Biting Issue

[MagegrayWolf]

This started several weeks ago. I was sitting with my Sun Conure with him cuddled in my shirt and i was petting him. I had my left hand up near my shoulder and e sudden;y leaped up and bit my thumb on my left hand. Now I make no excuses here, I reacted very poorly to his biting. This even has started a troubling trend though of him constantly trying to bite my left hand.

Prior to this he never really wanted much to do with my left hand and would often shy away from it.

I have tried to do a pausing technique where I place my left hand just within his discomfort zone and take it away in order to get him use to it again. I started giving him treats with my left hand when I put it near him and he doesn't display aggression, which he takes without any aggression. After a while of this I was even able to get him to step up on my left hand, which he would get a treat or get pet or cuddled for doing.

Other work I've done with him has been s during trick training he get's treats with my left hand.
While in his cage I will offer to pet him through the bars with my left hand. he has only accepted a few times which earned him a reward.
Outside of his cage I will offer to pet him maybe once or twice. So far he backs away each time and I immediately withdraw so as not to seem I am forcing the issue. (He is not forced to step up on my left hand either)

Given the non aggression he displays while giving him a treat, I don't believe this is a fear response.
This may be a result of hormones as he has been trying to mate with several random things and the behavior is worse while I'm at my computer (Where the trouble first started)

Other than when I give him treats he seems to not display any aggression when I'm holding my phone in that hand. The aggressive behavior is solely focused on my left hand. I am able to pet him and cuddle him just fine otherwise and he wants to be with me otherwise.

While I have made progress with what I have done, I seem to have reached an impasse. I can go several days without aggression but h will then revert back to the biting. During the good days he does seem to just stare at my left hand. I haven't been able to get him past this point and am not sure how to get him over it from here.

All of this has been really tearing me up emotionally. I'm just finding it very frustrating at this point. I just don't know what else I can do to improve the situation. I almost wish I could just set my hand out and let him go at it until it's out of his system.

 

[weco]

If the hand was above him, he may have thought it threatening, hence the bite.....

Also, it is mating season for most parrot species, so you only want to give head scritches...nothing below the neck.....

 

[MagegrayWolf]

Nope it wasn't above him. It's usually below him or at the same level.

 

[MagegrayWolf]

An update. I had a pretty good day today with my sun conure Dunkin. It was almost like it was before the biting started. We stayed out of the computer room for most of the day. The goal is to at least get this sort of behavior from him while in the computer room. I think he may have become territorial over my computer desk. But it's just my left hand he doesn't want around.

I was thinking maybe making a hand guard. Maybe out of clear plastic so he can see my hand but can't attack it.

 

[weco]

Hmmm, interesting theory, but it could be possible.....

What about a small t-stand perch on your desk......a square of plywood for the base, a nut & screw to hold the T-stand to the base, 3-pipe caps (1/2" PVC), 1-T fitting (1/2" PVC) & 1-24" piece of 1/2" PVC pipe, 1-#8-32x3/4" stove bolt/screw & 1-#8-32 nut.....drill hole to fit screw through center of base (at least 12"x12" 1/2" plywood) & counter sink bottom so screw is either flush or slightly recessed of plywood surface.....drill same hole in the end of one of the pipe caps.....screw pipe cap to base, cut 2 four inch pieces from the PVC pipe, push 16" piece of pipe into screwed down pipe cap, push pipe T onto 16" pipe, push two 4" pieces into T head & push on two remaining pipe caps.....you don't need glue, because if you tap the fittings onto the pipe, you will get a tight press-fit...and...a cheap T-stand that you made yourself.....

If you make the T-stand & Dunkin's not really sure footed on the T, get some vet tape & wrap the top bar.....

A T-stand might keep him off the desk & away from your hand & if you wanted to get elaborate, you could use a PVC 4-way fitting instead of a T-fitting, cut a 2" stub piece of the pipe from your 16" piece & using two more of the pipe caps & a 1/2" long stainless steel #8 screw & nut, you can fashion a little treat cup on the T fitting.....

 

[MagegrayWolf]

Give him another spot to call his own huh? That might work.