julietta
Moving in
- Joined
- 9/11/17
- Messages
- 7
- Real Name
- Julietta
Hi there!
I am desperate for help with a baby Alexandrine I have adopted. I have had Kiwi for just over 4 weeks now. She is incredibly smart, and it took no time at all to target train her. (I say "she" but won't know until she is older. She is approximately 5 months old). She has learned that when she needs help or wants something, a small squawk is all it takes to get me to come over. She hangs out in our livingroom with our IRN and 3 budgies. We leave the cages open, and we only put them in the cages when it is time to "go to bed". She steps up fairly reliably, and occasionally likes to hang out on my head or shoulder.
But she BITES. I don't mean a nip either. I mean draws blood. I don't offer her my fingers to stand up on anymore, just my fist. This has helped us both. But she does this odd thing where she will bite my hand (again, enough to break the skin), and then proceed to step up. It has also happened that after she steps off my hand, and I haven't immediately removed it, she starts attacking it.
I have read that these guys need plenty of toys to keep their beaks busy. We have all sorts of wood toys that she likes to shred, and she loves toilet paper rolls, and shredding plastic bottle caps. Her beak is kept very busy.
I had heard that if your bird is bonded to you, making a sound of pain and then immediately leaving can be enough to teach your bird not to bite. This didn't work for me. I had heard that when a bird bites you, you should try not to respond. I stood there while she tore into my hand. I now have a scar, and a bird that continues to bite. I have heard that every time the bird bites, you should calmly say "no", or what I did was say "ah ah", and wiggle your hand to throw them off balance. Again, no dice.
I never went through any of this with my IRN. I am set on keeping her, but this has been extremely painful and emotionally draining. What am I doing wrong?
Please help
I am desperate for help with a baby Alexandrine I have adopted. I have had Kiwi for just over 4 weeks now. She is incredibly smart, and it took no time at all to target train her. (I say "she" but won't know until she is older. She is approximately 5 months old). She has learned that when she needs help or wants something, a small squawk is all it takes to get me to come over. She hangs out in our livingroom with our IRN and 3 budgies. We leave the cages open, and we only put them in the cages when it is time to "go to bed". She steps up fairly reliably, and occasionally likes to hang out on my head or shoulder.
But she BITES. I don't mean a nip either. I mean draws blood. I don't offer her my fingers to stand up on anymore, just my fist. This has helped us both. But she does this odd thing where she will bite my hand (again, enough to break the skin), and then proceed to step up. It has also happened that after she steps off my hand, and I haven't immediately removed it, she starts attacking it.
I have read that these guys need plenty of toys to keep their beaks busy. We have all sorts of wood toys that she likes to shred, and she loves toilet paper rolls, and shredding plastic bottle caps. Her beak is kept very busy.
I had heard that if your bird is bonded to you, making a sound of pain and then immediately leaving can be enough to teach your bird not to bite. This didn't work for me. I had heard that when a bird bites you, you should try not to respond. I stood there while she tore into my hand. I now have a scar, and a bird that continues to bite. I have heard that every time the bird bites, you should calmly say "no", or what I did was say "ah ah", and wiggle your hand to throw them off balance. Again, no dice.
I never went through any of this with my IRN. I am set on keeping her, but this has been extremely painful and emotionally draining. What am I doing wrong?
Please help
