Help! I think I broke my conure's trust!

[Superbird]

I am not proud of this, but my conure has been very nippy all week and today I was at the end of my tether. I tapped his beak with my finger on 2 separate occasions. After the seond one, he is now retaliating by biting me back. He's never bitten me out of aggression (but has out of jealousy).

I feel so guilty! It was not hard but it may have been for him. Needless to say, I'll never tap his beak again. But what can I do when he starts biting so much? I normally just shake him off my shoulder so he flies away, but he keeps coming back. If I keep him in his cage, he screaches non stop. I'm worried for my neighbors.

Please help me. I'm at the edge of sanity here

 

[StarryEyedGirl]

When harley gets out of hand and doesn't listen or gets too nippy, I tap his beak. If he continues to bite I grab his beak and just hold it between my index finger and thumb. Not hard enough to hurt him, but tight enough to where he can't get away easy. When I do that I tell him no biting in a Stern voice. If THAT fails, I flip him on his back and grab his beak like I mentioned above and keep him there until he stops fighting and realizes he's in trouble. Pressure training on the beak for biting has worked for me. Maybe it'll work for you. Are you his favorite human?? Because if so he'll learn who's flock leader and start to respect that. Even after harley gets in time out he still runs up and nestles in the crook of my neck.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I am not proud of this, but my conure has been very nippy all week and today I was at the end of my tether. I tapped his beak with my finger on 2 separate occasions. After the seond one, he is now retaliating by biting me back. He's never bitten me out of aggression (but has out of jealousy).

I feel so guilty! It was not hard but it may have been for him. Needless to say, I'll never tap his beak again. But what can I do when he starts biting so much? I normally just shake him off my shoulder so he flies away, but he keeps coming back. If I keep him in his cage, he screaches non stop. I'm worried for my neighbors.

Please help me. I'm at the edge of sanity here

How old is he, hormones??? please never allow a biting, unpredictable bird, on to your shoulder, your just asking for trouble. Have you considered clipping? If he is feeling grumpy, you probably should just leave him be until he's in a better mood.

 

[LeaKP]

Pressure training and discipline over time works wonders. There are threads here in the forum that describe it in detail. Don't give up!!!

 

[Superbird]

Thanks for the responses. He is 4 years old. He used to be manageable, not perfect. But the past 2 weeks his behavior rapidly deteriorated. Very grumpy, screechy, nippy and as Socalwendy said, unpredictable. I've done right by him before this with his food, toys and sleep. Not perfect, but the best I could manage. I may have reinforced bad habits like the nipping because I'd react too much. If I shake him off my shoulders (is this ok?), he just flies back. Should I lock him in his cage? In the rare times I did this due to him being difficult, he just kept screeching and banging his toys around.

I don't know what pressure training is but I will look it up. Any other suggestions would be highly appreciated.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I have never, and will never 'tap' any of my birds' beaks. I do NOT believe in physically punishing my fids, not ever. Showing aggression toward your bird may easily result in aggression right back, which will accomplish absolutely nothing but a frustrated guardian, and possibly a scared bird.

When any of mine behave badly they get a time out, or a stern look accompanied by a firm "NO".

I guarantee if I were to tap either one of my big macs on the beak, they'd reciprocate the favor.

 

[Superbird]

Thanks for the advice, Jersey Wendy. I will never tap his beak again. Is it ok to shake him off my shoulder though or is this bad? Like when he is on my shoulder and he bites me on the back of the neck, I'd often 'shake' my shoulder so he looses his balance and flies away. Is this effective or no?

Also, I just tried the time out. I told him no and put him in his cage. He's been throwing a fit for the past hour now, which I am trying very hard to ignore. My worry in doing this technique is, he'd see his cage as a punishment. He might not want to go in there which will prove difficult when I'm trying to leave for work in the morning for example.

Any thoughts? Thank you very much in advance!!!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Yes, shrugging him off the shoulders is fine - at least IMO, as there are no hands involved (only an earthquake, LOL)

If you put him in time out, make it brief. After he's done something unacceptable, and you've verbally told him "NO", put him in his cage for a few minutes, then take him back out. And don't just open the door and wait for him to come and go as he pleases. Open the cage, put your hand in there and give him the "step up" command. Same when you put him down 'Step down'.

 

[Superbird]

JerseyWendy, thanks again. I will try this, but what if he refuses to get inside the cage? Do I just insist anyway? Sometimes he'd just fly away to the other side of the room. I'm afraid if I do this enough, he'll get smart with me and fly away each time he thinks I might put him back in the cage.

 

[ZoeS]

Have you tried a trip to the vet? I am just wondering if a sudden onset of aggression in a four-year-old bird could be a sign of underlying illness or pain.

Barring that, I would start by clipping his wings and not letting him on your shoulder. Try teaching him so tricks/commands while he is on a table in front of you.

I personally don't like the cage for time outs. I will put my birds on their cage (with the door open) if they are being grumpy, but it's more for a change of scenery. They get busy with toys, food, preening up there. It's not a punishment or a treat, it's just a "go do something else for a bit" - like when a kid is pestering you or being a dink and you go tell them to play outside.