New GCC. What counts as a bite vs a nip?

[BrianB]

I had to remind my GCC to be gentle when she's using her beak as leverage to move from her perch to my hand. She likes to hang upside down so it's not always a simple matter of getting her to step to my hand or finger. Using that beak can hurt sometimes, but she figured it out. I don't consider that a bite, but it's worthwhile to remind your little one to be gentle any time they touch you with their beak. Constant reinforcement of manners, just like you would do to your own child.

 

[Monica]

now he trusts me enough to try what I'm eating and let's us stroke his whole head and back.

Stroking on the back could be taken as sexual behavior - something we want to avoid.


I agree with the others. Many birds learn to bite because humans are too dense to want to learn to read their bird's body language or they just ignore it. If you back off before a bite occurs, you can learn to avoid many bites. This would result in happier bird, happier you.

 

[Hotpockets]

Thanks, I've read that. At this point I'm just trying to condition him to let me handle him because he's still hand-shy. I don't want him to be traumatized if I ever have to pick him up bodily. He's steadily getting more comfortable with me but I'm working on getting him to see that hands around his body are okay. If you have any tips for that, that would be great.

 

[Monica]

Treats! And lots of them! This could be millet, sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruit, etc. Whatever he *really* likes! (his decision!) And use that to teach him to become comfortable with hands!

 

[Ericmu17]

I dont know if Im the only one who uses this method.....but my conure has to earn my love. If hes a bum he gets ignored, if he a sweet burd he gets food and pets. Havent been bitten in a year. Also you can tell how they feel through their beaking. If he pissed he bites and it hurts. If he wants attention he'll nip and its annoying. If he feels threatened hell draw blood.

 

[Lesley Yeung]

@Hotpockets

I am not fiegiving either. And I have a lot of experience with dogs and demand discipline. Bird bites because he can. He thinks he is very tough. Only I am mostly inviolate.

 

[Sand]

Just fyi, my tiny budgies tore HOLES in the screens, trying to escape i guess. Don't leave them unattended near a screen or they can get out and you might never see your bird again. Lucky for me I saw the birds doing that and I was able to avoid disaster.

 

[Shinobi]

A bite bleeds. A nip doesn't.

and a really hard bite removes skin and flesh.

 

[Hotpockets]

Just fyi, my tiny budgies tore HOLES in the screens, trying to escape i guess. Don't leave them unattended near a screen or they can get out and you might never see your bird again. Lucky for me I saw the birds doing that and I was able to avoid disaster.

Roy only gets to sit on a stainless steel screen, like the kind you get for security doors, but that's good info nonetheless! I would like to attach something for him to sit on but the location makes it difficult. He has couple of playstands elsewhere .

 

[Sand]

In recessed windows i have a spring curtain rod, just for my conure to sit on. And sometimes I take a ladder and just lay it flat so that he can hang on to the rungs. If you worry about the ladder hooks they just unscrew right out of the ladder