Biting is YOUR fault!

[barw33zy]

I recently came back to the forums, and found a few people who could benefit from this concept. I decided to share beyond posting individual replies in effort to help people before they have a "problem". I'm sure a lot of you realize this, but there may be many who still don't know. This is something that was difficult for me to grasp as a new bird custodian, but has made a huge difference in my relationships with parrots.

ANY time your parrot bites, it is YOUR fault.

Of course I am not talking about the beaky tasty feely and exploratory grabs, but actual bites. Using this mindset, I was able to make great progress taming a stray lovebird recovered by the humane society, and I have never had my conure break anyone's skin. I have also worked with other people's birds and advised them of this and it makes a difference. In my personal experience (admittedly limited in comparison to many of you), never exceeding a parrot's boundaries and being patient will always pay off. I wish I would have known this as a kid when I had my 'tiels.

I have found that a lot of people get a parrot and are anxious to handle him/her, and forget to respect this very intelligent bird. Remembering you have entered a lifelong relationship will help with this. Birds are very much like respectable ladies, they want to get to know you first, and sometimes don't want to rush into a physical relationship. If you have a new parrot that is not responding to your touch, enter a birdie courtship with it. Offer gifts(treats), and converse with him/her so they can get to know you. They will decide when they want to get physical, and they will decide how physical they want to get. Never exceed his/her boundaries causing them to bite you, if they bite, you have gone too far.

I am in no way encouraging engaging in contact that is associated with mating. Don't do that!

I hope this helps if you are struggling to build a relationship with your parrot.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

But they also have a mind of their own and different personalities just like humans. A human can be mean for no reason and never come around to being nice. I believe this can happen with birds but is alot more rare. Some are just mean and don't ever want to be messed with as a pet, only a visual pet. This is just my two cents considering I watch people alot and birds have as much personality as humans. It kinda is your own fault because you didn't get the "right" bird for you. They choose the owner not the other way around like other pets. However one can "like" you at the store and hate you when you get home.

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[barw33zy]

Very true, and thanks for the response. I should make it clear that this is more of a way of thinking and interacting that a cold hard fact.

Ive read about people being severely injured by large birds just sitting on their shoulder and randomly biting so what you say is true. However, you are the one who put a wild species of bird on your shoulder, so isn't it still your fault in a way?

I'm not attempting to argue, just encouraging a different way of thinking.

 

[barw33zy]

Also to support what you are saying, continuing my "courtship" analogy, some women just aren't attracted to you. I agree that birds can very well be the same. Some only like women, some men, some don't like kids, etc.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Birds are very much like respectable ladies, they want to get to know you first, and sometimes don't want to rush into a physical relationship. .

ROFLMBO....HAHAHAHAHAHA! I LOVE IT!!!!! ....and also VERY VERY true!

 

[cthulhus_minion]

Common sense goes a long way with animals lol

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[Akraya]

This mindset definitely helped me when dealing with Misha bites, I can vouch for this! We call Nimbus our lady, had a good chuckle at the comparison.

 

[MikeyTN]

Although I agree with most of it, BUT sometimes it's unpreventable! Especially ones that will fly around trying to attack someone who have done nothing to them. Or ones chases after someone on the floor. It's behavioral and hormone issues too! But a lot of times it is the person's fault who got bit.

 

[barw33zy]

Mikey, you reminded me of a video on you tube where a guy opened his door for a couple of mormon gentlemen, and his sun conure flew after them beak wide open. Very funny to watch, but a good thing no one was hurt. It was definitely very unpredictable behavior.

 

[goalerjones]

I have to say, as a macaw owner, they have quite a memory for slights whether imagined or actual. A bite can come much later for something they aren't pleased with. If for instance I pay what he thinks is too much attention to the dogs I will be "correctively bitten". Fortunately I have learned the triggers for these events so I can immediately address what would later have been a bite, before it gets that far.

