-
Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here
I have a question...
- Thread starter BindiWW
- Start date
Yes it is possible.. 
Patience is the key... Kiwi learned to be gentle with her beak by watching Baylee interacting with me.
Mizzely
Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Cutest Bird Ever!!!
Can a dog learn to play without biting?
Can a cat learn to play without claws?
They definitely can learn. You just need to guide them. I taught Koopa by putting her down immediately, giving her a dirty look and turning my back on her. She understood that as, "I don't like it when you do that." So she learned. Now if she bites it's because she means it!
Can a cat learn to play without claws?
They definitely can learn. You just need to guide them. I taught Koopa by putting her down immediately, giving her a dirty look and turning my back on her. She understood that as, "I don't like it when you do that." So she learned. Now if she bites it's because she means it!
ncGreyBirdLady
They call Me crazy like its a bad thing!
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
A bird has to know its own beak strength,I have always said EASY when beak pressure was a bit much-! It is easier when they are babies but even My 20 something year old,s respond to the Easy(in a nice Mommy Voice)
Jenphilly
Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Depending on the bird you have will depend on how you teach it. A parakeet is one thing, but larger birds that have a beak you can grab and play with is actually fairly easy. Its more about teaching beak pressure and what is okay, that does mean in the process you may get a few pressure bites. But we do what I call beak wrestling with birds from our sun conure who is not quite a year to my bare eye cockatoo and even Max, the blue and gold macaw.
With the sun its wrestling all around with him being so young, he is very playful and loves to wrestle and play tough. I'll grab his beak, then he'll either grab a finger with his beak or his foot. If he bites too hard, I pull my hand away and verbally tell him no and then the process just repeats over and over. My daughter started this with him from the moment he came home at about 10 weeks of age maybe, so he's always been taught he can play with his beak, but not hard.
Ivory, my bare eye girl, reacts to sounds alot, so with her I not only say no, but usually let out a bite of a yelp or ouch, enough that she lets go and she is such a sweet girl she immediately starts asking for kisses. But I also play with her beak and tell her no when she's getting too much pressure.
The big boy, I don't wrestle with him so much, I'll grab his beak and play with it but I have taught him that fingers in the beak are a no no. That's just me and my decision, others will let their macaw preen or groom fingers, Max can be iffy with other people, he came home at 25, so no matter how wonderful he is with me, there is always a worry he might go too far with another person. So, I opted for no beak on skin period. And he learned that in no time. He does still love to run up when he is on the floor and grab my toes, no clue what the bird toe fetish thing is!! But, I have taught him that he can tickle with his beak, he now will take his beak tip and kinda drag it lightly across the bottom of your foot if you are sitting with your feet propped up and he sneaks up on you.
The biggest thing teaching a bird anything is consistency and repetition. Birds are truly brilliant and they learn no and what is appropriate, but you also want to reward and praise them when they play nice or are good babies.
Good luck and I hope to hear you are having fun playing with your bird and the beak pressure is not an issue!!!
With the sun its wrestling all around with him being so young, he is very playful and loves to wrestle and play tough. I'll grab his beak, then he'll either grab a finger with his beak or his foot. If he bites too hard, I pull my hand away and verbally tell him no and then the process just repeats over and over. My daughter started this with him from the moment he came home at about 10 weeks of age maybe, so he's always been taught he can play with his beak, but not hard.
Ivory, my bare eye girl, reacts to sounds alot, so with her I not only say no, but usually let out a bite of a yelp or ouch, enough that she lets go and she is such a sweet girl she immediately starts asking for kisses. But I also play with her beak and tell her no when she's getting too much pressure.
The big boy, I don't wrestle with him so much, I'll grab his beak and play with it but I have taught him that fingers in the beak are a no no. That's just me and my decision, others will let their macaw preen or groom fingers, Max can be iffy with other people, he came home at 25, so no matter how wonderful he is with me, there is always a worry he might go too far with another person. So, I opted for no beak on skin period. And he learned that in no time. He does still love to run up when he is on the floor and grab my toes, no clue what the bird toe fetish thing is!! But, I have taught him that he can tickle with his beak, he now will take his beak tip and kinda drag it lightly across the bottom of your foot if you are sitting with your feet propped up and he sneaks up on you.
The biggest thing teaching a bird anything is consistency and repetition. Birds are truly brilliant and they learn no and what is appropriate, but you also want to reward and praise them when they play nice or are good babies.
Good luck and I hope to hear you are having fun playing with your bird and the beak pressure is not an issue!!!
thekarens
Jogging around the block
- Joined
- 2/3/14
- Messages
- 637
- Real Name
- Karen
Macs unlike say my sennies use their beak like a hand. Asking a mac not to use their beak is like asking a person not to use their hand. It can be done, but it's not easy or natural for them. I'd say bite pressure training is pi m fairly easy. With Zoe I tell her "gentle" when she uses too much pressure and she caught on pretty quickly. I also beak wrestle with her, but gently. I never get too rough with her.
The sennies on the other hand, I think they can be trained not to bite, but I don't think I can train them to bite pressure train. I don't consider grooming to be the same thing as bite pressure training. I think it's natural for all birds to groom their human.
The sennies on the other hand, I think they can be trained not to bite, but I don't think I can train them to bite pressure train. I don't consider grooming to be the same thing as bite pressure training. I think it's natural for all birds to groom their human.
