Very bitey bird

[GCally]

I really love my GCC Gizmo, and he steps up good and comes out of his cage, but boy when I try to put him back he bites the mess out of my finger. Even just holding him 70% of the time he is biting my fingernails, fingers, arm, whatever he can while making a growling noise. Its definitely not playing. He really hurts me sometimes. And then sometimes he's really good and he'll sit on m and let me scratch his head and just sit there. But he bites all the time and it makes my husband very angry. What on earth do I do. I don't think this is normal...

 

[Winston1Smith2]

How long have you had Gizmo? I had a similar problem with Cracker for the first two months I had him. I have now had him for appoximately a year and a half and I have not been bitten in over a year. He still nips me when I do something to displease him, but he does not bite me. I can tell you the steps I took to control Cracker's biting problem.
First, so long as Gizmo is biting you, do not allow him on your shoulder. I think this is the number one thing I did to help control Cracker's biting problem. I took Cracker to a vet that specializes in Parrots and he told me when I bird sits on your shoulder it is trying to assume the dominant position. You have to show Gizmo who is the boss. Second, when you see Gizmo about to bite you, try knocking him off balance a little. You can do this by twisting your arm. Usually that will disrupt him enough were you can avoid the bite. Third, when Gizmo does bite, (I know from personel experience this is very dificult to do) try pushing back against the bite. When you pull away you are inadvertently rewarding Gizmo for his bad behavior. Fourth, when Gizmo is especially bitey put him in his cage and ignore him for about one hour. Parrots hate to be ignored. Fifth, and this goes along the line of showing Gizmo who is the boss, when you say it is time for Gizmo to go back in his cage, place him back in his cage no matter how much he acts up. Cracker also hated to go back to his cage. Once Gizmo stops biting you, you might try enticing Gizmo to go back to his cage by letting him see you change his food dish or rewarding him with his favorite treat once he returns to his cage. I gave Cracker a couple of sunflower seeds when he went back to his cage as a special treat. I know sunflower seeds are not good for birds, but as a special reward every once and a while, I do not think it will have to adverse of an effect on his health. Also, and this goes along the lines of rewarding behavior you like, when Gizmo behaves himself(not biting you and letting you scritch his head) reward him with his favorite treat and tell him what a good bird he is. Just lavish Gizmo with attention. When he is especially bitey place him back in his cage and ignore him.
I think Gizmo might be going through a dificult adjustment period. If you work with him through this dificult period you will be rewarded with a best friend for twenty or thirty years. I know Gizmo trusts you. If he did not trust you he would not step up or come out of his cage for you. If he did not like being with you, he would not put up such a fuss about going back into his cage. There is a light at the end of the tunnel that is not an incoming train. Do not give up on Gizmo!

 

[dirtpoor]

Man, I don't know on this one. He steps up ok but then growls after that? How long have you had him?

 

[Nakiska]

I have started having the same problem with our Franklin...he's our first conure and we've had him since the end of May. He's 4 1/2 months old now and molting or something...he's got TONS of pin feathers.

As soon as I open the cage door he's right there begging to get out, he's great when he's out...totally plays, cuddles, eats, kisses, tunnels under blankets and plays "Peek a boo" he's just awesome!

EXCEPT when it's time to go in his cage...as soon as he knows it's time to go in he started biting me too...little stinker! Our tiels are awesome, I walk them to their cage and set them on the opening and they just walk in themselves...but Franklin see's that I'm going to his cage door and landbastes my fingers...and he holds on tight too! It's like the harder I "fight" him the harder he holds on.

It's the ONLY time he bites...and he JUST started this about a week ago.

I thought about putting him on a stick or wood perch to put him in his cage with, that way he can bite the heck out of that and if I have to I can just place the stick in the cage and leave it and shut the door.

Hhmm...gonna try it tonight and see if it works.

I'm thinking this is that adolescent phase I've heard so much about...dunno though.

Good Luck with your conure and it'll be interesting to see what other responses come this way.

Toni

 

[birdmama61]

Okay here is what worked for me . Take an oven mitt and put it on your hand that way if he does bite you it wont hurt you and he will learn that no matter how hard he bites that hand is not going away and he will learn it is useless to bite because the action is going to happen no matter how many times he bites and keep doing this until he stops biting . Mine finally learned that resistance is futile . LOL !!!

 

[lexx510]

I would advice against placing Gizmo back in his cage as form of punishment for biting.

1. He is already resistant to going back to his cage, hence the biting when it's time to be put back in cage.
2. If placement in cage becomes regular punishment for misbehavior, he further learns that cage = punishment, which will only make him want to avoid it even more. This can lead to more biting, and screeching/screaming once he's placed in his cage (even if he's not being punishment, but being placed there to go to bed, etc).

