New Nippy Pearly?

[Deueller]

So I just recently got a baby Pearly Conure. She is the cutest thing but has a nasty bite! She makes me bleed about almost every other time she nips. Is this normal for new pyrrhura babies that come home? do they stay this nippy for awhile? And what can I do to help stop it? What is the best method to make her stop. She doesn't bite all the time, it's only whenever i want her to step up. I can give her scratches all day long and no bites, but stepping up is a different issue........any help would be greatly appreciated.


Zach and Lily

 

[Sc0tt]

I rescued Casper who is 14 months old about 4 weeks ago. When I first got him home, up to about last week he was biting me terribly hard. He's very nippy, but you can tell that from his bite easily. We've been clicker training a lot and a lot of interaction and he seems to be getting much better. Also when he bites I will quietly put him on the floor and sit on my bed or something high up that he can't get to me for a few minutes and it seems to work a little as well. Also when he's around and not biting make sure to reward him because positive reinforcement is key!

 

[momto3]

How long have you had her? I would stop trying to get her to step up and start working on bonding and getting her to trust you. Reward her when she allows you to put your hands near her. Sit by her cage or read to her. She needs to learn to trust you before she will stop biting. Our two birds didn't bite as babies, but I would say that it took about 4 days before they fully trusted us and were at ease. Good luck and try not to be disheartened...

 

[Deueller]

How long have you had her? I would stop trying to get her to step up and start working on bonding and getting her to trust you. Reward her when she allows you to put your hands near her. Sit by her cage or read to her. She needs to learn to trust you before she will stop biting. Our two birds didn't bite as babies, but I would say that it took about 4 days before they fully trusted us and were at ease. Good luck and try not to be disheartened...

I've had her for just about a week now. She is fine with me giving her sratches on her head for long long periods of time. She now even lets me cup my hand around her body, but will not step up onto my hand. She knows how to step up and will onto any perch. If she is on the ground she will step up on my hand without bitting me. But any other time she mangles my finger with her little sharp beak. Do you think I should still just read and sing to her to try to get her to trust me even more? she comes out of her cage all the time. I dont force it. She just hates my fingers and wont step up

I've heard it can take them 4-6 months to truly get used to you.....I just didnt know if Pearly Conures tended to be more nippy than other pyrrhura conures.

 

[Sc0tt]

I also think Cage aggression sounds like an issue for your Conure. There's a lot of information on it online if you google it.

 

[MonicaMc]

I doubt it's cage aggression. It's typical for many for biters to not bite when stepping up from the floor. Most parrots are not comfortable being on the ground so would readily step up to be higher.

Check out the blog link below. The first video kind of shows how to teach a budgie to step up. The same can be applied to conures or any other species. The idea is to teach the bird to step up on their own rather than forcing them to... and that stepping up can mean good things.

Living With Parrots Cage Free: Bucky and Strider - Millet Eating Fiends!

 

[Deueller]

Im pretty sure if I did that she would bite my hand, and ignore the millet, even though she loved millet hahha

 

[antoinette]

Welcome, great forum, congrat's with your new addiction.　
Great advise from the members above.
Top on your list, a visit to an avian vet is a must. Let the bird be checked over, peace of mind for a healthy bird
Your bird must have time to settle down and adjust. Just imagine how many new things the bird has encountered, in the last week. So many new faces and voices, it must be so scary.
To gain your trust could take days, weeks, months even years. Each and every bird is so different. She obviously feels a comfort zone is her cage.
Sit near the cage, talking and singing to the bird. Let her become familiar with your voice. Leaving the cage door open, offer him treats through the bars at first. When she willingly accepts them, try placing a treat near the open door. Eventually she will starts taking the treats from the door, make no attempt to touch her. When she does come out, she will probably climb around on the cage. Let her explore in her own time. To get her back in, place a treat inside the cage, making sure it's visible.

