Biting ringneck

[Mantis64]

How to deal with a ringneck than let's you touch him on the head but is uncomfortable with hands and tries to bite them.

 

[hrafn]

Keep your hands to yourself. He's telling you in no uncertain terms that he doesn't want your hands in his space, which is a choice that he should be allowed to make. He may come to accept letting them near him in time, but it takes a lot of patience, and you can't push or he'll like them even less.

 

[finchly]

I agree with @hrafn. Have you started target training? That is a good way t o bond with your bird. It could also help him get over the fear of hands.

Be sure that he knows you are honoring his fear by not pushing your hands too close. Apologize if you accidentally do it.

You might try holding a treat on the flat palm of your hand and sit very still, do this daily and he might start to come to you for the treat.

 

[Mantis64]

I agree with @hrafn. Have you started target training? That is a good way t o bond with your bird. It could also help him get over the fear of hands.

Be sure that he knows you are honoring his fear by not pushing your hands too close. Apologize if you accidentally do it.

You might try holding a treat on the flat palm of your hand and sit very still, do this daily and he might start to come to you for the treat.

He takes treats from my hands he isnt scared of my hands as I can put them around him and stroke him but then sometimes he doesnt and tries to bite but I dont put my hands near him when he is like this, he is moulting currently as well.

 

[Mantis64]

No I haven't started target training.

 

[fashionfobie]

Cosmo is still a young IRN, isn't he? If you are noticing resistance when there wasn't any before it could be related to maturity. As Cosmo grows 'mother's touch' becomes unwanted. Parrots reject being babied because they are maturing into receptacle adult. In some species rejection can be more fiesty. Parrotlets for example have a phase of rejecting siblings, so sometimes for their species, even bird raised together can start fighting ruthlessly.

If Cosmo has situational hand fear it is likely something you are doing that he doesn't like. Consider your hand placement in relation to Cosmo's eyeline. Are you reaching from above down toward him? Reaching too quickly? Moving your hand in a different orientation palm up vs side ways vs palm down? Deeply consider how you are moving and try to understand how Cosmo is seeing it too.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mantis64]

Cosmo is still a young IRN, isn't he? If you are noticing resistance when there wasn't any before it could be related to maturity. As Cosmo grows 'mother's touch' becomes unwanted. Parrots reject being babied because they are maturing into receptacle adult. In some species rejection can be more fiesty. Parrotlets for example have a phase of rejecting siblings, so sometimes for their species, even bird raised together can start fighting ruthlessly.

If Cosmo has situational hand fear it is likely something you are doing that he doesn't like. Consider your hand placement in relation to Cosmo's eyeline. Are you reaching from above down toward him? Reaching too quickly? Moving your hand in a different orientation palm up vs side ways vs palm down? Deeply consider how you are moving and try to understand how Cosmo is seeing it too.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the advice I understand ringnecks most times dont like being touched.

 

[fashionfobie]

Idk if you follow Pi's thread. But you will see in the video of his flight he didn't take the treat from me when I handed it to him palm down. I was holding a camera and this caused me to move differently. When I turned my hand he instantly took the treat. I always feed him palm up.

Pi trusts me immensely: he sleeps on me, runs about my head and arms, calls to me and follows me everywhere. He still is suspicious if I do things differently.