Biting

[Zeusconure2]

My conure (13 weeks old) has started biting my fingers harder and harder each time he is on my hand just need some ways to get him to stop

 

[T00tsyd]

Hi You don't say how long you have had him - but when I got mine at 14 weeks he bit me hard at times simply because he didn't know it hurt me. Try to keep calm, say a really firm 'no' and put him down somewhere and ignore him. Let him come back to you if possible and repeat as needed.

If he continues then don't allow him on your hand. Use a piece of perch, cover your hands with gloves or a cloth. I spent some weeks in hat, scarf, gloves to stop Syd. He got the message and now rarely makes a mistake.

He isn't being vicious, it's a bit like a puppy that just doesn't understand how hard to bite, so you have to avoid giving him the chance until you both know the boundaries.

There are good threads and advice on here about bite training. Take a chance of reading everything you can find. It's invaluable. Good luck - but you won't need it. It will be fine.

 

[clark_conure]

If he's already bonded to you and likes to be with you all the time, then use the time out method. Put him on the floor and make him walk back to you, (like ten feet). That gives it time to sink in that biting is bad. It's like "shunning" the bad behavior.

Don't shake or hold his beak it only encourages really. With a GCC it's all about attention, ignoring him onto the floor (not his cage) is super effective. They usually come back all cuddly.

If he's not strongly bonded yet just put him off to the side near you.

 

[Notdumasilook]

Agreed! It can be painful when the young ones wanna use your fingers or worse yet... your ears as a "chew toy". Booger.. my lil rescued sun conure had been mistakenly trained to chew ears to get his prior owner to rough house play with him. They didn't understand... but of course when he bit their ears they would reach back trying to get him to stop...which he would then attack the fingers with enthusiasm. Did a similar method and the problem went away pretty quick. When he grabbed my ear I reached back and restrained him for a moment, shook a finger at him and said a firm NO... and put him on back of couch. Again he flew to my shoulder... same thing happened. Took a few more times and bingo... he got it!! Now he doesn't chew my ears/fingers and he knows what NO means. Now if hes up to something he shouldn't be all I have to do is shake a finger at him and say the same firm NO. That fingerwag is as important as the NO..... the brief restraint just used first times so as to get his undivided attention. )

 

[clark_conure]

Thanks for bringing that up Notasdumasilook...birds use sounds, make sure you say NO when you move him so he can equate that not with just the current punishment, but in the future...like if something is to hot he will remember NO as a word that means stop what your doing.

 

[Notdumasilook]

Indeed... they use sounds as well as gestures with each other so I use both. Note.. I don't do this in every "bite" situation. There can be lots of instinctive triggers that can get a person bit and just knowing the triggers its up to me not to cause that problem.

 

[Zeusconure2]

What about if he is able to fly ? Does it still work putting him on the floor across the room if he can fly back ?

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

For some birds it works, for some it doesn't. My cockatiel hates being on the floor and flies right back to me. Same thing with my conure, but he might fly to the top of his cage. My budgie sometimes likes to eat seeds and things on the floor, but usually doesn't stay long. I think the best thing you can do is to put him away in his cage and ignore him for a minute.

 

[clark_conure]

Yes it still works, it's the action of putting him away fro you...that his behavior was inappropriate. If he gets back a little faster it's not the core of the exercise. The saying I'm not liking this and you have to come back to me is.

 

[LordTriggs]

no worry if they can fly, mine could and he was a delight. they just need that couple seconds and they learn. they don't respond to prolonged punishment as within a minute that bite is ancient history to them. I prefer to point them away from me as it gives a couple more seconds before they come back