 

[Thingamagigs]

I totally know what you mean I like to think of it more in this way...
You are the one with the power to change the behaviour in the scenario, so its your responsibility to look at what your part was in the event and change your beahviour accordingly

You are right, a lot of people aren't familiar with the warning signs of a bite. There is always a reason for the bite and usually adequate warning as well... but sometimes the reason seems so foreign to our human way of thinking that we can't wrap our heads around it. Or the warning wasn't something we were familiar with. Even a nasty bird had a reason

I also like to think that any captive animal... even those who are just naturally nasty/bossy/mean/high energy can make a great pet if you have the appropriate outlook and take all the right precautions to ensure a harmonious relationship.

 

[Thingamagigs]

I have to say, as a macaw owner, they have quite a memory for slights whether imagined or actual. A bite can come much later for something they aren't pleased with. If for instance I pay what he thinks is too much attention to the dogs I will be "correctively bitten". Fortunately I have learned the triggers for these events so I can immediately address what would later have been a bite, before it gets that far.

LOL this reminds me of my galah, Mana... she loves my partner and if he is out during the day longer than she is happy with she not only shows her displeasure vocally with low guttural screaming... but when he gets home she will go for a snuggle and treat him really roughly in the process. She lets him know she isnt happy! lol They certainly know how to express their feelings even if they have to wait until you come back home! lol

 

[barw33zy]

I'm loving the replies, a lot of good insight on different behaviors. Very educational. Keep 'em coming! I hope others are getting as much out of this thread as I am.

 

[Thingamagigs]

I'm loving the replies, a lot of good insight on different behaviors. Very educational. Keep 'em coming! I hope others are getting as much out of this thread as I am.

I think it was a great idea for a discussion topic I think its one of the most important concepts to get your head around. Most people are used to dogs and being able to easily mold their behaviour.

 

[MonicaMc]

But they also have a mind of their own and different personalities just like humans. A human can be mean for no reason and never come around to being nice. I believe this can happen with birds but is alot more rare. Some are just mean and don't ever want to be messed with as a pet, only a visual pet. This is just my two cents considering I watch people alot and birds have as much personality as humans. It kinda is your own fault because you didn't get the "right" bird for you. They choose the owner not the other way around like other pets. However one can "like" you at the store and hate you when you get home.

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I disagree with this. Parrots aren't born "mean", but with improper/lack of handling, they become mean. Sure, not all birds respond the same way to different triggers, rewards and behaviors, but they are not born aggressive. Birds also very rarely bite hard enough to make another parrot bleed in the wild. I think it is very easy to teach a parrot to bite unintentionally.


Natural Encounters, Inc.


For those birds who just want to be left alone, it could be because they were never properly handled and trained, maybe they were parent raised so don't know the benefit of human interaction, maybe they are breeders, or what have you. I don't think that every parrot must be hand tame and friendly with humans as long as the birds are happy and content with how things are. I have/had birds that demand my attention and interaction with them, but they aren't tame! You can't ask them to step up, you can't pet them, but they still enjoy a specific kind of interaction - on their terms. I'm sure, if I wanted to, I could take it a step further and actually tame them, but they are rather happy the way they are.


barw33zy, I agree... but try telling that to the mass of parrot owners! It bugs me when people say that parrots bite for "no reason", or the bird "hates me" or maybe the bird is "aggressive". In other words, I hate it when people anthropomorphise (to attribute or ascribe human form or behaviour to [insert animal, object, etc]) animals. I'm not saying that animals *don't* have feelings and opinions, it's just that people should not try describing a behavior when they don't understand it. When people buy a new bird and say "Help, my bird is aggressive, what do I do?" - I ask them is the bird aggressive or afraid? I make sure to put down what each behavior means if the bird were to show those behaviors. Response? The bird is afraid. When I ask this question, I have yet for anyone to tell me that the bird is aggressive, and it's because what I'm hearing is not the same as what they are telling me.

