Lovebird biting

[TikiMyn]

hi everyone!

Last week a I brought a second male lovebird home. He is probably about 6 months old and his previous owners Clipped him, so I hope he Will molt soon, and we have made Great progress with training. I train force free and with positive reinforcement. I have been giving him treats, have target trained him and let him Come to me. However, he sometimes Climbs onto me. I reinforce that of course. But when he Climbs onto my arm or shoulder, he bites my skin. Not agressivly, sometimes he nibbles before he actually bites. Sometimes he actually comes to my hand just to bite it. I think it really is curiosity, but how do I tell him that nibbling is okay but biting is not? I can not really put him down as I have not trained him to do so yet, I can bribe him but then he will not really understand that he won't get any attention if he bites Will he?
Thanks for Reading this far!

 

[LunaLovebird]

Have you got him stick trained yet? You might have to wear long shirts or restrict arm or hand access for a time while he gets used to his new home a bit more. One week is no time at all, so it's possible he's just acting out due to fear or unfamiliarity. I currently have to keep a stick on me at all times for my hen lovie, who has taken to being randomly aggressive with me and the rest of the house since she laid her first clutch some months back. She doesn't get much shoulder time any more, and I have to get her to step up onto a stick whenever I think she's getting too close to my neck (I have a lot of sores on my neck and hands, haha).

 

[TikiMyn]

Thank you! A very good idea, he mostly steps up onto a branch I use to take him to the bathroom for a shower if he wants so that could work. I was not really planning on training him to step up yet anyway, cause like you said he only just moved in, but if he Climbs on me I don't really know what to do I think I Will try distracting him with a Treat, or of course target him away! I Forgot about that, but I think that might work! I hope like you said that this problem Will decrease a lot once he trusts me and my hands, and until then I Will work with a stick and target.

 

[LunaLovebird]

Redirection is a great idea. I used to clip toys on my shirt or have a finger trap at the ready for exactly that. Worked a lot better when Luna was a baby, not so much now. Anakin is just happy to be hanging out, and only beaks me (very gently) to let me know he'd like a sunflower seed.