Bossy bird bites....

[snowflake311]

I have had my black capped conure for a week now. He loves spending time with us, love to play with us, eat with us , and sunggle. He is so cute and fun so full of spunk. Too much at times.

I let him out for 1-2 hours right when we get up. He gets breakfast and plays we work on training. He knows "step up". He will even put his little foot out for you. He is learning "no bites" this is a hard one. But I figured it out he bites to get what he wants when he is frustrated. He is biting out of frustration. He wants to be on my shoulder if I don't put him on it he will bite me. It's a nip but they get harder the more frustrated he is. He is like a 2 year old child throwing a fit. He is smart too . Smarter than my small dog for sure.

I got home from work and had all intentions of playing with him and cuddling for hours. But he had to go and bite me 3 times and hard. All because I did not let him on my shoulder. I kept my cool and said no bites I did not shake him this time or yell jus put him down, he could still walk to me the second time. The third time it was No Bites and locked in the cage. He really wanted to be with me but I just can not take the bites any more. I have become immune to most of them. They are nips not bites. No blood but they leave a mark somtimes.

He is trying to controle me. I get that now. I have given up trying to controle him. All I want is for him to not bite to get his way. I don't push him, I don't force him. I use to do the earth quake to make him stop that does not work. He might like it. I would do the no bite and put him down but never for very long. when he puts his wings out and trys to fly to me I give in. You know the beg birds do. I am weak to it.

So tonight is the first time I really put my foot down. He got me good because I would not let him on my shoulder so he was put back in the cage for the night. I feel bad. I really wanted to spend time with him. I train dogs and made sure it all happened fast. He nipped me, I said no bites, he did not stop the nip, I said no bites and put him in the cage close the door and walked away.

What do you do with a bossy bird that bites. he is only 4 months old. It took me a week to learn that his bites were all to controle me. I figured out the reason behind them. He is so bossy, confident, fun, playful, smart, and sweet.

What do you recommend for bossy birds? How old will it take? I think in a month he should be good I hope. We love him if it will take years that's fine. It took years for my kiwi the Senegal and I to have a close bond. She was my first parrot.

 

[LeaKP]

Conures are stubborn like that, they are jealous for your attention and want to be boss. My conure started out that way but with lots of time and work he changed. 4 months is very young and there's time to work with him to grow into a great bird. He will mature and go through bird puberty, so be aware of that. You can research that online and in the forum how to mitigate hormonal moments which can be many!!!

Here are my tips (but the more experienced conure owners will chime in with more specific advice):

1. Never shake your bird or physically punish them with things like spraying water.

2. If you cage them after a couple of warnings because of biting, let them out a while later so they know that if they behave, they get the out of cage time. Rinse and repeat as many times as necessary.

3. Shoulder reserved for well behaved birds (he could take a chunk out of your ear). He will learn in time that if he is good, he can get on the shoulder.

4. Make sure that he has plenty of toys and good food. A varied diet full of veggies, sprouts, nutriberries, some organic pellets, etc. does wonders for good behaviour.

5. I'm always watching youtube training videos, reading articles online to learn as much as I can about training and behaviours. The bird is trying to fit into your life and he just needs to learn what is and isn't acceptable behaviour.

Good luck.

 

[snowflake311]

Thanks that's pretty much what I am doing. He is such a brat. I was doing the earthquake with my hand to get him to stop the bites. It does not work he might actually like it. So Some times I have to gently remove his beak from my hand then set him down and walk away. He is not aggressive just a littler jerk who is trying to train me with force.

I was doing the earthquake with my hand to get him to stop the bites. It does not work he might actually like it. So

He has the natural zoopreme pellets(no color), fruit, and some veggies. He is a bit picky. He gets 10-11 hours of sleep at night.

I just have to be consistent. If he bites I leave. If he is being good no bites for a few min he gets the sholder. He is pretty good on the shoulcer I can grab him get him to step up and he will not bite. It's when he is not on the shoulder haha.

 

[wrench13]

Just remember, as our member Sailboat has said hundreds of times ITS NEVER THE FAULT OF THE PARROT. You have to figure out what you are doing to initiate the unwanted behavior.

 

[snowflake311]

Just remember, as our member Sailboat has said hundreds of times ITS NEVER THE FAULT OF THE PARROT. You have to figure out what you are doing to initiate the unwanted behavior.

I am not giving him what he wants when he wants it. That's the problem. He gets frustrated and bites. I think I figured it out but now how to fix it. I am just ignoring him when he is being fresh. This seems to help. He wants everything Now! He is a bit like myself. Bossy and impatient so I can't get too mad at him.

 

[LeaKP]

Distractions are great, new games, toys, etc.

