Realistic expectations on nippiness and training

[meesherbeans]

Hi, everyone! I'm here to ask for some advice. We've had our little baby Crimson Bellied Conure for week now, and he's such a cute little baby. The first few days after we brought him home, he was cuddly and gentle and really just the sweetest thing. However, he's gotten progressively more nippy (I have a lovely red welt on the side of my neck, and my ears are very sore) as the time seems to roll on.

We both know that babies are nippy, and conures in particular can be bitey at times. That said, we don't know if he's too young to really truly start training to not bite? He's just shy of 11 weeks old. Birds are very intelligent, but is there much we can really do at this young an age to try and curb the nippiness? I am beginning to dread when he crawls up on my shoulder to curl up against my neck, because I know my ears are about to get an exercise in near-piercings again. He also gets super cranky when we pull him off us to go into the cage for night or feeding time, but that's a whole other can of worms and we expect some nips then.

If he isn't too young, what can we do? What would be the most effective way to let him know we do not appreciate the (what we hope are) love bites? Thank you all for any and all replies!

 

[meesherbeans]

Ah, and for reading this, have some pictures of our lovely little Chromie!

 

[MonicaMc]

A lot of birds don't really bite or nip much within the first few days because it's a new and scary environment. They are afraid to do much. As they start to settle in, they start to explore with their beaks and then start communicating with their beaks as well. Birds can start learning before they are even weaned, so he's definitely not too young!

If he's on your shoulder and nipping at your ears, chances are he's being a baby and doing what babies do best! They explore their world! They don't really have hands with which they can easily pick things up with, and besides, it's more fun to test things out by putting it in their mouth! So, what do you do? Get him some toys! Wear a "bird toy" necklace! Use foot toys, Make foot toys. String two bottle caps together with some leather and put treats inside for him to work out! Heck, cleaned bottle caps may be fun in themselves! Maybe some leather strips with beads strung on it? Anything to keep him busy! If he's bored, he's more likely to look for things to do that you may not appreciate!


If he has to get off your shoulder, give him a better reason to come off your shoulder rather than staying up! Lure him off with his favorite treats, maybe give him head scratches if he enjoys those! Maybe even give him a foraging toy to work at when he comes off your shoulder. The reason he likes being on your shoulder is because it's more rewarding to be there than anywhere else! So the trick is is to find something more rewarding to him than being where he's at!


As for going back to his cage, same deal! Make it worth his while to go to the cage. Give him his favorite snacks inside! Or maybe once you put him in his cage spend a little time with him before leaving him. Maybe when you put him back on his cage don't always make him go inside the cage or don't always close the door when you put him there.



Wanna really learn how to communicate with him? Start trick training him! (aka clicker training) Trick training keeps their minds busy and gives them things to do! Plus, it can be fun for you, too! The more *good* behaviors he learns, the less likely he is to perform bad behaviors! And the more you learn to teach him to do certain behaviors (i.e. targeting!) the easier it will be to communicate with him and tell him what you'd like him to do!

 

[meesherbeans]

Thank you so much for the advice. It seems like really "no duh" stuff, but we went out this afternoon and picked up some tiny animal-safe dyed wood/bulding blocks and several more toys for his cage (a cuddly "hut," a set of rope rings, a foraging treat, and a new perch to chew on).

We're already noticing a difference, and it's only been one night! While we had him out, we played with the brightly colored wooden blocks (they're literally designed to look like A B C blocks that little kids have)...he was immediately interested. We didn't have a single nip (a few balancing bites so he didn't fall, but that's okay) and everyone had a great evening.

Thank you again, it's already made a bunch of difference!

 

[riddick07]

Here is another idea! Loki, my sun, has two baskets filled with foot toys in his cage.


We also have a basket filled with toys for when he is out of the cage.

The toys are made with wood, straws, qtips, foam, cupcake liners, beads, puzzle pieces pretty much anything bird safe!

You will have to watch them as they get older to make sure they don't decide its a good nesting spot but I have found moving the basket and occasionally taking it away to give to my other green cheek keeps my female green cheek from believing it to be a good idea.

 

[MonicaMc]

meesherbeans, that's good news! I hope you are able to keep finding ways to keep Chromie's beak occupied so he has less desire to be nippy!

 

[meesherbeans]

I got one good ear nip after we took him out later, but that was my bad for not realizing he wanted cuddles instead of playing!

Our next goal is to make some foraging toys; we're trying to find some safe small wood/paper boxes to cover with paper and put treats inside. We found some great ones at the craft store, but they didn't label what kind of wood, and we'd rather be safe than sorry!

That toy box looks like a great idea, Riddick! We'll start looking around for bird-safe baskets. ^_^

Edit: Adding a video of Chromie playing with his new little foot toys! :3

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-B5wJzNKMQ"]Chromie enjoying his new foot toys - YouTube[/ame]