Biting is out of control, need advice.

[Snowghost]

I have tried everything with Paco and stepping up on my hand. We do well and then he chomps again. Yesterday I needed to leave for a job interview and I think he senses my stress. I have been giving him a peanut, can't bite with a mouthful.

I think he got confused and tried to step up on the peanut, LOL. Well he got on my arm, placed him on his perch no problem. He promptly turned around and grabbed my hand and then he twisted his beak and I got a real nice bite now.

My arm is bruised from the last bite. I'm at the point that I'm scared to pick him up due to his biting. I talked to his previous owner and she said he never bit her.

I did an experiment last night and placed my hand on top of his cage, yep he came running across the top to attack. I firmly said no and he backed off.

How can I gain his confidence and stop the biting? I feel like its 2 steps forward and then 5 steps back.

I did make changes, he drinks out of a water bowl now instead of that nasty bottle and he has a seed cup and goodie cup. He is out on top of his cage when I am home.

I know this is all new to him but it's been 9 months now. Not sure what to do at this point.

 

[Mizzely]

Can you get him to step up onto a perch?

 

[Snowghost]

I haven't tried that since he is so scared of everything. In the past he was left in his cage with little interaction. Why is he biting me when he didn't bite his previous owner. I must be doing something wrong.

 

[Mizzely]

In my opinion, finding the reason for the biting is a lot harder than avoiding them most of the time. My Hahns was totally bonded to be but HATED hands. I could not touch her at all with my hands. I could have her step up onto a rope perch (she was terrified of anything stick like) and that eliminated the issue.

 

[Barbara2]

Just a thought, maybe they just did not interact with him that much. He never had the chance to bite them. Sounds like you are giving him a good home, I do not think you are doing anything wrong.

 

[Love My Zons]

Sorry to hear this. Is he maybe protecting his cage and that is triggering this behavior?

 

[Snowghost]

@Love My Zons I was thinking the same thing. I did just have him step up from the top of his cage and no problem. If he is on the door is when he chomps. Interesting...Now what do I do? LOL

I did teach him to scootch over when I reached in his cage to get his cups, I bribe him with a treat. Maybe I need to go back to doing that. This guy sure keeps me busy. My life would be so empty without him.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

Could be hormones coming in to play too. Its goods you can bride him, I would use that to get him to go back in his cage. Personally I would give him his space right now and interact with him in ways that doesn't involve touching. You also might try to desensitize him to using a stick to step up on as it could come in handy in the future.

 

[Snowghost]

I will continue to work with him. I'm sure moving to a new house and he is in a different room and his previous owner had him for 6 years. She did tell me that he didn't like one of the men that he used to live with. I don't know how he was treated but I do know his cage was filthy. Took me 3 days to get the gunk off of it and there was 6 inches of shredded soiled paper in his cage. Poor Paco even smelled. So that's another new thing for him, I clean his cage at least 2 times a day if not more.

He isn't used to someone being in his space and I have to respect that. I always tell him,"dirty birdie, lets get cleaned up" and any time I vacuum near him.

Just posting here really helps. We have made great strides in his diet, he is clean and I think he even gained a little weight. He was so scruffy when I first got him. He gets a shower every Saturday and he has even started to lift his wings for the spray.

I know it will take time. It just gets' frustrating and man does my hand hurt!

 

[JLcribber]

This is a real solution. If you keep putting your meat in target range of the beak. Nothing will change because it works for the bird. You must normalize “not biting” first.

Pictures - The T stick.

If you have a large aggressive parrot (Amazon, Macaw, Cockatoo) such as a rescue/rehome you know fair well how dangerous that creature can be. A happy healthy confident hormonal large parrot is another formidable foe. Handling them becomes a tricky ordeal because they are physically dangerous...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

That's great to hear how much progress you've made with him. And I understand how frustrating it can be when things seem to be sliding backwards. But missteps happen sometimes, what's important is you have dedication and patience with him. And it really sounds like you do!! He's lucky he has you.

Echo and I had rocky start but we were able work through it. We have such a good relationship now but it took years get there. A T stick is a great option to have. Since it sounds like he's afraid of new objects you'll have go slowly with it. Perhaps look in target training and slowly introduce that way.

 

[Snowghost]

Target training? What is that? I've tried You Tube but they waste so much time talking and I haven't found any helpful.

He is terrified of a stick, I took down my other birds T stand and when I went to put it under his cage he almost fell off the top in terror, so I don't think a stick will work and probably set us back.

 

[Love My Zons]

I would suggest a neutral zone play area. An area near to the cage, but far away that it's a fun place and not the home place.

Matthas several types that can give you an idea. Sometimes a bird needs to develop their independent routine, time to snack, nap, forage and play away from the sleepy spot known as home.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

Basically you just teach an animal to touch a target and when reward them for doing so. Here's a of a beaver target training. To give you a better idea

I know it can seem counterintuitive but learning how you desensitize him from certain objects that scare can help form a good bond. The key is you want go slowly. Show him there's nothing to be afraid of by interacting with the T stand yourself and showing your other bird using it too. If it freaked him out too much when it under his cage, put somewhere he can see it but comfort distance away from him. And slowy move it towards him over of several days. Let him be your guide as to how much you can move it. People often have introduced new toys or harnesses to skittish birds this way.

I was thinking you could use target training to help desensitize him to T stick. You want to let him set the pace. Slowly push his boundaries of what's hes comfortable with.

 

[Hawk12237]

I haven't tried that since he is so scared of everything. In the past he was left in his cage with little interaction. Why is he biting me when he didn't bite his previous owner. I must be doing something wrong.

This might sound a bit off the wall, but some birds actually have a hand preference. Example...my grey will not step up on my right hand... I get nipped every time. I offer my left hand to step up on, he'll step up every time. My zon was same way. Just a thought.

 

[Monica]

Since you aren't sure about training, here's some additional information! No need to hunt for it!

Free Training Resources

Someone recently told me that there was only one trainer on the internet that had free training advice. This is, quite simply, false. This “trainer” they spoke of is an amateur that has taken advice from salesmen who market themselves as bird trainers. Not to say that they don't enjoy helping...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Snowghost]

UPDATE! After some observation I realized he does not bite me if I ask him to step up if he is on TOP of his cage. I talked to his previous owner yesterday and she said that's the only way she asked him to step up. (what is with the door that he wants to bite me?)

I have also noticed he does not like my hand touching the top of the cage. He comes running across the top to bite.

Do I just calmly leave it there and talk to him?

 

[Snowghost]

@Monica, thank you so much. I'm reading it now. You know he nibbles warm oatmeal off my fingers, and I can hand feed him. But stick that arm out when he is on the door, look out. I also taught him to scootch over so I can reach in and get his food cups. I first used a treat now he scoots sideways without the treat. My room mate was amazed, I keep telling him birds are smart but he doesn't believe me... LOL

 

[Monica]

Leaving your hand there on top of the cage could be encouraging him biting... unless you train him and desensitize him to your hand being there. This can be where target training and station training comes in handy!

 

[Snowghost]

I have a very small room, with a bed, one dresser, his cage and a fish tank. There really isn't any place to make a training station. I read the article about target training by Lara Joseph, he is terrified of sticks. I guess I'll google desensitizing?