A bite too far!

[T00tsyd]

Over the last couple of months Syd has changed. No I have I think. I have been bitten 3 times each time on my face and each time drawing blood. The last time was over a week ago but this time having gone back to basics again and banned him from my shoulder, increased cage time and started the bonding process again I am struggling to trust him at all.

I thought I had raised him pretty well and he seemed to be conforming generally with others I read about on here and I was delighted with the progress. I am suspecting hormones but have always been careful not to pet him inappropriately etc and I live alone so no competition and I was very happy.

Somehow this time I have lost my trust and am worried that he is no longer getting the same companionship from me. I seem to have lost my bottle a bit which is pathetic I know. I realise that he is a tad confused at no longer having shoulder time, he has out of cage time but is more restricted in contact with me. I am quite apprehensive when he is close and uncomfortable in handling him as he is more nippy than usual. Any thoughts how I can get myself out of what feels like a vicious circle?

 

[Flboy]

Read and reread, then again, that was how long it took to click for me!
http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html

Also search on ‘MonicaMC+hormones’

 

[SassiBird]

I did go through something very similar with the SassiBird. The situation would be calm one second and CHOMP the next. I sported many wounds on the lip, cheek, and eyebrow. Usually I was sitting still not paying attention to her when it happened. Sorry, I don't recall her exact age or time of year. Just that the behavior came and went.

 

[Squeekmouse]

I truly sympathize. It could be that he's going through a hormonal phase and it will pass. If could be a behavior you can re-train. Or it could be that he shouldn't be allowed on shoulders anymore. Hopefully it's not that last one.

You need to teach him that his "flock" does NOT want to play with birds that hurt. Parrots rarely LIKE being on the floor, but it won't hurt him or psychologically scar him to be on the floor, so this is a very good deterrent. Also, Conure's are very social and they really want to be with their flock. In a true flock, if a conure hurts another conure, the injured conure will squawk loudly and leave. When your conure bites, shout "NO!" so there's a vocalization for him to associate with this, and not one he wants to hear. He should only hear a shouted "NO!" when he has done something bad and then something he doesn't like happens: He's on the floor, and everyone else is higher up than him, and his flock moves away from him, shunning him. Let him come back to YOU before picking him up again. If he bites you again, put him on the floor again with another "NO!". Third time will earn him another "NO!" and then it's probably time to put him back in his cage and leave him alone for a while.

Another tactic you might try, Yoda sometimes gets cranky and bitey with me also. We do all the usual recommended things when he does (NO! and down on the floor or perch he goes), and that works most of the time. Sometimes it's clear he's just doing it because he's all worked up and excited and/or aggressive. Just like a child, sometimes the best way to diffuse that aggression is to gently hold him close, talk soothingly, put him in his favorite place, and let him do GENTLE nibbles, teaching him that gentle mouthing is just fine and happy. Bite-pressure training plus calming down time. This often works with Yoda because he LOVES to be held close to my chest with my hands cupped around him like a nest. He crawls under my hands sometimes when he wants attention because he just likes that hand-blanket feeling. And also he'll do this by burrowing into my hair against my neck, under my ear. So sometimes when he's too worked up and aggressive, I can take him down a notch just by calm, soothing words and his happy place.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[T00tsyd]

Syd has taken to choosing the floor in recent weeks and I have to watch where I put my feet. I no sooner get him up than he is down there again strutting his stuff. He's very funny!
I think there is some self talk necessary to regain my courage - he has bitten each time from my shoulder without any warning unless he simply doesn't want me to move or move him so uses the bite to complain. Perhaps shoulder/neck cuddling is no longer an option but my heart goes out to him when he gives me that expression that shows he is wondering why I am keeping him away. I simply can't face the prospect of a further attack on my face so better the bite that isn't allowed to happen.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I too have a bitey bird (Finley) for the last 2 months or so. I'm pretty sure it's hormones for all of us because one minute he wants to cuddle the next he is very annoyed and biting me. I think it will probably pass when the season fully changes. Well I hope anyways!

 

[GaleriaGila]

May I add some thoughts about expectations? I hope I don't sound preach-y. I also want to make it clear that I completely support all the great advice on training!
My bird is "difficult", and so I have expressed these thoughts so often that I made a cut-and-paste (below). Apologies to those of you who've heard it a zillion times!

My bird is pretty awful. He's a fun mimic and a real character, but...
Even after all these years, I sometimes find myself putting myself or my bird down... stuff like...
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS OR THAT.
WHY CAN'T HE BE SWEET AND NICE, LIKE THOSE OTHER BIRDS?
PEOPLE NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY I PUT UP WITH THIS.
Stuff like that.
I have reduced biting to almost zero over the decades... not because I've changed the bird, but I have changed me. And a lot of that has involved giving up on a lot of my desires/expectations. After years of battle, I surrendered. I don't do stuff that gets me bitten. I NEVER do stuff that makes him mad... I don't touch others when he's out; I rarely try to get him to step up onto my hand first. Hand-held perch first, then hand. In some ways, I swallow my disappointment at having such a little monster for a pet, but he is what he is. I ALWAYS wear my hair down when he's on my shoulder, so all he can bite is hair. Really, I don't involve hands much... he doesn't like them. He seems to think the real ME is my head, perched on a weird moveable tree with questionable appendages.
Since he's fully flighted, the ONLY way I get him into the cage is to toss a chile pepper in and he flaps in after it. So food reward is a necessity for me. Time-out doesn't exist in the Rb's kingdom.
But the Rb is a parrot... in his particular case, one generation out of the wild.
I do all the right things, as much/well as I can, but in the end, I just LOVE my bird,
Some parrots are SO SWEET, some are NOT. I'm a bit JEALOUS of those successes.
I have lessened my psychological and physical wounds over the decades... not because I've changed the bird, but I have changed me. And a lot of that has involved giving up on a lot of my desires/expectations. After years of battle, I surrendered.
Consequently, I have a Tazmanian Devil on my hands. I love him. I have no complaints, really. He's HIMSELF. And I'm MYSELF. And the result... check my Signature for videos. etc., if you like.
BUT THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD TRAINING ADVICE HERE... DO READ AND LEARN AND DO YOUR BEST!
Over the years, I have sometimes been very embarassed/downhearted/sad about having a pet that was so... out of my control. But it is my choice to indulge and adore him.
Finally, I accepted that I have an amazing half-wild being who shares my life! It's magic enough for me!

Parrot-owners usually wind up determining their own personal comfort level with various behaviors, and it's okay to be okay with that.