Random bitting

[Kiryon]

So, Oz is usually pretty nice and cuddly, but lately he's been throwing the occasional fit where he'll bite at my fingers when I try to pet him (while a few minutes later he'll juts throw his head against my fingers for scritches). It doesn't really hurt, but he's been biting increasingly hard.I tried a stern no, but he mostly ignores that. I tried hissing at him (because somewhere in my sleep deprived brain I thought if I made that same sound he does when he doesn't like something he'd understand I don't like it), and it actually kinda worked, but he perks up like it's the most interesting thing ever so I'm afraid he'll start biting me to hear it more often?

Now I've turned to closing my hand so he can't bite my fingers and removing it once he's calmed down before putting him in the cage for a 10 minutes 'time out'.

So, I'm probably not doing this right at all, but he's my first bird and I have no idea how to deal with this problem. Suggestions of the right thing to do? I DEFINITELY don't want to use those 'bite deterrent' they sell in pets stores'. I don't know, that just seems kinda wrong to me =S


On a side note, I've started building him a playgym


EDIT: Could it be that he's feeling tired? I've had a cold the past week and have been waking up a lot in the middle of the night and coughing up a storm so maybe that's been keeping him awake?

 

[littlebirds]

All I've read about biting birds says to never react to them at all - ignore it completely even if it's hard. No making noise, or moving your hand away. Apparently birds like the fuss we make when they bite!

Do you wait for your tiel to bend his head before petting? Ours prefers to be petted on her own terms - she has to 'okay' it before we can pet her.

Tiel bites hurt! Hope you solve what's causing it!

 

[Kiryon]

Well, I haven't changed anything yet it's been getting better which leads me to believe it really was fatigue since I've progressively gotten over my cold in the last few days and have been much more quiet at night.

If anything, he seems cuddlier than ever, flapping over to join me on the bed or at the computer. He loves jumping on the keyboard, which he's done 3 times since I've started writing this =P

Thanks for the tip!

 

[littlebirds]

Keyboards are like bird magnets!

Maybe it was being tired that caused it Our tiel gets mad at her toys if she's tired and we don't cover her to let her sleep!