I think I've lost a pint of blood since I got this ringneck.

[LittleBirdAirlines]

I adore birds. My friend knows this. He didn't have time for his bird because of school and the dogs his mother got, so he asked if I wanted her. I gladly said yes. I was very excited. But there is one problem...

This bird does nothing but bite. She will get on your fingers when she wants ONLY and sometimes will nip the finger she stands on. I have had to towel her a few times just to get her back into her cage. She is afraid of perches, will fly away. But she will bite the crud out of your fingers. She stands on my keyboard and bites my fingers when she feels.

Did I mention screaming? Nothing but screaming. All the time.

This isn't bluffing, it's not play biting, it's not her not knowing her own strength, it's me bleeding and her chewing on me until I do so. I've tried to work with her, I know methods, but it's been weeks and no progress has been made. The only time she will let you pet her is when she gets excited, her eyes dilate like Ringnecks do, and she does soft chirping. But as soon as she comes out of that state you better move your hand.

What can I do? I love this bird, I don't want to rehome her yet again. But I don't want to keep her in the cage either. If anyone can give me tips or something I'd love it. I've always wanted to work in bird rehabilitation, but this bird just downright scares me sometimes.

I suppose I'm more used to parrots and larger birds.

Can anyone help?

I need my fingers.

 

[Juhi882]

I can totally understand how that feels
my chhotu is exactly the same but she never was like this she was once a sweetest bird one can ever know.
there was a time when i used to bragg about her how she never bites! if i were giving her scritches and hit a wrong spot she would just growl and hold my finger gently in her beak and push it away!
i know sounds unbelievable but this was my Chhotu once
but now she's a monster!

The only time she will let you pet her is when she gets excited, her eyes dilate like Ringnecks do, and she does soft chirping. But as soon as she comes out of that state you better move your hand.

THAT is my chhotu!
but i now i know the reason behind this, its because she's getting hormonal!
is your bird male or female?
see for signs if your ringneck is getting hormonal
i don't know how i can help you with this but just thought i'd share this with you
i myself am dealing with this issue
oh and BTW she is a totally different bird with my husband
She NEVER bites him!! i mean she used to bite him but not anymore!! i think she loves him, infact both my birds love him more than they love me

 

[waterfaller1]

How about working with getting her/him to step up, and be moved to a playstand for out of cage time with a perch/stick? Sorry you are having problems.

 

[Archiesmom]

Maybe just getting her acclimated to a perch or a T stand or something, by having it around and giving her treats even for looking at it....you have to save your fingers!
Sounds like she is getting hormonal, like Juhi said.

 

[CeddysMum]

Also, have you tried her stepping up to a covered (e.g. thick jumper sleeve) forearm rather than finger? Maybe she's scared of fingers/hands like many parrots are and would prefer that.

Ceddy still doesn't like to step up on my hand. I'm lucky she's a gentle girl and just pushes the finger away and doesn't bite but she makes it clear she still does NOT want to step up on my finger. She steps up beautifully on my forearm(s), especially when they're covered.

And maybe have a look at clicker training in the training section. It has helped me greatly with gaining her trust and stepping up, especially onto a T-perch.

 

[JLcribber]

"Weeks" is not a very long time to change any kind of behavior that is ingrained. It can/will take much longer. A bird can not chew the buttons off the remote if the remote is not there. That's called changing the "antecedent".

Stop using your fingers and hands to handle this bird. Biting is a self reinforcing behavior and every time he bites the behavior is being rewarded. AVOID THOSE BITES at all costs in the way you handle him.

The same basically goes for the screaming. Something you are doing is reinforcing the screaming. You must ignore all screaming 100%. Even giving eye contact is rewarding the screaming. You need to pretend that it is not even happening. The bird is going to try harder and harder and harder to get that reward before it finally extinguishes because you are no longer rewarding it.

If you want to be a rehabber the first things your going to need is endless, undying patience. Then your going to have to educate yourself and truly understand bird behavior and start to look at things from the birds point of view. This means being very good at reading body language and more importantly "presenting" proper body language. Always calm and confident and "acting" like another bird would.

This sticky will help you get started in that direction.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/train...unicating-your-highly-intelligent-parrot.html

This article will help you understand all types of bird behavior.

