Trusting and training my little biter

I guess this is where we'll have to agree to disagree! I know that with clicker training (and no, a clicker is *NOT* required! It just helps to bridge the gap between a *good* behavior and the *reward* from the human), it's possible to teach a bird not to bite, not to scream and to become more socialized. Clicker training is based on the foundations of Positive Reinforcement Training.

A month or so ago, a customer where I work asked me if I wanted another bird. She knew someone who had a green cheek parrot of some sort that she was needing to rehome. I would love another bird, but at the same time, I do not feel financially ready for one, but I gave the customer my information to pass it along.

Last Thursday, said owner of the bird called me and asked me if I wanted the bird. Her and I discussed a few different options and I told her I'd come over when she has an available time.

Last night (Tuesday), I went over to see this green cheek conure of hers. Now, here's Winston's story. Winston is about 3 years old, and he was shipped to a local pet-store, sick. The owners daughter worked there and spent 3 or more months getting Winston back into good health. Then, mothers day came around, and the daughter bought Winston for her mother. Typical story, bird loves daughter, hates mother. Daughter goes off to college, mom is stuck with a bird she cannot handle!

When trying to handle Winston, she gets bit! Take her out of the cage, bite before coming out, and if she manages to come out, bite on the way out. Bite when up on the shoulder, random bites when handling her. The last straw came when Winston bit her owner's lip, and ever since then, she has had *NO* trust in Winston.


So okay, I go over, I listen to her, put my hand up against the cage and ya, Winston is interested! Nibbling hard, but not quite biting with force. I watch as the owner tries to get Winston out of her cage. Winston wont come out, but she'll do anything for a sunflower seed! So... I start feeding Winston sunflower seeds and she takes them from me - with some hesitation. Then got her used to taking the sunflower seeds off the back of my hand (skin semi-tight). Eventually, I had my left hand in a "half" fist (fingers curled at the first digit away from the knuckles) and I was placing the sunflower seed near my wrist. Placed in such a manner, she'd have to put at least one foot onto my hand in order to reach the seed. Place a little further back, there's two feet on my hand and she's out of the cage!


I sat there with Winston, feeding her seeds, occasionally getting her to switch hands and she was not biting! Not evening nibbling! Every once in a while she made to fly off, but being unable to fly, didn't actually try. She just leaned and opened her wings a little. As I was talking to the owner, I was telling her how simple it would be to train her, and kind of demonstrated by using a sunflower seed to turn Winston around in a circle - and treat! Did this a few times to show them her willingness.


Winston's owner also told me how difficult it is to remove Winston from her shoulder. When she's up there and they want her down, she avoids them, bites them and they have to chase her around. I willingly, to an unknown and strange bird, allowed her, Winston, to climb up to my shoulder. I then used the sunflower seeds to get her to step up *WILLINGLY* back to my hand. The bird only listened to the daughter - no one else could handle her.

After a bit, I even had Winston step up onto her owners hand and she hung out there for a few moments, but I didn't leave Winston there for long as I know the owner is still afraid of getting bitten, and we didn't want Winston traveling up to her shoulder.

Now, Winston did end up biting me, and biting me *REAL* good! But this was due to the fact that she has a leg band that is too big for her and she managed to get one toe stuck inside of it. I didn't hold her in a grip that would have prevented her from biting period, but then her bites really don't hurt compared to bites I've received from other parrots! Managed to move the band back up her leg and after that she wasn't too happy with me, but it was the first time she was allowed out of her cage in who knows how long!



Although I did not use a clicker, clicker training is essentially the same concept... and it can be used to teach parrots to play with toys, teach them that going to other people is a *good* thing, and it's also a great, and fun way for owner and bird to bond! The bird learns that good behaviors get rewarded and the owner learns how to better communicate with the bird, thus learning to avoid getting bitten in the first place!



When I left, Winston's owner was so appreciative of the fact that I had come over. She is not a person to give up on an animal, but she ended up with a bird she had no clue how to handle. (she's owned several cockatiels in the past!) She views pets as having them for life! So she felt pretty bad about the thought of having to give up Winston, even though she can't handle her... and today, she's excited to start training Winston!

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Winston is my favorite topic these days. Since I have graduated and am spending a considerably greater amount of time home, she seems to be happier. Also, while i have encountered two intense bites due to her sudden fright while out, she seems more amenable to being out and in turn is much quieter - as I suspected she would be since she is getting time out of the cage every day. I am now working as a nurse - yay - therefore I will be out of town 3 days a week and she will spend time with my husband and nephew, Tim. Tim has developed a trusting relationship with her so she lets him take her out also. In all, she is out of her home usually every day. As soon as I have my first paycheck we are taking her to the vet to have her nails and beak trimmed, as well as having that silly ring taken off her leg and having her first physical in two years. I am excited about having more time with her and am hopeful she continues to be nicer. Although as spring approaches I wonder if she will be just as cranky as she has been every spring.

Once I settle into my new job and have a set schedule I figure I could attend the local bird meeting - the one you spoke of in one of your emails. I just need the details of where and when!

I am so grateful for your concern and information and support. Winston has not made it easy that is for certain. My desire to keep her has increased considering how she has recently calmed down and I have been able to regularly take her out without fear of being bit. I never took anything she did personally it was just that I really dislike being bit, and she is quite good at that task.

My goal continues to be learning more about training her so I can accomplish general care tasks such as clipping nails and such, and so she can be safe while out since I am not clipping her wings. Eventually I hope to have her out most of the time while we are awake so she can obediently sit on a perch or play yard, without fear of the cats getting to her. We shall see.

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