Green cheek conure biting everyone :(

[Brooklyn12]

I have a green cheek named Yoshi. He is about 1 year and 4 months right now. My biggest problem with him since we've gotten him is he bites everyone who is not me or my dad. Anyone else and I mean anyone else he will bite them and bite them hard. Im not sure when exactly this started, i got him when he was 3months old and he was fine as he was growing up, I have pics all my family members interacting with him, holding him, him on their shoulders. Then around 7-8 months in the biting started and it hasn't stopped.
I started to train him with target training to the advice of any outside source I could get and I must say it has strenghthend the bond between us. He no longer bites me hard as he once did, its more of a hey I dont like whats going on here imma put my beak on your finger but not press down as a warning lol. So in some ways he has improved, and when he has bitten my family members they all describe it as its not as hard as before. The frustrating thing is , he seeks out my family members, not to attack but to just check out whats happening. His feathers are calm and he's not in "attack mode or im mad mode" so when he seeks them out, if he sees their hand he'll bite or he'll fly to their shoulder and bite their ear, sometimes we are able to get him off before he bites them and sometimes we cannot. In the process of trying to get him off their shoulders in order to protect their neck or any other body part I put my hand in the way and that is when he will bite and bite hard. That is when he gets me badly.
Its become a frustrating cycle because I love him and i just want him to not bite the family lol ive had many other birds who never had this problem so I am at a loss on what to do. I understand that some birds just dont like everyone , my last bird didnt like everyone she just didnt bite anyone, with Yoshi I am trying to not make him a vampire lol. If anyone has any advice I would love to hear it. Thanks so much.

 

[zERo]

You could have the members of the family he bites train him as well, or just have them hand him treats when they go by his cage, he could be hormonal based on his age.

 

[Laurasea]

I'm sorry you are going through this.
Probably a combination of things have happened. It's very easy to cause fear of hands and for trust to be broken. And I'm not sure how many people are in the home? Or what his set up and routines are? it's so tricky to help from afar via text.

So I will just explain how I would handle this.

Since you are here and seem to be primary. Then you go back to being sole caregiver and interacter with him. Start over like you just brought him home, re build your trust with him. Don't take anything for granted that you used to do. Show him he can trust you always ask don't demand, if he shows that he wants to bite you are pushing him to fast.

also Id have him in the cage then bring each person over individually and and Re introduce everyone in the home. They just say hi, give him a treat and leave. From now on everyone says good morning when they get up and give a treat, they go and tell him when they are leaving snd give a treat and they say hello as soon as they get home and give a treat. That's all they get to do, they don't get him out, they dot do the food and water . Until after you have won back his trust.

You still get him out and have one time , work on trust, have simple easy short target training. But just time hanging out. Set up several areas with perches around the home thst are his hang out spots and top of cage with perches snd toys too. If he Flys to anyone you go get him and either hang out with him or move him to one of spots.

Its just you that works with him until he has complete trust in you again. Lots of hand feeding treats and just saying random hello too. Have a routine.

Once this is accomplished. Then you will be the bridge for him to other people. When you get him out, have him relaxed and calm. You will have him step to another family member arm or hand then have him step right back to you for a treat. Praise lavishly. Prevent any bites to the other people, by you Taking the bite if need be. I would only do 3 reps then a break and you can repeat with a different person. Do this off and on many times days how ever long it takes that he always steps to them then back to you for treat nicely.

Then you can move to having him on you and step to them and they give a treat pause then back to you again for a treats. Repeat often. Till this always goes well. Usually by this point things are really starting to go well. Their is a lot more trust and respect.

This can evolve to sitting on the couch and going back and forth and hanging out. Or now after you pas him off they can go place him on top of the cage or hang out spots. You are still the only one that gets him out of the cage. But once he is out they can have him step up to them from a perch or cage top. You can start play around and adjust this as things continue to go well.

Sharing a group snack with him can also build flock.

But everyone should still say hello and good bye with treats.


I know this works because I have fine it with my freinds and family with parrots that trust me and I've built their trust in other people. But they choose which people can pet them. They will step to anyone from me and hang out and be nice , but they dont extend everyone touching petting privilege.

