Tangie's bites are getting softer. Stop them altogether?

[Maxo]

Tangie, my mom's senegal, was peircing my skin and causing bleeding the first three days I played with him. I didn't touch him for two weeks.

But I started just having my mom sit him on my knee and take him off my knee so he got used to me without using my hands.

I also give him a treat and talk to him every day.

I took him out today, and I set his stand on wheels next his cage so he would walk to and from without me handling him. He was nervous about how the stand was sitting so close to the cage, though.

Then, to my surprise, when I walked by the cage, he walked up to the front edge cage and put his foot up. I screwed up the first time and chickened out when I raised my hand, pulling it away quickly as he began stepping up (he bit hard last time!). Then I tried a second time a couple minutes later. He still bit me as he climbed up, and it still left a mark... but it did not really hurt. It was just a little pinch. He did the only other time I tried picking him up.

So we have a livable relationship. He sits on my knee while i work from home.

But how do I get him to just step up and not nip me?! It's livable, but I'd like to kill the behavior.

I'm very pleased with him, though. I thought he hated me!

 

[Flboy]

He is also steadying your hand!

 

[RavensGryf]

He's biting less because he's getting more used to you (even though he already knew you which helps ). Poicephalus parrots tend to communicate strongly with their beaks. If you have a good friendship bond, you won't keep getting bit hard constantly as you're finding out, but as far as getting rid of ALL biting or nipping, you can't "train it out" of him. During his hormonal periods especially. Any parrot is going to bite you sometimes, and Pois are quick to nip as part of their nature. Other Poi people will tell you the same. All parrots bite at times .

As far as the biting before stepping up, try using your index finger right above his beak out of reach and say firmly "no biting" or whatever words you choose, look directly at him. Don't pick him up if he starts, but try again after several seconds. Praise or treat when he does it without biting or nipping. He will start to get what you mean, but how long it takes depends on how stubborn the individual is.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Sounds like fantastic progress. Keep it going! Along with RavensGry advise when you present your index finger tuck in your thumb. Start making it a game step up, treat, put him down, treat, step up, treat, put him down, treat. Repeat...

I also do the hand roll. When I see the bite coming I just roll my hand backwards a little, not a lot just enough to rattle him a little (not a lot) . Poi's hate being off balance, at the sametime tell him no bite. He may start to associate the biting with being off balance and stop. If you are really paying attention, and antisapate a bite, you are prepared and it doesn't hurt as much. The hand roll always worked for me. It was like I flipped a switch, and it changed her focus.

Always end on a positive note, so the next time he will be eager to engage with you.