If we describe a behavior as something other than it is, we are not only setting ourselves up for failure, but our birds as well. We need to fully understand what's going on and why it's happening before we can correctly deal with the problem. This is why I promote clicker training and positive reinforcement so much. Owning birds is like being in a relationship, there's going to be give and take, boundaries and respect. Parrots are not slaves to do as we say. They are our companions and should be treated as such. Part of clicker training (regardless of whether or not you actually use a clicker) is about learning how to communicate with our birds in a positive manner. Ya, sure, you can teach your bird a bunch of "stupid and silly tricks", but really, it's more than that.

Step up? Learned behavior. Biting? Learned behavior. Potty training? Learned behavior. Go back to the cage? Learned behavior. Flying/coming to you? Learned behavior. What's so different about those basic trained behaviors as compared to others such as turn around, 'big eagle', bow, yes/no head shakes, picking up an object to put it into something, retrieving an object, etc? Mind set. They are all "tricks" that are taught to the parrot. There is no difference other than how the behavior is done. So what's so great about them? It can be a fun and enjoyable thing between owner and bird! It's a great way to teach birds acceptable behaviors over non-acceptable behaviors (i.e. screaming, biting, true aggression, etc). These "silly little tricks" do not make them our slaves, they make them our life-long companions.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

I'd like you to say that after one aggressively tries to take your finger off! It doesn't run away, just straight attacks.

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[barw33zy]

I'd like you to say that after one aggressively tries to take your finger off! It doesn't run away, just straight attacks.

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But why did the parrot aggressively try to take your finger off and "attack"?
I've never personally seen a bird do this that wasn't pushed to do it.

I have, however, seen people chase a bird around with their finger as if they were entitled to handle it because it is their possession. In this case, the bird will "attack"(really its defense).

Again to continue the bird/woman analogy, what happens if you are to insistent on trying to touch a woman when/where she doesn't want to be touched? You will get slapped, pepper sprayed, hit with a purse, scratched, kicked in the groin, etc. Is this an attack or defense? You may even be charged with assault. If your bird could get an attorney and file charges against you, would it?

Edit: I didn't know this was you specifically, but regardless I wasn't speculating you did anything wrong. I only commented on similar scenarios I have witnessed.

 

[MonicaMc]

BITING AND DOMINANCE - How One Causes The Other
RP - Biting

cthulhus_minion, as mentioned, hormones also play a role in behavior. If a bird is hormonal and "on the attack", it may be best to keep handling to a minimum until the hormones calm down. A person can even take steps to try and "cool" a parrot off.

The thing is, unless taught otherwise, an aggressive bird will warn you before it bites. If a parrot doesn't give the warning signs that it's about to bite if you don't back off, chances are, the bird gave up. If you "ignore" the bite, the bird may learn that no matter how much he/she is trying to tell you "I will bite", you ignore his/her behavior and you get bitten... so what's the point with doing the entire displays if you aren't going to pay attention? The signs of "I will bite" can be as subtle as eye pinning and slight beak opening to a more outright display of ruffled neck feathers, a wide stance, open beak, wings held out slightly away from the body and the eyes pinned!

In other words, you aren't respecting the parrot. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't handle the bird because he/she bites, it means that you need to stop putting the bird in a position that will result in a bite.


If a bird is acting aggressively (and I mean, true aggression, not a bird who backs off, but one who goes out of their way to attack), then the bird needs to be trained in acceptable behaviors.

 

[Remy]

I would say that this is true most of the time.

Sometimes "your fault" is simply not knowing the body language that indicates it wants to bite. Puck would have mood swings, with VERY subtle warning signs, which took several months for me to decipher. He would actually try to lure me over so he could attack me. However, I did learn how to identify the behavior and avoid getting bit.

With Darcy, every bite has been 100% the result of not listening to his feelings.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

I didn't chase the bird........i was actually going to pick him up to put him in his cage......

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