GCC's constant and resilient biting

[Calorious]

I'm making a dedicated thread to how my GCC (named Climber) is constantly looking for things to bite.
He has a toy that he usually stands on but apart from that he doesn't have anything else to bite (in my house), so he looks for random things within his reach to bite (even my computer mousepad is something he bites and breaks)
I could give him paper or something but I don't know why but I'm always very afraid that he may end up swallowing the things he chooses to bite.
He lives in a cage next to his semi-enemy, my lovebird.
I don't think they are actually enemies, I guess my lovebird just loves to bite the feet of other parrots, so my GCC can interact with the lovebird, it just knows not to allow it's feet within the lovebird's reach.
However, it's becoming almost impossible for me to even pick him up at this point. If he wants to come to my hand, he usually puts one leg on my finger and starts to constantly bite the finger extremely hard. I feel like it's holding onto my finger as if it was his food or something.
Coming close to him also reacts in a bite.
I put him on my shoulder before and even my head moving towards him made him bite my ear extremely hard. I haven't put him on my shoulder since.

I have had a few members suggesting that I ignore him for like half a minute or so. This doesn't seem to have worked.
He seems totally unbothered that I am ignoring him.
Whenever he bites, I just stand up make sure he can see me and just turn my entire body the opposite way.
However, during the time where I'm ignoring him, he either moves to look around his surroundings or goes on to find something else to bite.

What exactly can I do to help him kick this habit of biting?

 

[noodles123]

does he have wooden toys to bite?

 

[noodles123]

If he is biting when you try to pick him up, why do you keep doing it lol

 

[T00tsyd]

I really don't understand. You have had your GCC barely a month and yet you seem to expect him to have settled down already. Add to that just how young he is and you still don't give him any leeway. You still have him up against another bird who you know will attack given the chance and wonder why your little one is on edge.

You say you have tried suggested remedies but wonder why they don't work when you have only given it barely a week or two. You must slow down and you do really need to be a bit more understanding of your bird's behaviour. Climber is still a baby and is probably still feeling that everything is strange. He may well not yet be convinced that you are a friend and that you won't cook and eat him. He does know that a bird he liked has vanished, and there is a replacement that is a threat. No wonder he is not happy and contented.

He knows that his environment is not totally safe so doesn't know what to do. He will test everything with his beak to check safety, taste or just curiosity. What you need to teach him is what beak pressure is acceptable. If he bites too hard put him away from you and ignore him - not just once or twice but as often that he gets it wrong. Don't let him on your shoulder or near your face until you are confident he won't draw blood. Because he will! He is apparently frightened of your hands or simply doesn't want to be picked up. Use a piece of perch instead. You won't get this bird's trust unless you change what you are doing.
It's hard work and you have to be consistent and it will take weeks or even months before you get what you want. Then of course he will be into puberty and chaos will result so you do really need to put in the time and effort now.

Look up target training, teach step up & step down. Use his little brain. Get him toys that he is allowed to destroy - it's their favourite pastime. He is an intelligent being who needs things to do, to think about, to explore. If you are going to be a good owner you must provide for all these things. It's not just a case of feed and water them and let them out of the cage. The more direction/teaching and interaction you can give the better.
All of the above applies to the lovebird too and to the little baby that you have spoken of. Please come back with examples of what you have achieved as the weeks pass.

 

[Calorious]

does he have wooden toys to bite?

Nope. But after reading what T00tsyd said, I'm getting him some right now.
I wouldn't want to keep picking him up and like controlling his movements unless he is moving to somewhere which I think is going to get me harmed (when he wants to bite me) or get himself harmed.


As for T00tsyd, I'm getting him some toys (check the attachment) that look like those. From what parrotfunhouse mentioned, it's meant for chewing. I'm getting these for my lovebird and GCC. The baby is still 1 month old and doesn't know how to walk without falling. My GCC seems to already know target training... (He is able to react and bite properly multiple times when I say "target" and he just finds the target to bite).

 

[T00tsyd]

does he have wooden toys to bite?

Nope. But after reading what T00tsyd said, I'm getting him some right now.
I wouldn't want to keep picking him up and like controlling his movements unless he is moving to somewhere which I think is going to get me harmed (when he wants to bite me) or get himself harmed.


As for T00tsyd, I'm getting him some toys (check the attachment) that look like those. From what parrotfunhouse mentioned, it's meant for chewing. I'm getting these for my lovebird and GCC. The baby is still 1 month old and doesn't know how to walk without falling. My GCC seems to already know target training... (He is able to react and bite properly multiple times when I say "target" and he just finds the target to bite).

Well done it's a good start. Be ready to buy more toys they will be bored if the toys and placement are always the same. They enjoy change. I change Syd's layout and toys every few days. I enjoy watching him work out a new route around his cage when his perches all move. He doesn't always like a new toy straight away but I just leave it in place and he waits until he knows it is safe then investigates carefully first. Don't be surprised if the toy frightens him initially until he gets used to it. If he is really frightened clip it to the outside of the cage for a few days instead.

Here is a challenge for you - instead of allowing Climber to bite the target which seems to me to just encourage the bite see if you can get him to touch it lightly instead. I use the word 'touch' with Syd more because I have taught him 'no biting' so that he understands not to bite all sorts of things that might hurt him, as well as him hurting me.

