no and put him in a corner of the room on the floor and walk away. Now I just say no or be gentle and he calms down, he usually only bites now if he gets really excited/when I speak excitedly to him.
Aanndd yeah I just gave him a bit more space for a while and tried my best to avoid being bitten at all costs and it's almost like he's forgotten about it, when he does occasionally bite me I'm able to trace it back to something I've done - touched a sore feather, played with keys or a plastic bag (he must hate the sound - weird I know!)
Anyway, that's what worked best for me, I read books and forums for months trying anything and everything and it was really upsetting because it took so long before anything changed.
I hope this helps in some small way, I’ve got so many stories of the things I’ve tried to stop the biting but then I’d be here all day!
Good luck with your birdie! (I hope my novel is coherent, just got to work and I'm still half asleep)

 

[luvmytooo]

You did mention he is very young , so I think you are both trying to get to know each other yet...lay boundaries and stick to them . There are people here that are much more experienced that can help you , so keep checking back here.
I wish you luck

 

[ZoeS]

When Libby went through her nippy phase, I would blow in her face HARD whenever she bit. She did not like this and usually would stop. If the behaviour escalated (she would start making angry sounds and biting harder), I would seize her and hold her down near the floor. Not to hurt her at all, and I'm not sure why I did it. I'd hold her there for 30 seconds or so and when I'd bring her back up to me she would be calm and not bitey. IF she was still in a biting mood after that, I would conclude that she is simply not in the mood to be with me and would put her in her cage.

Either she grew out of it, or it worked, because she no longer bites.

So don't despair, things will get better. He is just trying to be the boss of you and he does not respect you, although he probably does like you. When my coworker brought her lovebird over for me to baby, I found him to be VERY nippy - as in, draws blood several times a day. Sometimes he would do this from the top of his cage or from my shoulder, where he would go so he could bite me without being batted off. I would press my back up against the wall (with him on my shoulder, not squished between the wall and my back), and rotate, which forced him onto the front of my shoulder. Then I would grab him and hold him down near the floor as I did with Libby. Or I put him in his cage. By the end of the week he was with me he was far less nippy.

Don't let him win. Don't let him get away with a single bite. Either respond by shaking him or tilting your arm, blow in his face, hold him down near the floor, or put him back in the cage (in that order if he keeps biting).

If you get frustrated, put him back in his cage. Work on constructive activities with him - teach him tricks, eat with him, play with foraging toys with him. Keep his mind busy so he develops confidence in you as a leader, and so he has better things to think about than biting. Reward his good behaviour with lots of praise and treats (first praise, then treat).

Put a sleep cage in your bedroom to establish a flock mentality.

You will get there!

 

[Akraya]

ZoeS reminded me with the activities comment that my birds get nippy if when I have them out I'm not actively giving them attention for too long a time, foot toys and paddlepop sticks have helped a lot there!

 

[luvmytooo]

When Libby went through her nippy phase, I would blow in her face HARD whenever she bit. She did not like this and usually would stop. If the behaviour escalated (she would start making angry sounds and biting harder), I would seize her and hold her down near the floor. Not to hurt her at all, and I'm not sure why I did it. I'd hold her there for 30 seconds or so and when I'd bring her back up to me she would be calm and not bitey. IF she was still in a biting mood after that, I would conclude that she is simply not in the mood to be with me and would put her in her cage.

Either she grew out of it, or it worked, because she no longer bites.

So don't despair, things will get better. He is just trying to be the boss of you and he does not respect you, although he probably does like you. When my coworker brought her lovebird over for me to baby, I found him to be VERY nippy - as in, draws blood several times a day. Sometimes he would do this from the top of his cage or from my shoulder, where he would go so he could bite me without being batted off. I would press my back up against the wall (with him on my shoulder, not squished between the wall and my back), and rotate, which forced him onto the front of my shoulder. Then I would grab him and hold him down near the floor as I did with Libby. Or I put him in his cage. By the end of the week he was with me he was far less nippy.

Don't let him win. Don't let him get away with a single bite. Either respond by shaking him or tilting your arm, blow in his face, hold him down near the floor, or put him back in the cage (in that order if he keeps biting).

If you get frustrated, put him back in his cage. Work on constructive activities with him - teach him tricks, eat with him, play with foraging toys with him. Keep his mind busy so he develops confidence in you as a leader, and so he has better things to think about than biting. Reward his good behaviour with lots of praise and treats (first praise, then treat).

Put a sleep cage in your bedroom to establish a flock mentality.

You will get there!

Unless I missed something , what the heck would you shake a bird ?!
You actually mean grab the bird and shake it ?!
What is that going to do besides hurt the bird if not break it's neck and kill it !
And holding it down on the floor ? Like Ceaser Milan ?
You've got to be kidding !
There are other alternatives for correcting biting behavior .
And if I'm wrong , I will apologize to you .
But I wouldn't think of doing any such thing to my birds if they bit me !
Just saying.......

