NEED ADVISE PLEASE!!

[sandra1]

I just recently brought home my 2 conures. Molly my sun conure and Bella my pineapple green cheek. I've only had them since April 2nd. Molly is 3 months old and Bella is just a little over 2 .5 months old. The advise I need is how do I get Bella to stop biting me so hard. I work with them everyday ,feed them out of my hand, talk them in a gentle voice and I have watch so many videos on how to get my green check conure to stop biting that I could probably recite them . I am a new bird owner and I'm trying to be the best bird mom that I can possibly be. I realize that she is a baby still but telling her NO doesn't seem to be working out to well for me to well. I feel bad sometimes because I don't want to mess with her to much because of her brutal bites and that's not fair to her. I'm not giving up that is for sure. I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Molly is the total opposite and I'm not sure if it's because of the 24 day difference in age. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

Welcome! Your babies are absolutely gorgeous.
Try target training. It’s my favorite method for birds that bite all the time, the parrot loves it, and it offers mental stimulation as well.
Also don’t react to bites. I know they might hurt, but you have to stay as calm as possible.
Good luck

 

[fiddlejen]

Rather than, "NO," work on using the command, "Be Gentle" instead.

 

[sandra1]

Welcome! Your babies are absolutely gorgeous.
Try target training. It’s my favorite method for birds that bite all the time, the parrot loves it, and it offers mental stimulation as well.
Also don’t react to bites. I know they might hurt, but you have to stay as calm as possible.
Good luck

 

[sandra1]

So when you say target training what exactly do you mean? Sorry new to all this. Is that with that stick and clicker?

 

[sandra1]

Rather than, "NO," work on using the command, "Be Gentle" instead.

Rather than, "NO," work on using the command, "Be Gentle" instead.

Thank you, I will try this today

 

[Henderbird]

I think with your birds being with you for so little of time, they do need to acclimate better to their new environment and new people.
The reason Bella is biting you and not Molly is because birds have different reactions to new environments and people and the biting could be due to fear most likely because the short time you've had her.
Even molly, but Mollys reaction to new people may not be biting right away but maybe doing other things out of fear. Biting from birds can be due to different things and for some birds it is treated as a last resort so they don't bite too often if we are able to stay within their boundaries of course. For other birds, they may bite right away because either they have been conditioned to do this by now or the newness and the speedy acclimating process is getting to her so she bites out of this fear.
It is also spring time and I'm not too sure if conures go through puberty by this age, but these could also be factors and if not, they will factor into future biting.
Also biting is not eliminated but rather reduced. It is in a parrots natural instinct to bite sometimes and is a natural part of parrot ownership. (Unfortunately lol)
Lastly, to reduce the biting, start by going at the birds pace. These are two different birds with different comfort levels and different personalities. So make sure to act accordingly with that. What may work for Bella may not work for Molly and vice versa. The types of reactions elicited from Molly may not be elicited from Bella and vice versa.
Just take a couple steps back and avoid handling too often for now until you see improvement in body language or any sign that they are comfortable to move onto the next step.

 

[sandra1]

I think with your birds being with you for so little of time, they do need to acclimate better to their new environment and new people.
The reason Bella is biting you and not Molly is because birds have different reactions to new environments and people and the biting could be due to fear most likely because the short time you've had her.
Even molly, but Mollys reaction to new people may not be biting right away but maybe doing other things out of fear. Biting from birds can be due to different things and for some birds it is treated as a last resort so they don't bite too often if we are able to stay within their boundaries of course. For other birds, they may bite right away because either they have been conditioned to do this by now or the newness and the speedy acclimating process is getting to her so she bites out of this fear.
It is also spring time and I'm not too sure if conures go through puberty by this age, but these could also be factors and if not, they will factor into future biting.
Also biting is not eliminated but rather reduced. It is in a parrots natural instinct to bite sometimes and is a natural part of parrot ownership. (Unfortunately lol)
Lastly, to reduce the biting, start by going at the birds pace. These are two different birds with different comfort levels and different personalities. So make sure to act accordingly with that. What may work for Bella may not work for Molly and vice versa. The types of reactions elicited from Molly may not be elicited from Bella and vice versa.
Just take a couple steps back and avoid handling too often for now until you see improvement in body language or any sign that they are comfortable to move onto the next step.

Never thought about it that way. I guess I'm so worried that they won't bond to me and I am probably going way to fast for her or even both of them. Thank you!!

 

[Henderbird]

Never thought about it that way. I guess I'm so worried that they won't bond to me and I am probably going way to fast for her or even both of them. Thank you!!

You're welcome!

 

[Laurasea]

Hi, great advice so far!

You definitely want to read body language, and nit out them in a situation to bite. Bites are a result of failures in communication, pushing boundaries. I will link my thread if you click takes you to body language articles. I like tge suggestions to video your interactions and then go back to watch for missed ques.

But also, cage protective behavior..if bites happen at in cage, that's a hardwired behavior, so you hsve tgrm come out to a perch attached on the outside of the Cage by the door and give treat and work on step up from there.

Because you have 2 housed together, you can also be having mate guarding behavior. You might find your GCC will behave much better in her own cage, side by side with Sun. You can still have them out together, but have them caged separate.

Also gcc seem to really love safflower seeds. And offering them by hand a million times a day can win them over!!
The gcc can be a little more sensitive to hands. Mine dies nit like a hand coming from sbove her head.

Ornithology: Share and discuss scientific articles on parrots!

Yes I read that as well about urine. Absolutely, please share the you tube, or any articles you want. I'm fascinated by our birds friends! link to a Youtube video on UV Parakeet information.

www.parrotforums.com

 

[sandra1]

Hi, great advice so far!

You definitely want to read body language, and nit out them in a situation to bite. Bites are a result of failures in communication, pushing boundaries. I will link my thread if you click takes you to body language articles. I like tge suggestions to video your interactions and then go back to watch for missed ques.

But also, cage protective behavior..if bites happen at in cage, that's a hardwired behavior, so you hsve tgrm come out to a perch attached on the outside of the Cage by the door and give treat and work on step up from there.

Because you have 2 housed together, you can also be having mate guarding behavior. You might find your GCC will behave much better in her own cage, side by side with Sun. You can still have them out together, but have them caged separate.

Also gcc seem to really love safflower seeds. And offering them by hand a million times a day can win them over!!
The gcc can be a little more sensitive to hands. Mine dies nit like a hand coming from sbove her head.

Ornithology: Share and discuss scientific articles on parrots!

Yes I read that as well about urine. Absolutely, please share the you tube, or any articles you want. I'm fascinated by our birds friends! link to a Youtube video on UV Parakeet information.

www.parrotforums.com

Thank you. I hope I don't have to separate them. Appreciate your input

 

[Laurasea]

This is a good target training video. But uts title is one dsy miracle, because everything usually takes longer.

They make a point if stressing breaks. Just a few reps then a break. Thst first properly teach just to touch the stick before moving on.

 

[sandra1]

This is a good target training video. But uts title is one dsy miracle, because everything usually takes longer.

They make a point if stressing breaks. Just a few reps then a break. Thst first properly teach just to touch the stick before moving on.

Awesome. Thank you