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Chester is biting

Chester

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
2/25/18
Messages
16
Chester is a 2-3year old green cheek conure. We got him the end of Dec 2017. So we have had him for 2 full months but he already knew us since his previous owners were our brother and sister in law. He has always liked me and our kids. Lately he has been being very aggressive to me. My husband has befriended him recently. Wondering if this has anything to do with it??? Yesterday he latched on to my nose and this morning he bit my cheek. He is breaking the skin. My hands have sores all over. Very frusterated!! I want our home to be his forever home! I am just scared of him now. PLEASE HELP!
 

Lodah

Rollerblading along the road
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There are lots of reasons why our fids can become aggressive! Are you wearing anything different at all? Nail polish... clothing etc?

Bonding with another family member can also give you grief! :facepalm:
 

Chester

Sitting on the front steps
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I haven't been wearing anything different. A lot of the time I put on my robe. I have been doing that since we brought him home
 

finchly

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Glasses on or off?hair up or down? New perfume?

I have red nail polish right now, one of mine won’t let me pet him.
 

TikiMyn

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Can you pinpoint what happens right before and after a bite? Any certain times that it happens?(like dinner time, in the morning when he knows you have to leave etc.)
 

janicedyh

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Its constant work with Nelson. If he has to be in the cage for a long time he is extra nippy. He is very food motivated so having a seed for make him a tad more friendly. He is a sweetheart most of the time and then...bam, he gets somebody. I've read a lot about it but have come to the conclusion its a very individual thing. The best thing to do is trial and error and see what works for your bird. "Try" to avoid situations where you know he will be nippy. For example, at the end of the day when its time to go to bed I know he does not want to go into his cage so I get a seed and let him see it and tell him its time for night nght. He goes in readily, I give him the seed and he tells me "Nelson's a good boy". Too much stimulation makes him nippy, too little also makes him nippy. Of course the hormone things also makes him nippy. When he isn't, phrase him, give him a treat. Never ever think a bite can't happen no matter how sweet or good natured
 

Chester

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
2/25/18
Messages
16
Hair nails perfume clothes haven't changed. He likes bell peppers so I cubed one up and froze most of it. But told rest of family not to feed it to him. I hardly ever give him his treats because I wanted him to be nice the kids and they enjoy watching him eat different things. Got the pepper on Monday. He attacked my hand each time I gave the peppers to him until Tuesday evening. Now he is back to normal. Really hope we don't have to go through that on a regular basis. Really hurt my heart. It lasted about a week and a half. Seemed like a month.do you think it could have been my husband befriending him of hormones or just Chester being Chester. This site has been sooooo helpful to me. Thank you for all the articles in here!
 

Chester

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
2/25/18
Messages
16
To answer tikimyn. There isn't really anything that happens before. Alot of the times he attacked me he would come to me landing on my hands or shoulder. It wouldn't take him 1 minute to attack. Ever since we got him he has bit my hands but there is a difference between a bite and attack. He was taking chunks of skin. Not letting go. I did start putting him in his cage when he attacked for a time out. Like 20 or 30 min. My husband has been spending lots of time with him since they became friends.rubbing his belly and feet. I have read that can be sexually stimulating. Is this true. My husband has backed off a bit maybe that is why Chester is coming back around to me. Also I read about a woman taking showers with her bird in order to give medication. And the bird rejected its female bird mate. Husband has been taking Chester in the shower with him. Is that something that would change Chester view of me. Also wondering how to figure out who is who according to Chester in our flock of 6. Husband, wife, 3 teenage daughters and youngest is a boy. Husband has befriended Chester recently, wife Chester has always liked me but when I have my work days he seems to get angry, big sis was his favorite person ever she has no fear but he has been getting ornery with her lately,middle sis had to work to be friends then she was home recovering from surgery and they got along really well now she is back to school and he is being mean to her, lil sis Chester didn't like her at first but I think it was because she was afraid but now they are really good friends, lil brother is cheaters best friend I think. he does everything for lil bro first. All new tricks or behaviors. He does feel safe enough with everyone to roll over on his back. Hopfully this is good info not just rambling on.
 

Monica

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If bites are unpredictable, it may help to keep him caged and start working on target training through the cage bars. If you can't trust him to take treats nicely, you can drop them into a cup placed inside the cage for treats. Have the entire family work on target training in the same way. Once he's good at target training through the cage bars, then you can work on target training through the door, then around the outside of the cage and eventually away from the cage.
 
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