Training question

[a_osborne]

Many of you have read and replied to the various threads I've posted about my issues with training Adrian. A question randomly occurred to me the other day (not sure why I didn't think of it sooner) and I'm hoping someone can help me out. One of the things that has been said to me a few times as I struggled with Adrian's biting is that she is scared of hands. People have said some IRNs are just scared of hands and take extra time. However, if this were the case, why would she so eagerly allow me to pet her? She can see my hand when I do that and it doesn't bother her. Seems like it would if that was one of her issues. Is it possible she's just VERY amused by biting, even when I show no reaction to it? It's almost like I can see the gears turning in her brain while she contemplates biting me. She doesn't typically lunge at my hand. It's usually like slow motion and that's what tricks me. I think "oh this time she's just going to test my hand and then step up when she realizes it's a good, sturdy perch!" But then she ends up biting me super hard anyway

 

[Dinosrawr]

I think that reacting to bites depends on the situation. If Adrian is biting you to manipulate, scare, or coerce you into leaving her alone out of aggression, I wouldn't react. If she's biting simply because she's learned she can with you, I'd definitely give an angry "squawk" back to let her know it isn't okay. I actually started doing that with Avery, my GCC, a long time ago. She would jump out of her skin and she'd immediately stop biting me because of my ouchie squawk. My boyfriend thought I was being absolutely ridiculous, but it worked!

As for my IRN, I play the "scary finger game" with Shiko... it's not really something I recommend, but I'm basically encouraging sensory desensitization with him. He despises my wriggling fingers for about 10 seconds while I go after his belly and say "tickle tickle!", and eventually he stops reacting and looks at me like I'm an idiot or something for sitting there making gobbly-goo sounds at him with a incredulous look on my face. Once I receive "the look", I reward him for no longer reacting to my moving fingers.

We're basically at the point now where I can rudely jab my hands infront of his face and he just kind of looks at me like, "Really, mom? Can you please grow up - just a LITTLE?". I also find that IRN's are almost passive-aggressive in a way... they willingly step up and then they decide, "ugh, I can't believe I just stepped up for you... CHOMP."

I think you should work with bite pressure training her more than anything regarding her biting, though. It sounds as if she doesn't quite realize yet how hard she's biting on you. Shiko loves to preen my face, but I don't trust him because he doesn't fully understand how to be nice with his beak on my lips or ears like my GCC does. So I basically test out his beaking with my fingers and beak wrestle him, and if he chomps on me too hard I give him a reaaaal dirty look and tell him I'm not impressed. In fact, he officially has my angry, "Shiko!" voice down and says it back to me... the little booger. Afterwards he plays nicely, and every time he plays nice I reward him. Or if he preens my ears nice, I reward him.

I'm not sure if I'm of any help or not, but those are my thoughts on it with my limited experienced!

 

[a_osborne]

Thank you very much for this input! You made a good point when differentiating between her reasons for biting. I think it is because she has learned she can because it's always during times where she doesn't seem to want to be left alone or anything. She's receptive to the target training and having a good time but biting anyway. How do I pressure train though? I know you said you kinda wrestle with Shiko's beak but I really don't wanna risk losing a finger just to teach her how hard is too hard!

 

[Delfin]

Try this short cut it might help.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

 

[IRNMom]

I have an approx. 3 yo IRN (based on what we were told of her age when we adopted/rescued her, she just turned 3) that I've had for 9 months. Up until 3 months ago, I could not touch her at all. She has danced, happily takes treats and/or whatever I'm eating from my hand, calls for me when it's time for me to get home from work, calls for me if I'm out of her site for any length of time at home, etc., but she would not step up or let me touch her in any way. Then one day she escaped from her cage, managed to get on bottom shelf of my book case, but couldn't figure out how to get down (she's a plucker, so has plucked her flight feathers and was, before us, kept in her cage 24/7 so I'm pretty sure she has not even learned to fly. If I can get her to stop plucking, we will work on that also ). It took me a few minutes to find her as she was totally silent in her terror. When I found her, I was on my knees in front of her and when I put my hand out, she dove for me and let me hold her and pet her before I put her back in her cage. Since then, she lets me pet and kiss her every day as long as I move slowly, but she will not step up. She definitely has a fear of fingers/hands. So, I too am trying to work on that. Sorry for the long post, letting you know you're not alone! I was so happy to have the breakthrough, it was killing me to have her for 6 months and not be able to pet her and kiss her! It is frustrating not being able to get her to step up. I have recently started clicker training so hopefully eventually it'll work. I've had to go veeery slow with her. Good luck! I will read what Delfin recommended and see if between that and the clicker training, something works.

 

[a_osborne]

Delfin, thank you for the link. I will check that out in a bit.
IRNmom, it's always nice to hear that I'm not alone! Glad you have made some progress with yours. What a shame that she's a plucker and had such a tough time before you good thing you will have many more years together to teach her how it should have been all along!