You can look at birdtrick.com/store
They teach you a great method to overcome biting.
Sometimes scratches are not seen as rewarding but annoying.
So how can you solve this?
Requirements:
- A clicker (not necessary, but highly recommended)
- Treats (that are easy to consume and not super large for them)
- Yourself
- Your bird
- Is your bird completely aggressive to you? Does she lunge at you if you are at the other side of the room? Then the reward will be you leaving her alone.
- If she can step up and you want to pet him then the reward will be treats and praise.
1.
So if it is the first case then do as followed.
Get to roughly the distance before she starts to react to you. So get to the edge when she starts to react slightly, stay there.
Wait till she has calmed down.
Then click and leave.
Do this until you have closed the distance to the cage.
Apply this method by bringing your hand closer to the cage, each time she starts to show signs, moving around, swaying their head. Wait there until she has calmed down, click and go away. Do this until you can open the cage without her showing any discontent or reaction to you.
If you fear a bite yet then get a perching stick and slowly bring it closer. Using the same method above.
If she is comfortable with the stick being the distance needed to step up.
Then the next step is introducing a treat.
Get a treat and initially position the treat behind the perching stick so that the bird needs to move his body a bit to the front to get the treat. The trick here is is to take it slowly and not getting your bird freaked out. Then eventually when she steps up say step up and if she gets on the stick click and reward. And put her back.
Reinforce this a couple of times and associate the stick with being stepped upon.
This stick will come handy if you need a bird to step up and she is hormonal or nippy. You can avoid a bite this way.
The trick is not to force but gently encourage it with positive reinforcement.
Eventually you can bring her out of the cage with the stick. You want to place her on her cage or somewhere she trusts.
Let her stay there, enjoy herself. Give her treats occassionally, win her trust.
Now keep reinforcing good behaviour and the key is not to force.
This is how you tame a bird.
Eventually you can replace stick with your hand and repeat the process.
Of course sessions must not be rushed. A few times a day is okay.
If she is okay with you stepping up and she trust you but she does not like being pet.
Then what you can do is apply the same method but with treats and a clicker.
Now what you want to do is bring your hand closer to her head or back wherever you want to pet her. until she starts showing signs of discomfort, fluffing up, raising neck feathers, swaying back and foreward, directing her beak towards you.
get into her discomfort a bit, don't rush, wait till she calms down, click and give a reward. Move closer step by step.
Eventually put your hand on her head or back. By repeating the same process.
You can then increase the duration and pet. Then give a reward and stop.
By using this method you can also put your hand on her back and put her on her back on your hand ofc. Step by step
Sorry for the long post.