Ouch, help!

[kitkat]

Hi all! So my sweet youngun, George, is suddenly biting really hard. He is two months old. He weaned about three weeks ago. He’s been super sweet until about 3 days ago. Now instead of sitting on my shoulder or cuddling up under my hair, he is biting my face, fingers, neck, whatever. Not love bites either. I didn’t think this sort of thing happened until year one or two. When he hurts me I try turning my head away or distracting him. When that doesn’t work I set him down away from me or in his cage. He always comes back for pets and then starts in again. I end up having to put him in his cage and close it. Am I doing something wrong? He still wants me and wants to be close but then hurts me. Could it be my lotion smell? It’s really early in our relationship and I want to nip this behavior before it gets too bad. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[CheckeredTail]

Ah man, this is complicated over all, it's hard to say what it might be, sometimes they just go through phases like this. I would try things (such as not using lotion for a day or two or changing/removing jewelry, etc.) but this could also just be a phase of testing boundaries ("how hard can I bite and what happens when I do?"), or it could be something about how you react that he's looking to make you do. Do you yell pretty loudly when he does it? Maybe he enjoy the fun noise. Do you give him a toy right after to distract him? Maybe he thinks it's a reward? Or that it's just a good way to get your attention. Those little guys just ALWAYS want attention and they hate when you're not looking at them. Could be that something is scaring him and he's trying to warn you, Curtis used to get super aggressive if we took him in the kitchen, he bit me on the nose and neck and hands trying to make me leave the "bad room" since he knew it was a room he wasn't supposed to go in.

My best advice is to have a decently thick dish towel on hand to scoop him up gently and safely and place him back into his cage when he gets aggressive. You try your best not to yell (though I know how hard that is, it hurts so much!) you scoop him in the towel so that he's only able to bite at the towel, then place him in his cage for about 5 minutes, in that time you ignore him, possibly even leave the room, and after about 4-5 minutes, when he's calmed down, you come back over and let him out. Repeat when necessary and be focused on showing praise and attention for good, happier/friendly behavior. Try to rewards him with scratches on his head or attention when he nibbles lightly for your attention rather than chomping down hard. Heap lots of love and sweet words on him when he's being a good boy or doing any behavior you like.

And beyond that I wanted to say, sometimes it's not even something YOU did wrong, sometimes parrotlets are just moody. It could be from itchy pin feathers, lack of sleep, or just a bad mood, but sometimes there would be months of a nice, sweet, little bird, and then out of the blue he would get very aggressive again. Try your best to ride it out and to forgive him. They can be little bullies sometimes.

 

[MauiWendy]

Get him off your shoulders for now. If he wants to hang out with you like to watch tv. Either put him on your knee or in your lap. Shoulders are off limits for a nippy bird. Parrotlets usually show clear signs they are gettting upset my something. Usually they tell you all about it by shaking their heads and having a hissy fit. Instead of putting him back in his cage, have a stand or a play area he can go to, but he is still out with you. I had a female for 3 years, she had a nippy stage when she was young, we got through it. I’d still have her if she could have come with us when we moved to Hawaii. P’lets a millet junkies, so try and distract him, millet, a toy, pine nuts. Have a plan each and every time you interact with him. Teach him lil tricks like to turn around on cue. But do it off a t stand or some perch other than your hands. Always reward for good behavior. I can’t think of anything else right now, but maybe I’ve given your somethings to think about.

 

[kitkat]

Thank you both! I’m not giving up, no worries there. I will try your suggestions and still hope it’s a short phase, lol. Glad you guys are here with this info. I’m a newbie, just trying to be a good momma.

 

[Cberry77]

I go through the same thing w Kiwi. With him,it's just him! He gets moody,or he just feels like being a fool.All u can do is act as if u don't care,and if he continues, time out. Kiwi just decides he will do what he wants. It's usually when he's been out a while and he thinks he shows me that he tolerates me acting like I'm in charge. U gotta love em!

 

[Gribouille]

I don't know if my method is good but when Twitter bites or exhibits unwanted behavior, I chase him off to the kitchen (where his cage is). If he comes back and continues I chase him again and close the curtain (mosquito net) hanging in place of the door. Then he is in "detention" and knows it... If I come to the kitchen he will come to me and be nice again, but he is often in detention for trying to bite the budgies and that, he will try again as soon as he is out of the kitchen so then it is straight back to the kitchen...
I really can't let him behave like that, he has already wounded both budgies and he also had a period where he was biting kids too, no way! Now he knows this is not allowed but he can't help it with the budgies. He keeps an eye on me though, and nearly flies to the kitchen by himself when he knows he has been a bad boy... Hopefully one day he will stop the biting completely..

 

[Cberry77]

I tell u we love our parrotlets to put w what they get in a mood .Ive raised 4 kids so I know it's just that indidual bird acting just like he wants.Mine Kiwi is so loving for hours,then all sudden Aaattackk.I scope him up an he goes to loving.Just like the 3 yr old he is.He was a rescue cuz of biting.Dont care just love him.