 

[ZoeS]

Unless I missed something , what the heck would you shake a bird ?!
You actually mean grab the bird and shake it ?!
What is that going to do besides hurt the bird if not break it's neck and kill it !
And holding it down on the floor ? Like Ceaser Milan ?
You've got to be kidding !
There are other alternatives for correcting biting behavior .
And if I'm wrong , I will apologize to you .
But I wouldn't think of doing any such thing to my birds if they bit me !
Just saying.......

Oh no!! I did not mean to shake the bird at all... I meant to jostle or jiggle your hand a bit so the bird loses balance and stops biting.

As for holding down the floor, no, not like Ceasar Milan... Just like if you were holding your bird normally but lower, with your arm straight down (so if you were standing, it would be about thigh-level, or if you were sitting, it would be just above the ground). And only if the bird accepts being held. It's just to get them out of your face area and give them a few seconds to calm down in an area that they do not feel dominant (hence below your head). Kind of like a time out I guess.

I hope that clarifies. None of this would hurt a bird at all and does not even restrain them other than just holding them in your hand as you normally would (as I do normally anyway as my bird tolerates this).

 

[Mozzie]

If my Sun bites me I tell her "no" firm. If she doesn't stop, she goes back to her cage for a time out. That always does the trick for her. She gets a little nippy if she is overly excited, but she is learning and doing much better now. Good luck. I think yours will improve with time.

 

[Mare Miller]

hmmm...I don't think I would ever try and intimidate a bird. Nor, would I try and be the boss. In my travels, with bird, I've found that trying to get along works well, not being contentious, is a very valuable asset. If they just don't like you, don't take it personal, (unless you've truly asked for it, which happens to some). I have to add, my experience is with a cockatoo but a bird, none the less.

 

[lexx510]

I'm sure that there have been many gcc owners who never had a problem with nippiness..And I can tell the difference between beaking and biting. Cause when he bites, he means it. And now i feel even more guilty after I read that article saying that biting was NOT normal and not the way birds solve their disputes or normally interact...and I'm like "so he's just going out of his way to let me know he doesn't respect or necessarily like me!" What have you other gcc owners out there done to discourage and eliminate the biting, if indeed yours did? I just want to know he's happy, he hasn't even contentedly ground his beak on my shoulder or anywhere...no signs of love, even though he does indicate he wants to come to me and does. It's really disheartening and it's really sad, and St. Francis hasn't come through for me yet either....maybe I should trade? Maybe he'd be happier with someone else and maybe I'd be happier with a loud sun conure that don't bite as much or some other type of conure that don't bite as much. The conure we had before, Daisy, she was so sweet. Never bit, I trusted her to be on Belles shoulder at any point in time...and she was five months old and I rescued her from a stinky crowded outbuilding full of depressed birds. I'm just trying to be honest, please don't judge me because of these thoughts...I just would like to learn a technique that works, and i will try them ALL. Thanks yall.
trace

What article stated that biting was not normal?

Green cheek conures are nippy by nature. They can be the sweetest, cuddliest birds, but we have to learn to respect their free will. They are not submissive, so we must work with them on their terms. If your gcc does not want to be picked up or petted, and you proceed anyway - he or she WILL bite. The bite is usually a last resort to saying "No" if preceding body ques were unnoticed or ignored. Sometimes, they bite because they are hormonal or sexually frustrated, or even too excited from playing. Please don't take it personal. Learn your parrot's body language and behavior. Respect their space/boundaries, and you will avoid being bitten majority of the time.

 

[lexx510]

hmmm...I don't think I would ever try and intimidate a bird. Nor, would I try and be the boss. In my travels, with bird, I've found that trying to get along works well, not being contentious, is a very valuable asset. If they just don't like you, don't take it personal, (unless you've truly asked for it, which happens to some). I have to add, my experience is with a cockatoo but a bird, none the less.

Very well said. Trying to be the boss has not worked in my experience with a green cheek conure, either.


PS: I'd also like to advice against placing your bird in its cage as a form of punishment. Keeping a wild animal in a cage is punishment to begin with. As parrot owners, we owe it to our birds to make sure their captive homes are a pleasant atmosphere for them - not a place they associate with punishment. Not to mention, it sends a mixed message, since we also take them there when we leave home or go to bed. Putting them in a neutral area such as the floor or a counter, for example, might be a better option.

 

[luvmytooo]

Unless I missed something , what the heck would you shake a bird ?!
You actually mean grab the bird and shake it ?!
What is that going to do besides hurt the bird if not break it's neck and kill it !
And holding it down on the floor ? Like Ceaser Milan ?
You've got to be kidding !
There are other alternatives for correcting biting behavior .
And if I'm wrong , I will apologize to you .
But I wouldn't think of doing any such thing to my birds if they bit me !
Just saying.......

