The chewing! The chewing! Oh dear god the chewing...

[thesary]

So, I have a 9 month old Senegal parrot named Loki... and, oh my, I've done everything I can think of, but I can't seem to get him to stop chewing! He chews on EVERYTHING! My jewelry, my lips, my ears, the skin on my knuckles, the wood, the blinds, his cage, hemp string, pony tail holders, all of my wires... he's destroyed my laptop charger as well as my cell phone charger. He's chewed through a lamp and nearly shocked himself, he's chewed through countless shirts...

I was last told to just give him something *else* to chew on, but nothing has worked thus far.

I need help! I've tried scolding, clapping my hands and making loud noises when he does it, giving him other things to chew on, holding his beak, putting him in his cage and covering it... etc. etc. etc.

What do I do?

Thank you
Sary`

 

[Tracy842]

I also have a Senegal who loves to chew on everything as well. With Popsicle I give her the firm NO and she usually growls at me and goes right back at it. Maybe its a Senegal problem. I got some wooden parrot toys for her that look like household objects she likes to eat, I have pencils that are all wood and are made for parrots so she will usually go grab those and chew on them. I just leave them out on the desk so I really fool her into thinking it's something she shouldn't have. Just keep up everything your doing with time things should improve.

 

[Peta]

Hi, I would continue to do everything you are doing, he's only young and he will soon learn that he isn't supposed to be chewing on EVERYTHING. All things electrical move him away from the objects, as they could be a problem, its bad enough that you have to re buy these things, but it could have been so much worse for your fid.

Bucc used to chew on the wood and furniture around the house and it got to a stage where we didn't have much left, in the end I got a soloution (I believe it was for feather plucking) but it makes everything taste really horrible (not that I tried it) anyway not sure whether that or my persistence stopped him doing it, but he hasn't chewed anymore wood or furniture.

 

[Redballoon]

Skippah used to also chew indiscriminately. I would make a fuss, remove him from what he was chewing and give him something with better mouth feel (softer, crunchier or chewier) and now he only chews what he shouldn't when he wants to upset me.

 

[TexDot33]

Sounds like a normal "healthy" parrot to me ...

 

[rockinseattle]

Birds do like to chew. Maybe move his tree stand and/or cage away from the blinds etc.

Toy idea's

Large bamboo spoons & plastic measuring cups - so they can help out in the kitchen.

Beads on a string & straw hats - for when they like to dress up.

Popsicle sticks - for when their feeling crafty

Crazy curly colorful shoe strings - for when they are feeling creative

Wiffleball filled with beads and nuts - for when they are feeling sporty.


Birds like to chew and usually on something ya don't want them to.

I no longer where jewlry and have quite a few shirts missing buttons.
I have had to replace my computer keyboard thanks to my macaw chewing on all the buttons.
The corner of a certain wall has a nice new look to it. IT HAS HOLES courtesy of my cockatoo.
All of my furniture has nicks and rounded edges that were once straight.
Sofa has bits missing.

Unfortunately these little stinkers like to be naughty on occasion.
I tell mine no and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. LOL

 

[Redballoon]

Its hard to be tough on them, but if you want any of your stuff to be worth anything 10 years from now, you have to try. I try and fail all the time.

 

[Peta]

Its hard to be tough on them, but if you want any of your stuff to be worth anything 10 years from now, you have to try. I try and fail all the time.

Agree with that. I'm still thinking that one day they will learn, but so far all I get when I'm being tough is Bucc love ya Mummmmmmmmmm

Same here. Reckon we always will.

Its just a good job we love the little devils.

 

[Keupi]

Hi Sary!

Senegal owner... actually owned myself! At 9 months they're in a delightful stage called 'Weanling.' Don't hold his beak. He beaks because he has one. He's at the stage in life where he doesn't know his own strength.

Regarding your skin - earlobes, knuckles, lips, etc. Rather than say NO, say SKIN (in the same tone as NO). Combine it with the shoulder/hand tremor (minor up/down shake to catch off balance but not make him fall). Though, regarding your lip - do so only when he's not attached. Also, when you use your lips, say Kiss before you do so. He will soon learn to 'kiss.'

The reason the SKIN word works is that it's a lifetime command. Get him used to it now. When he's just cuddling or beaking you nicely (and beaking is natural), compliment him. You can control the beak.

As for jewelry/fancy hair gadgets - this is a no-win situation. Don't wear them around your fid. It's actually an exercise in futility and it's not trainable.

Also, don't let him near wood items, blinds, wires, etc that he can't chew on. You need to adapt the mentality that you have a toddler with a can opener attached to his face. Again, this is untrainable.

There is no such thing that they can discern between 'good' wood and 'bad' wood. Wood is wood. It's up to you to remove the 'bad' wood (eg, your expensive ones). The same goes for metal. Your silver chain looks exactly like the chains hanging some of his toys. Your fid cannot decipher the difference. (And, you will run into other trouble trying to make them do so.)

I'm sorry if I'm not more sympathetic but the things you are complaining about come into the category of don't expose in the first place. Fids naturally chew. My Senegal peacefully co-exists in the same room with 3 valuable antique tables. The reason, he doesn't have access to them. I keep his wings trimmed and he has the full run over his area.

My advice is to use the Skin command (to shake him into going gently and reward him when he is gentle) and to not put things that you don't want him to chew within the path of his beak. He shouldn't have the run of the place.

Essentially, your ideal is to always put your fid in a place where you don't need to correct behavior. Regarding skin, they need to learn a 'good' beak from a nip (though keep in mind, not all bites are bad bites). However, with wood, metals, and wires - you're fighting a losing battle. They need wood and climb on things that look like metals and wires. Place only the things they can chew on within their beak reach and remove the rest.

One thing - are his wings clipped? If not, they should be - and take him to a vet/experienced groomer to do so.