Biting as "playing"?

[ingkeu]

I have a male blue-throated conure, he's about 7-months old. I understand that messing around and being everywhere is a normal thing for such a young bird. The problem is, from what I can see, he "likes" to go to my dad and bite him when he [dad] accosts him [bird] by "tickling". Sorry for taxing explanation but it's hard for me to write how the whole situation looks like.

Always when I sit somewhere in the living room and my dad is there too, Oliver [that bird] usually starts to squirm because he wants to go to my dad - only to bite, seriously. He tricks him that he wants to be scratched only to have better opportunity to bite - and that's what I see. In my dad's opinion (he's not a "bird-person", he likes to get bolshy), Oliver just wants to play. I don't know what to think about it and how to convince my dad to my right (if it's truly right).
Also, Oli does that domination-moves from time to time when he's near or on my dad. Generally, he's more aggressive when he sees my dad.

Oliver does a similar thing when it comes to playing with me, but he doesn't trick me, he grabs my finger with his toes and bites, but way more gentle and it hurts really rarely. He chases my hands to continue.

Is it a normal way to play? Do you think he wants to fight with my dad? If my dad's dealing is wrong, how should I explain it to him? No one in my family listens to me when I bar something. They make fun of Oliver when he does things which are normal for parrot's behaviour. I'm truly worried that their immaturity (they treat every animal like a dog or a cat) could affect Oliver adversely.

It can seem like I know what's good and bad but the truth is that I'm really confused and I really need your opinions.

 

[Anansi]

Hmmm... there could be a few different things going on here. Let me ask a few questions.

Are you saying that he always prefers to be with your dad? As in, is your father his chosen person? or are you? Because the situation varies greatly depending on the answer. You see, if your father is the preferred person, chances are that what is happening is Oliver is simply getting overly stimulated while playing with your dad and gets carried away with his bite force.

if, on the other hand, you are his person it could actually be a case of him viewing your father as a rival.

So another question. Given the context of what you've said, Oliver's bite pressure remains acceptable when he's with you and your father isn't around. But what happens if Oliver is with your father and no one else is around? Is he still aggressive with your father, then?

And how is Oliver's aggression level with everyone else? With and without you around? With and without your father around?

Regardless of the reason for the biting, however, he does need bite pressure training. Here are two links that you might find helpful.

Bite pressure training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

Bite prevention: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html

 

[clark_conure]

bite pressure training is everything.

I mean lets face it the beak is their third "hand" as it were and they need it for locomotion and climbing etc. so a beak biting to move around with no pain intended is well, expected.

Now if the bird likes to do a sucker punch "BITE" to an earlobe or finger etc. that is unacceptable....unless your play fighting...see below.

Light grab moving around fine, a firm painless grab because rough-housing...also ok.

A BITE, out of no where or because angry, not acceptable. In this case do the time out method, if he bites put him on the floor or some other place he doesn't like...not the cage or a playstand...someplace he doesn't like but can get away from. Floor usually works. Then walk away. the bird will figure out actually pretty quick that a bite means separation..."shunning" and will walk back to you or your dad and be very sweet usually. keep it up and use sounds like "no bite!" eventually the bird just figures out whats ok.

 

[LordTriggs]

what clark said, Like any animal they need to be taught their bite hurts. Always react calmly to avoid biting to get a funny response from you and always use a "boring" spot like the floor or the back of a cage. It should be immediate to stop any confusion from bird to person

 

[ingkeu]

Hmmm... there could be a few different things going on here. Let me ask a few questions.

Are you saying that he always prefers to be with your dad? As in, is your father his chosen person? or are you? Because the situation varies greatly depending on the answer. You see, if your father is the preferred person, chances are that what is happening is Oliver is simply getting overly stimulated while playing with your dad and gets carried away with his bite force.

if, on the other hand, you are his person it could actually be a case of him viewing your father as a rival.

So another question. Given the context of what you've said, Oliver's bite pressure remains acceptable when he's with you and your father isn't around. But what happens if Oliver is with your father and no one else is around? Is he still aggressive with your father, then?

And how is Oliver's aggression level with everyone else? With and without you around? With and without your father around?

Regardless of the reason for the biting, however, he does need bite pressure training. Here are two links that you might find helpful.

Bite pressure training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

Bite prevention: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html

Oliver is mine and he always wants to be on me or near me. I'm not sure how does it look like when I'm not home, from what I know from my parents he's a little more nervous and wants to be scratched from time to time. But no one takes him when I'm not home, I told everyone to avoid opening the cage since I don't trust them, they wouldn't focus on him - at all. He calms down every time he's on my hand or shoulder, but I think that he's more belligerent against others when I'm with him than when I'm not around.
Thanks for the reply and links!

 

[ingkeu]

bite pressure training is everything.

I mean lets face it the beak is their third "hand" as it were and they need it for locomotion and climbing etc. so a beak biting to move around with no pain intended is well, expected.

Now if the bird likes to do a sucker punch "BITE" to an earlobe or finger etc. that is unacceptable....unless your play fighting...see below.

Light grab moving around fine, a firm painless grab because rough-housing...also ok.

A BITE, out of no where or because angry, not acceptable. In this case do the time out method, if he bites put him on the floor or some other place he doesn't like...not the cage or a playstand...someplace he doesn't like but can get away from. Floor usually works. Then walk away. the bird will figure out actually pretty quick that a bite means separation..."shunning" and will walk back to you or your dad and be very sweet usually. keep it up and use sounds like "no bite!" eventually the bird just figures out whats ok.

Oh, now it became clearer to me. Thank you!