 

[Deueller]

Welcome, great forum, congrat's with your new addiction.　
Great advise from the members above.
Top on your list, a visit to an avian vet is a must. Let the bird be checked over, peace of mind for a healthy bird
Your bird must have time to settle down and adjust. Just imagine how many new things the bird has encountered, in the last week. So many new faces and voices, it must be so scary.
To gain your trust could take days, weeks, months even years. Each and every bird is so different. She obviously feels a comfort zone is her cage.
Sit near the cage, talking and singing to the bird. Let her become familiar with your voice. Leaving the cage door open, offer him treats through the bars at first. When she willingly accepts them, try placing a treat near the open door. Eventually she will starts taking the treats from the door, make no attempt to touch her. When she does come out, she will probably climb around on the cage. Let her explore in her own time. To get her back in, place a treat inside the cage, making sure it's visible.

Thank You! the problem is definitely not getting her out of the cage, She will come out and beg for scratches no problem! The problem is that if i put my finger under her head or I get close and dont give her scratches she bites me hard enough to draw blood and rip skin .

 

[JasmineGCC]

In my experience with jasmine (who is only 8 months so I'm not an expert!) she would go through fire for a pine nut or sunflower seed. She bites when I put her back in her cage as she doesn't want to go. If she bites - no nut. If she goes nicely she gets offered the treat pot to choose one ( note no fingers involved initially) so I'd imagine this would work getting out too. If she bites when out I put her on the floor and turn my back - she can't bear being ignored. Another thought is that the area around her beak and chin is very sensitive and it has taken months before she will let me eg stroke her beak or near her eyes - now her little eyes close in pleasure. Stroking is different to scritching and much more gentle.

When I first got jasmine I spent hours with her sat on my knee feeding her tiny treats - then my arm - then my hand.

The best advice I can give you is to try avoid biting. If yours bites coming out of their cage then avoid hands - use perch or wait to come out themselves.

Hope this helps

 

[lene1949]

Thank You! the problem is definitely not getting her out of the cage, She will come out and beg for scratches no problem! The problem is that if i put my finger under her head or I get close and don't give her scratches she bites me hard enough to draw blood and rip skin .

So to avoid a bite, you give scratches, right?

You also say she's gentle, unless you ask her to step up... Step up is the only time she'll bite...

You've only had her for a very short time, and you need to give her time to settle in... She might be OK getting on you, walking around, getting scratches, but she's not comfortable with your hands, just yet...

I would let her set the pace... She sounds like a lovely little girl...

 

[MonicaMc]

The reward doesn't have to be millet... it could be a nut... a sunflower seed.... a piece of dried fruit... or even a head scratch!

When she's out, if she's on a flat surface, try putting your hand on the same flat surface, palm down. Then use your other hand to give her scritches. If she's enjoying it, then stop for a second and move your hand back a tiny smidge. If she wants more scritches, she'll have to inch closer to your hand to receive them. If she does, reward her with scritches, then repeat the process. If she doesn't step closer, try giving her more scritches then pause and bring your hand back until she'll inch closer to you for more scritches.

In this way, she may come to stand on your hand of her own free will, and enjoy it, too! In fact, I had to use that very method for Casey, my tiel! Only, my issue with her was not because she bit, but because she wanted head scratches... each time I asked her to step up, she asked for a head scritch! Got her to inch forward for scritches, until she learned that how I offered my hand meant different things. If I wriggle my index finger, that means head scratch. When I offer my palm, hand or fingers straight, that means to step up, and when she steps up, she gets scritches!

 

[Deueller]

So i tried what the Video said to do, and yeah she just went for my hand nothing else haha. Back to the drawling board i guess.

 

[MonicaMc]

If using a treat, did you put the treat between her beak and your hand? If yes, and she went around the treat, you might want to use a spoon or other item to give her treats with.

Have you tried tempting her with scritches instead?


What's her current diet?

 

[Lucyj]

Hiya,

We've had a pearly for about a month now and his nipping seems to be getting worse over better? He doesn't do it all the time but its getting more frequent. We've been blowing hard on his face when he does bite and saying no and then sticking to a 3 strike rule so once he's done it 3 times he goes into his cage.

Does your pearly still bite? And if not now did you over come it? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[MonicaMc]

It's no wonder it's getting worse! You are punishing the behavior!

I know this is easier said than done, but the best way to teach a parrot not to bite is to not get bitten. This means to try and avoid situations where you know you'll get bitten, learn to read the birds body language so as to avoid an imminent bite, and teach the bird acceptable behaviors to do.


Check out the links in the following thread that I put together.

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/31128-step-up-training.html