 

[snowflake311]

Since its a bird and birds are weird should I just give him what he wants? Should I allow more shoulder time that is really what he wants badly. If he steps up no bites he goes on the shoulder. If he steps up and bites back on the table. Is it mean to not give in? Maybe he sees me as being totally unreasonable and he just gets more and more mad at me. I don't want him to boss me around but I want him to be happy. He nips at my neck and ear it feels like he is just testing me. It's not mean. I need to stop being so hard on him and let him.back on my shoulder more. I think they will help us bound quicker. I just thought of somthing he enjoys being pet when on my shoulder. He nips me in the neck tof get me to pet him. He is so bossy. We just need more time to just to know eachother.

I need to use more distraction for sure. He has lots of toys and toys when out of the cage too.

 

[snowflake311]

We had a good bonding time tonight. M y daughter and I both worked with him. He loves my daughter.

Sprinkles nips for 3 reasons. Frustrated, bored, and he wants something. All simular feelings if you think about it. I don't mind gentle bites to remind me I need to do something. It is when I don't react that is when he gets frustrated and I get a hard bite. So we are learning a lot about each other.

You can read everything, watch all the videos, but really what you need to do it listen to your bird. You need to work together to get to know eachother. Something I forgot about. With my Kiwi she made me work for her trust. Once I had it all was great. I could do anything to her. She was not a nipper but she let me know she wanted to nip so I left her alone. Conures think a bit different from senegals.

So for people that have a bird like mine don't push. Don't try and controle them. Just get to know what makes your bird tick. Find out why your bird bites or nips. I was trying to controle him too much. I never tried to controle my Kiwi. I had a healthy respect for her. I gave up trying to contorle him and now I just want to make him happy. This is working well so far since I changed my mind set toward him.

Respect your bird never push them. Take it slow and just get to know your bird. Took me a little while to figure out what his nips ment. Now I know so I can keep his nips from getting really hard. He is such a cool bird.

 

[Flboy]

Sprinkles nips for 3 reasons. Frustrated, bored, and he wants something. All simular feelings if you think about it. I don't mind gentle bites to remind me I need to do something. It is when I don't react that is when he gets frustrated and I get a hard bite. So we are learning a lot about each other.

Respect your bird never push them. Take it slow and just get to know your bird. Took me a little while to figure out what his nips ment. Now I know so I can keep his nips from getting really hard. He is such a cool bird.

Respect is a biggie!
Don't forget the displaced nip. Bird is either wanting to nail a big scary stranger, or is trying to tell you,"Hey stupid, don't you see that?"
This is a pretty good thread to ponder:
http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html

Search out more of MonicaMC's threads, well thought out.

 

[snowflake311]

Sprinkles nips for 3 reasons. Frustrated, bored, and he wants something. All simular feelings if you think about it. I don't mind gentle bites to remind me I need to do something. It is when I don't react that is when he gets frustrated and I get a hard bite. So we are learning a lot about each other.

Respect your bird never push them. Take it slow and just get to know your bird. Took me a little while to figure out what his nips ment. Now I know so I can keep his nips from getting really hard. He is such a cool bird.

Respect is a biggie!
Don't forget the displaced nip. Bird is either wanting to nail a big scary stranger, or is trying to tell you,"Hey stupid, don't you see that?"
This is a pretty good thread to ponder:
http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html

Search out more of MonicaMC's threads, well thought out.

You have a green cheek right? I know my bird is trying to tell me some thing but I don't understand conure body language all that well yet. My bird makes like sharp squeaks and kind of shows off his wings almost like he is doing a dance. he does thus when feeling excited I am not really sure what he is saying. He was showing my daughter his under wings almost rolling over to do so. then started preening and allowing her to gently pet his neck as he preened. I will get a video.

. Learning to speak conure is new to me. He is totally trying to tell me something. I was thinking the wings out was him saying back off.

 

[chris-md]

:20:

I don't mind gentle bites to remind me I need to do something. It is when I don't react that is when he gets frustrated and I get a hard bite. So we are learning a lot about each other

My male ekkie does this. He came to me potty trained, and is a shoulder bird. If I've had him for too long he gently nibbles on my ear to remind me he needs to potty.

 

[snowflake311]

I would like to report that Sprinkles is getting much better. We are getting to know each other better and that helps a lot. I don't push him I only cuddle with him after he has been out for an hour running and climbing around. If he is full of energy watch out. I don't try and do anything too long with him. Everything we do is short and sweet.

It took me a little while to get back into parrot mode it is all coming back to me now. So all I have to do is teach my daughter what she needs to do and guid her threw it.

I love this little bird.