Gollum bit me AGAIN!

[Newbsi]

I have been reading about this. I had asked in the behavior forum about it. I am wondering if this is a Senegal thing. All I can find online about biting is teaching them to step up. My problem is she DOES step up... THEN BITES.
That is what she did again today. She stepped up on my finger and then leaned down and bit me hard (the skin between the first finger and thumb! OUCH).
Anyhow, I suppose I just do not understand. I can see where they bite in fear or if you are trying to force them to step up. But, why would she step up just so she could bite me???
I clipped her wings myself. She hasn't tried to fly yet. I am not sure if I will need to take more off.
I can say right now that I am THANKFUL that I listened to the advice I got here about NOT getting a AG or Macaw yet! I cannot imagine what their bites would be like!
*sighs* it just makes me sad

Gollum is a 2y 4m Female I have had since she was about 2-3months old

 

[plumsmum2005]

In all honesty the smaller parrots have twice the attitude of the larger ones. I hope you get some Sennie parronts come on to advise you.

"I clipped her wings myself. She hasn't tried to fly yet. I am not sure if I will need to take more off."

Please use extreme caution with this, I am sure you would not wish to cause Gollum any long lasting injury. If you are unsure then please take her to your AV for professional guidance. Indeed that would be my wish for her. Is she totally unruly unclipped?

The remedy of all biting is a better bond and more training IMO https://www.beautyofbirds.com/senegalparrotsaspets.html

 

[Newbsi]

In all honesty the smaller parrots have twice the attitude of the larger ones. I hope you get some Sennie parronts come on to advise you.

"I clipped her wings myself. She hasn't tried to fly yet. I am not sure if I will need to take more off."

Please use extreme caution with this, I am sure you would not wish to cause Gollum any long lasting injury. If you are unsure then please take her to your AV for professional guidance. Indeed that would be my wish for her. Is she totally unruly unclipped?

The remedy of all biting is a better bond and more training IMO https://www.beautyofbirds.com/senegalparrotsaspets.html

She has been dive bombing everyone for almost a week. I did not take enough off of her wings. She can still fly from room to room.

 

[plumsmum2005]

OK thanks for the information not previously known!

Twice the attitude LOL!

My suspicion is she isnt completely happy stepping up yet, good she does it, obeys. Work with her, praise and treats and hope she drops the biting.

 

[JamesC]

There is a thing called attitude. And Senegals can have that in abundance. "Senitude" people here call it.

I've had two Senegal parrots. Both rescues. Both on extreme ends of the behavioral spectrum.

My first was Kelly. She was very timid and afraid when I adopted her. Would try to fly in a panic if I came close. But after a year of working with her, she came out and became the most gentle bird I've ever known. She only bit me once. Early on in our relationship when she was still frightened of me and I moved too quickly and cornered her. A quick nip and let go.

Now I have Sidney. He spent the first 5 years of his life sitting alone on a porch in Florida. And he has "anger management" issues as a result. I've endured some very painful bites from him. Most without warning. Fortunately, as he has gotten older and turned 10 this year, he has calmed down. A little bit, anyway. Little brat tagged me on the left index finger last week so not all the attitude has gone away.

A good reaction is to not react to a bite if you can. But Senegal parrots have a very powerful bite for their size so that is a problem. One of the worst bites I got from Sid was probably to the bone. And he would not let go. I had to pry his beak off my finger listening to the flesh tear as I did. If that ever happens again, he is going to get dunked under running water as a better way to get him to let go. He is afraid of it. The weird thing is that when he comes to his senses, he knows he did wrong and will usually squeal and go blasting off full speed to his cage squeaking all the way. He will go inside and wait for me to come and lock him up.

I suppose that the intensity level of a Senegal is a little higher than most other birds. This summer, I was at Parrot Mountain near Dollywood in eastern Tennessee. They have a garden with dozens of birds on perches where people can go up to see them. I got a little bit of a chuckle about the birds with signs saying not to touch, they bite. Among a group of Macaws, there was this little Senegal with a don't touch sign. I felt for the little guy and knowing the body language of Sidney, I cautiously offered a scratch to him. Which he eagerly accepted. One of the staff came hurrying over when she saw me scratching the bird and cautioned me about him. But the bird was quite happy and she was rather surprised to see how happy he was getting some human contact.

Anyway, that was a rather long winded. Have you tried handling Gollum with gloves on? They make a thin Kevlar glove that might be a good training aid until hopefully she gets past the age of biting. Would not stop a bite from being painful from pressure but it would stop a penetration of the skin if she does tag you with ill intent.

 

[mppinegar]

My brown headed poicephalus has bitten me for 14 years. I've just gotten good at knowing when and handle her with a perch a lot. It seems from talking to people that Poicephalus are either sweet as pie, or flying pit bulls.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Please let me share my story. Maybe parts of it will help you.
The Rb is a stinker. He's a fun mimic and an entertaining character, but... a terror...
I have reduced biting to almost zero over the decades... not because I've changed the bird, but I have changed me. And a lot of that has involved giving up on a lot of my desires/expectations. After years of battle, I surrendered. I don't do stuff that gets me bitten. I don't scratch his head much, ever... tail is okay. I NEVER do stuff that makes him mad... I don't touch others when he's out; I rarely try to get him to step up onto my hand first. Hand-held perch first, then hand. In some ways, I swallow my disappointment at having such a little monster for a pet, but he is what he is. I ALWAYS wear my hair down when he's on my shoulder, so all he can bite is hair. Really, I don't involve hands much... he doesn't like them. He seems to think the real ME is my head, perched on a weird moveable tree with questionable appendages.
Since he's fully flighted, the ONLY way I get him into the cage is to toss a chile pepper in and he flaps in after it. So food reward is a necessity for me. Time-out doesn't exist in the Rb's kingdom.
But please... listen to and try all the good advice you'll get here. Don't surrender until you know you've done your best. Then just accept and love whatever/whoever your bird turns out to be.
My darling is kind of a worse-case scenario, but we have it all worked out between the two of us.
Very, very best of luck to you.
Good for you for reaching out!
Oh, and... every now and then, he breaks up with me. Gets mad for no apparent reason and won't come to me, won't call my name, won't even look at me. It can last days or weeks. Then he gets over it and takes me back. Little monster.
But he's a beautiful, wonderful half-wild, amazing parrot, alive and living in my home. Sometimes that just has to be miracle enough.
Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!
I'm glad you're here.