I relate all this to Climber but I am assuming that you (or someone) are applying everything to the lovebird too.

 

[Cagzo]

TOOtsyd, I agree with you about the word teaching.

Its taken 6 months to teach Connie a few important words (not to speak but to obey)
"No Bite", "Kiss" (for a treat), "All gone"," Night night" and her favourite "Tickle tickle" for a head scritch. Conures are amazing at knowing what words mean,and they catch on very quickly. The Tickle word has stopped her in her tracks when shes fluffed up and making a beeline to bite me!
Shes learnt "Good Girl" to speak!

Your little bird just needs a lot more time to feel safe,spend quiet times in front of the cage just talking.

 

[Calorious]

TOOtsyd, I agree with you about the word teaching.

Its taken 6 months to teach Connie a few important words (not to speak but to obey)
"No Bite", "Kiss" (for a treat), "All gone"," Night night" and her favourite "Tickle tickle" for a head scritch. Conures are amazing at knowing what words mean,and they catch on very quickly. The Tickle word has stopped her in her tracks when shes fluffed up and making a beeline to bite me!
Shes learnt "Good Girl" to speak!

Your little bird just needs a lot more time to feel safe,spend quiet times in front of the cage just talking.

Thank you Cagzo for sharing about Connie! :3 I'm not really sure how old the parrot is before he is able to speak. How long does it usually take?
He shows me signs that he wants a head scritch (By ducking down on the surface lying on the side and just closing his eyes). He has sometimes reacted in a bite during this before. I suppose he still senses danger.

At night, I think he is still afraid of being alone after his friend left him. I hear very soft sounds of him whimpering. Remember the unweaned baby?
He's being fed pretty well and he already has a little bit of interaction with this conure that I have. This conure hasn't bit him or anything. Instead he's trying to do his feathers for the small one. However I can't really transfer him over with my conure yet because of how long his wings are (He is fullly flighted, can't clip his wings because of his age though) and how young he is (His feathers havent fully grown, but his wings has). I'll maybe keep them apart for a few more months just to let them get to know each other better before putting the conures together.
My lovebird though, can't be with any because I've seen him want to bite both of these conures.


As for his biting,
I've gotten both my lovebird and conure a biting toy. I just realised that my conure had one in it's cage the entire time, just out of reach (I mean.. He could reach it, only if he perched on the walls of the cage)
He's able to follow the toy out and step on my hand just to bite it.
I feel at this point all my parrots are feeling a bit bored.
I still have school so on weekdays I spend a maximum of 3 - 6 hours with them only.
What other things could I get my parrots to do on it's own to pass it's time?

 

[Laurasea]

Hello,
Setting up your GCC for success ! Like mentioned above, having something that they can easily destruct at each hang out spot. You’ve got to keep those beaks and minds busy, and have things set up for them to do. DIY works great too, popsicle sticks, a cup full of plastic bottles caps, coffee stirs, straws, shapes cut out of cardboard, use zip ties to attach, mine like the yucca chips, sea grams, and dried grape vine they sell at our pet stores.. also I read that GCC really like to untie knots, so I used bird safe leather and shoe laces and other bird safe stuff and tire strings of knots lose and sure enough she loves to untie knots!!! She looks at knots like how dare they be tied, she must untie them immediately!! lol

Also remember that birds need to eat and snack all day long, so set up food and water at play areas. GCC are notorious for getting “ hangry, hungry / angry “


For sure green cheeks learn to train us and discipline us with their beaks. They are fearless!!! Yiu are going to have to pay attention to their body language, and prevent bites from happening in the first place. If they aren’t wanting to be pet then don’t pet them at that time... my GCC has walked up to bite me if I’m ignoring her, or bite me because I’m on the phone and she is jealous and hates the phone, or bite me because I stopped petting her. She wants to be very bossy and we constantly negotiating. If she bites me I tell her no bite! I’m firm voice, and I look her in the eye...., if I get a second bite I tell her no bite look her in the eye take her back to the cage say no bite again and put in the cage.... I walk away and then come back in about five minuets,say hi, get her out and go about or life as tho nothing had happened. But I’m always making sure I dint do things that lead to bites, and pay attention to her body language. I also bribe her with safflower seeds. I used safflower seeds to positive associations with my phone, so that now I can use my phone around her and she doesn’t care.

Yiu are going to love having a green cheek conure, they are so smart and so much fun. But you have to set up things for them to do and be busy with, or they will be bored out of their minds! Try and set up a few routines, so they know certain things happen at certain times if the day. Fir example mine get their veggies set in dishes on top of the cage in the morning, mid day I set out baths ( large shallow servings dishes with an inch or so of water in them) and I slash around a little with my hand so they get excited to come get a bath or not... if they do take absthi put them back in the cage afterwards to dry, so hey won’t try’s d fly wet..

 

[Scott]

Please give bite pressure training a try! Second post has preface and links: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

 

[bonita]

Dear Calorious, Your bird is less than 8 mths.old still a baby. He is exploring his world with his beek. Just like a human baby puts everything in their mouth.This is not a race.You have your whole life with him.Give him a chance to check things out to learn he can trust you.Your expecting things too quickly.Enjoy his babyhood it only happens once and gone forever.Hope this helps.You can make toys with wood and rit dye on cotton rope.string plastic soda caps.Make toys out of things you have around the house.