Sure hopes it helps you

 

[Laurasea]

I forgot to add the reason why its important for everyone coming and going to tell the parrot and give a treat. Also to go say good morning and give a treat when they get up.

Its because parrots are flock creatures, and its so important for a flock member to know where every other flock member is! It's extremely frustrating and makes them insecure for people to show up and dissappear @ plus morning is when parrots take stock and make sure everyone made it through the night
And to re affirm bonds before they go foraging.

This wonderful tip was brought to my attention when a friend of mine hired a burd behavior consultant to come and work with her African Grey. She also had a busy home full of people coming and going. And a very frustrated and screaming African grey who was acting out. That one tip had a huge impact !!! So I have never forgotten

 

[Brooklyn12]

I'm sorry you are going through this.
Probably a combination of things have happened. It's very easy to cause fear of hands and for trust to be broken. And I'm not sure how many people are in the home? Or what his set up and routines are? it's so tricky to help from afar via text.

So I will just explain how I would handle this.

Since you are here and seem to be primary. Then you go back to being sole caregiver and interacter with him. Start over like you just brought him home, re build your trust with him. Don't take anything for granted that you used to do. Show him he can trust you always ask don't demand, if he shows that he wants to bite you are pushing him to fast.

also Id have him in the cage then bring each person over individually and and Re introduce everyone in the home. They just say hi, give him a treat and leave. From now on everyone says good morning when they get up and give a treat, they go and tell him when they are leaving snd give a treat and they say hello as soon as they get home and give a treat. That's all they get to do, they don't get him out, they dot do the food and water . Until after you have won back his trust.

You still get him out and have one time , work on trust, have simple easy short target training. But just time hanging out. Set up several areas with perches around the home thst are his hang out spots and top of cage with perches snd toys too. If he Flys to anyone you go get him and either hang out with him or move him to one of spots.

Its just you that works with him until he has complete trust in you again. Lots of hand feeding treats and just saying random hello too. Have a routine.

Once this is accomplished. Then you will be the bridge for him to other people. When you get him out, have him relaxed and calm. You will have him step to another family member arm or hand then have him step right back to you for a treat. Praise lavishly. Prevent any bites to the other people, by you Taking the bite if need be. I would only do 3 reps then a break and you can repeat with a different person. Do this off and on many times days how ever long it takes that he always steps to them then back to you for treat nicely.

Then you can move to having him on you and step to them and they give a treat pause then back to you again for a treats. Repeat often. Till this always goes well. Usually by this point things are really starting to go well. Their is a lot more trust and respect.

This can evolve to sitting on the couch and going back and forth and hanging out. Or now after you pas him off they can go place him on top of the cage or hang out spots. You are still the only one that gets him out of the cage. But once he is out they can have him step up to them from a perch or cage top. You can start play around and adjust this as things continue to go well.

Sharing a group snack with him can also build flock.

But everyone should still say hello and good bye with treats.


I know this works because I have fine it with my freinds and family with parrots that trust me and I've built their trust in other people. But they choose which people can pet them. They will step to anyone from me and hang out and be nice , but they dont extend everyone touching petting privilege.

Sure hopes it helps you

Thank you so much for taking the time and answering me. I will for sure try everything you have told me, I had a lot of frustration built up and I only want what is best for him and to give him a wonderful life.
Trust is key and I agree for sure I need to show him that he can trust me 110%.
Thanks again

 

[Laurasea]

The only reason I'm able to help us i have walked in your shoes.

Early on i went through a very frustrating time with Ta-dah my green cheek. I had broken her trust, changed her routine, inadvertently caused a fear of hands. She would charge me, she would bite me, she would fly to me to bite me. ( from my fault terrible attempts at harness training)

But I went back to square one. I treated her like one of my rescues. I also apologized to her ( I truly feel something of that get through to them) then I built back trust. I fed many treats by hand. I let go the thought that I could just handle her and cuddle her like I used to. Instead I earned back that right. I paid very close attention to her body language.

We got back to her being my snuggle girl, laying in my hand lost in bliss to head scratches.

I still pay attention when she thinks I've messed up and threatens to bite. So I avoid bites. Usually in a few seconds she is past that. I think GCC are just a little more sensitive to hands maybe being scary, more sensitive to being a prey species.