Instead, reinforce him for going back to his cage. Give him a treat once you're able to put him back in. Verbal reinforcement works wonders, too (i.e., "Good boy, you are such a good boy, Gizmo!"). And of course, he's more likely to enjoy being in his cage if it has plenty of room with plenty of toys and treats. Basically, you want to reinforce your bird as much as possible for being in his cage. This will help him associate his cage as a more happy place to be, making him less resistant to go back there.

As far as what to do to when he's biting - - whisper to him. Whispering can be very distracting, and parrots will usually stop whatever it is they are doing to listen. If Guavo becomes nippy, I'll usually look him right in the eye and whisper, "Guavo, we don't bite." If need be, instead of placing him back in his cage - - place him down on the floor for a few minutes. It's better he learns to associate being placed on the floor as punishment, as opposed to being placed back in his cage.

Most importantly, learn to read his body language. Biting is usually a bird's last resort of telling you to back off. When youv'e failed to read his body language (i.e., proceeded to pick him up or pet him when he'd rather be left alone) he will bite. So respect your bird and his choice in the matter, and he will be less likely to bite.

 

[Printer bird]

Charlie (our GCC) had the same problem (didn't want to be put back in his cage) so we did exactly what Lexx510 is describing above. He loves little bits of almond and we would either give him one once he went in the cage (so that he would get excited about going in) or we would also use it to lure him in by placing it in his dish or holding it through the bars from the outside after we put it in so that he would hop off our hand and over to the treat, thus going into the cage. He's usually pretty good now although still occasionally nips. Training with positive reinforcement works wonders!

As for biting when he's out, we do a variety of things like put him on the floor and ignore him for 30 seconds if he bites us, sometimes little earthquakes (shaking your hand just hard enough to get him distracted from biting) work as well but our conure really loves us and sometimes with birds who are a little more shy this is not a good method as it can make them not trust the hand.

Sounds like he is normal, though, GCCs can be bitey as can many parrots and sounds like he just needs some training. Don't give up! It can take awhile and they can slip up.

 

[GCally]

I've had Gizmo since July 12th. He makes a high pitches squeak and tries to regurgitate food on me a lot when I get him out.
I think he just wants to be the boss. And it really is weird how he growls so much and bites once he is out of the cage. He goes up and bites my husbands face too. He is definitely being ornery. I'll try putting him on the floor as punishment, and the whispering too. Thanks so much for the advice everyone! I was starting to wonder if he was always going to be this way. He is very happy in the shower btw. He whistles and sings and loves kisses. I don't know what it is the rest of the time, but we will work on it. He loves being with us and trusts us. Right now he is bulldozing the couch with his beach. Just scooting along, pushing his beak in front lol.

 

[GCally]

I know that post was all over the place, sorry.

 

[sixshades]

I might get attacked here for saying this.. (Hope not!) but here goes.

Midori started to do this with me. I did all the nice things - Gently throwing her off balance, telling her no, rewarding her when she finally went in..
She got worse and worse until she left me with a nice purple beak print just above my fingernail and held on, all bristled and angry.

She's my first bird, but I have worked extensively with dogs and cats, so my instincts said to follow what she'd taught me and talk in her language.

I'd noticed that if I hurt her (I assume I hurt her, who knows. rubbed her the wrong way) while preening her, she would scream and grab me.
So without thinking much about it I grabbed her little beak on both sides, back at the base so she couldn't get a good bite, NOT hard enough to hurt her, but firm enough that she couldn't do any more damage. I told her NO firmly and held her until she quit clamping, then 'tossed'* her butt on the floor and left the room. (*By tossed, I mean didn't talk her through getting down, just brought her to the floor and tipped her off my finger.)

I walked back in the room, and she was sad and wobbled up to me. I loved on her, praised her, and tried again. "Go home."
She went in with no issue, and so got some millet and praise and I left the door open so she could come right back out.

She still got flustered for a couple days at "Go home" time, but every time got love and millet for being sweet. She didn't bite again, but if she had I would have done the same thing.

 

[Printer bird]

I think as with most things there are several different approaches to take and some will work with your bird, others not. Its just nice to be given a few options so that you can try different ones depending on what feels right for you and your bird or try something else if the other methods weren't working. Don't worry, it seems like it takes forever (and sometimes they go back for a bit) but he will grow out of it. It just happens slowly. Remember, too, that they use their beaks alot to be expressive and sometimes something seems like a bit but they're just using it to climb/discipline without using pain/figure something out/preen etc. It gets better as you get to know each other!