Oh no!! I did not mean to shake the bird at all... I meant to jostle or jiggle your hand a bit so the bird loses balance and stops biting.

As for holding down the floor, no, not like Ceasar Milan... Just like if you were holding your bird normally but lower, with your arm straight down (so if you were standing, it would be about thigh-level, or if you were sitting, it would be just above the ground). And only if the bird accepts being held. It's just to get them out of your face area and give them a few seconds to calm down in an area that they do not feel dominant (hence below your head). Kind of like a time out I guess.

I hope that clarifies. None of this would hurt a bird at all and does not even restrain them other than just holding them in your hand as you normally would (as I do normally anyway as my bird tolerates this).

:34: oh , ok good , I am sorry . Just the way I read it , lol.
Me personally , wouldn't be forceful with my birds. There is no reason to.
We have to understand that these animals are mostly wild and they tolerate us if anything. We are their caretakers. If they don't feel like playing with us or being held , they have only one way of telling us , by biting.
I say this without attitude but , deal with it.

 

[ZoeS]

:34: oh , ok good , I am sorry . Just the way I read it , lol.
Me personally , wouldn't be forceful with my birds. There is no reason to.
We have to understand that these animals are mostly wild and they tolerate us if anything. We are their caretakers. If they don't feel like playing with us or being held , they have only one way of telling us , by biting.
I say this without attitude but , deal with it.

I do agree with all that... The biting I am talking about is MEAN biting, or bossy biting. Sometimes my husband will hold Libby and try to pet her, and she doesn't want it, so she'll bite and he'll tell her not to bite and all I can think is - she's trying to tell YOU not to pet her.

So if your bird is biting because you are trying to compel it to do things it doesn't want to do, just stop doing the thing.

But when it's a bite that is not triggered by your behaviour - you know the kind; you are just sitting with them and all of a sudden they draw blood, or they latch on and won't let go... a control bite... IMO that kind of biting is not okay or respectful.

As for not putting the bird in the cage as a punishment... it's not meant as a punishment (nor is blowing or holding away from the face - it's a redirection of thought). Sometimes - mine, anyway, when she was younger - just got too out of sorts. Either they are feeling really hormonal, or too excited/aggressive, or just don't feel like being out anymore. So instead of dealing with a bird that is NOT happy to be around me, I put her back in her cage for a bit. She has toys, food and water, so she can take it easy and re-focus on something positive (preening, eating, playing with a toy etc). It also helps prevent the person from getting frustrated and possibly reacting in anger. Counter or floor could also work - it didn't work for me because she'd just sit there looking at me and bobbing at me.

I dunno, it worked for me - at no time was my bird hurt at all. She doesn't hate her cage, she's happy, chatty, loves to spend time with us, and doesn't bite (she does nip she gets annoyed but it doesn't draw blood or really hurt). There is no universal answer, though.

 

[luvmytooo]

I completely understand putting the back in their home to cool off .
Basically you are telling them under no circumstances will their biting be tolerated.
Like you mentioned , biting and drawing blood for no particular reason is cause to be put back into your home and end all interaction with him. But sometimes I think that could be rewarding in a way , say if the bird doesn't want to be fooled with and you are just trying to acclimate him to human touch , etc.....I would then maybe get a table perch or something of the sort to put him down on when biting occurs .....Just a thought.
This way , he is not getting what he just might want you to do , put him back home and leave him alone....they are way smart enough to figure out how to train us , lolol.

And I do believe you when you said your bird was not harmed ...just for the record

 

[ZoeS]

I completely understand putting the back in their home to cool off .
Basically you are telling them under no circumstances will their biting be tolerated.
Like you mentioned , biting and drawing blood for no particular reason is cause to be put back into your home and end all interaction with him. But sometimes I think that could be rewarding in a way , say if the bird doesn't want to be fooled with and you are just trying to acclimate him to human touch , etc.....I would then maybe get a table perch or something of the sort to put him down on when biting occurs .....Just a thought.
This way , he is not getting what he just might want you to do , put him back home and leave him alone....they are way smart enough to figure out how to train us , lolol.

And I do believe you when you said your bird was not harmed ...just for the record

Thank you! I re-read what I wrote the first time and I did NOT express myself properly so I can see people would be aghast at what I wrote. But I love my birdies and would never hurt them, and I learned as much as I could about them and observed their body language. But I also don't want to be bitten by them.

The perch idea is good too. At the time, putting her back in the cage is what had been recommended to me so that's what I did, and it did work fro us. And I still think it is a good idea if you see it as "well if you don't want to be with me, go do something else", and not as a punishment.

And a lot of it depends on the bird, too... Libby was brazen, friendly and hand-tame, and has a big interactive cage, so blowing in her face or putting her back in cage neither scared nor frustrated her. It was just like "well ok I guess I'll do something other than bite now" for her. If she was fearful or not comfortable with me, I would have approached it a different way.