"No" & "No biting"

[BlueAbyss]

So, Kai can be nippy sometimes. When taken out of her cage and is put down to play with some toys set down for her, I'm usually doing something else like doing some school work, and she comes charging and bites at the nearest body part. Well its not an aggressive bite as I know how it feels like, but its a bite like she wants attention. I tell her 'No' and 'No biting' and gently push her away and try to ignore her but she comes right back and does it again. I try the 'No' and 'No biting' until she seems to calm down then I give her attention.

Then other situations when I'm working on Harness training, I put the harness beside her so she can see that the harness is not a threat. She then tends to try to chew on it and I try to tell her 'No' but she doesn't seem to listen until I actually take the harness away. Then if she in a session where I'm gently draping the harness on her back she tries to chew on it and the saying 'No' still doesn't work.

I need help trying to reinforce 'No' and 'No biting' to where once I say it, its one warning and it stops. Help?

 

[BlueAbyss]

 

[theocnoob]

I've been trying the whole "No!" thing for years. It doesn't work. It almost seems like it encourages them.
People have suggested to me that I just put the bird down and turn away disdainfully and ignore him for awhile. I'm trying that these days. Not enough evidence one way or the other for me to say if it works or not.

Also with birds being the individuals they are, I think it's almost impossible for there to be a single answer to this question that would apply to all of them.

We're in the same boat you and I

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

Harness training is really tricky at times. I still have a bit of a problem with Echo chew on his. And getting it off can be really stressful. You might try giving him something he's allowed to chew on and telling him he's a good boy when chews on that and not his harness.

With biting I used a time out with Echo. I put him back in his cage and let him out once he calm down. Which usually took 5 -10 minutes. That would really well with him.

I hope this helped. Sorry I can't give much more advice. Best of luck with it

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I think saying anything after a bite is giving her the attention she wants, so you are reinforcing the bite. As far as the harness, well at lest she likes it and isn't afraid of it! Try distracting her with food. Maybe she will eat some millet while the harness is draped on her back. This would also help with the training I would think.

 

[Monica]

Sounds like "No" and "No Biting" are rather confusing... it should be one phrase instead of two.

Try to avoid situations that lead to a bite. If she bites when you put toys down for her to play with, then try setting up a play station a little further away from you so she can't as easily charge you. Or maybe try training sessions with her rather than having 'play time'. Many birds often get upset over pens, pencils, keys (keyboard), phones, cameras or even water bottles.



As far as the harness goes, if she's chewing on it inquisitively, that's good! Although you do want to eventually teach her not to chew on it. Saying that, my Charlie wears a harness. If we are inside or stationary, he chews on it. As long as we are moving, he usually ignores the harness. Not something that he was taught to wear, but it is easy to put a harness on him and to take it off. It is something we need to work on as well!

 

[Jottlebot]

Just thinking while I was reading this.... by saying "No/No biting" you are asking her to stop doing something, just thinking about my birds I'm not sure I have trained them to stop doing anything. How about rather than stopping the behaviour you trigger a new behaviour. I'm thinking something simple like "statues" or "Freeze!" (she just stands up still and straight) you could use clicker training to gradually "capture" this behaviour and however well she has bonded to you it would improve the relationship. Every time she runs at you for attention you could say "statue" (or something more fun!) and be ready to reward just with your attention if that's enough for her. You have a good understanding of why she bites, so a different trick would probably work well here.

Could help with the harness too, although I would suggest you start pushing/touching/physically interacting with her when she is a statue just by using your hands before you use the harness. So she can get used to keeping the posture with a bit of resistance.

If you haven't done and target/clicker training I would recommend you look into it anyway. It'll give you more options and keep her stimulated so it's a win win!

Sounds like you have some exciting opportunities ahead.

 

[JLcribber]

Saying "anything" after an event draws "attention" to it. This is a drama reward and something parrots "thrive" on. You are actually encouraging the behaviour to continue and even escalate.

The proper response to any undesired behaviour is to "withdraw" your attention. That's it. No scolding. No eye contact. Nothing. You put that bird down right where you are (not in the cage as punishment) and walk away for "just a moment". Then return and start over. What the bird "wants" is your attention. You take that away and that is what is effective. What you are doing now is "feeding" that attention.

You have conditioned your bird to this behaviour now so it's going to take a while and be harder to undo.

 

[macawpower58]

Why not put something on the harness for her to chew? I'm thinking those white shoe laces birds so love.

If mine still wore their harnesses, I'd let them chew to their heart's content!