Understanding/Treating Behavior Problems in Imprinted Birds
Michael Doolen, DVM

These articles will help you understand the aspects of screaming.

Sam Foster. Vocalizations 1
Sam Foster. Vocalizations 2
Sam Foster. Vocalizations 3

Screaming 101

I've always wanted to work in bird rehabilitation, but this bird just downright scares me sometimes.

This is exactly what you will be dealing with on a daily basis if you want to be a rehabber so this is the perfect case to get your feet wet on.

Does this "bird" have a name???

 

[lamagdalena]

i also agree weeks is nothing in parrot time.

also when ringnecks dilate their eyes, it almost always means they are either super mad or super excited/hormonal.

if she is hormonal you petting her is actually reinforcing it and leaving her even more ••••ed off than before when she sees you are giving her mixed signals. (petting her but not mating)
also if she by any chance sees you as a mate, that might be one of the reasons she bites you so much. just a thought.

when you have her on your finger, and she begins biting you, wiggle your hand a little bit. gently. this will force her to balance and she should stop the biting. I did this with an alexandrine once that would bite my finger sooo viciously when he was perched on it. it worked.

 

[dolldid]

im betting hormones only because im right in them with mango id say leave her alone stop petting her and ride it out , mango will be caged bound till he rides this out as he attackes me when out , i refuse to even put hand in cage right now hes fast
good luck hun dont rush things go slow

 

[LittleBirdAirlines]

Juhi882 - My ringneck is female. I never thought about the fact she might be hormonal! Maybe she is. Bird PMS But I'm SO glad I'm not the only one.

As for the perch ideas, I've tried to get her to step up, I'm still working on that daily, but she is "afraid" of the perch. She flies away and backs up like it's something scary when it comes near her. I know enough to not be fast, to not put it above her or make her feel like she's being cornered or anything. But she just flies away and screaches like it's going to hurt her. But I'm still trying. I think clicker training will be better too. Plus I know hat treats she likes

JLcribber - I know about the screaming part, and I can assure you I'm not doing a think to encourage her. No eye contact, nothing. I ignore it until it goes away... for the 5 seconds it does, then she starts. No one in this house has encouraged her either.

I've rebahhed a few birds, like 3, I'm good at reading THEIR body language, thinking like them, but they were large parrots. Not a tiny parakeet. I've never seen a Ringneck IRL before this one, so the only thing stopping me from doing this properly is my ownconfidence thinking she's different, which I doubt she is much.

"Bird"s name is Blue. Blue bird named Blue. The friend I got her from wasn't too creative. XD This is a good opportunity though, you're right, to seriously start.

lamagdalena - When she dialates her eyes, she is excited, I know this. She only does it when she gets near a phone or something that beeps. Because it's a shiney toy to her. When you pet a bird, you don't pet their backs, I learned this after my conure started laying egg after egg and realized it was my fault for that and for keeping her up at night. When Blue starts getting all playful I pet her head or give her a quick scratch under her wings. Thw finger wiggle trick sounds good though!

Thanks for the help, and thanks for the links J! I'm going to check them out and give Blue a better set up, and go find a perch that she likes, not a giant tree branch looking one (the only ones that were given to me by the previous owners). Maybe a clicker. Hmmm

 

[lamagdalena]

Juhi882 - My ringneck is female. I never thought about the fact she might be hormonal! Maybe she is. Bird PMS But I'm SO glad I'm not the only one.

As for the perch ideas, I've tried to get her to step up, I'm still working on that daily, but she is "afraid" of the perch. She flies away and backs up like it's something scary when it comes near her. I know enough to not be fast, to not put it above her or make her feel like she's being cornered or anything. But she just flies away and screaches like it's going to hurt her. But I'm still trying. I think clicker training will be better too. Plus I know hat treats she likes

JLcribber - I know about the screaming part, and I can assure you I'm not doing a think to encourage her. No eye contact, nothing. I ignore it until it goes away... for the 5 seconds it does, then she starts. No one in this house has encouraged her either.

I've rebahhed a few birds, like 3, I'm good at reading THEIR body language, thinking like them, but they were large parrots. Not a tiny parakeet. I've never seen a Ringneck IRL before this one, so the only thing stopping me from doing this properly is my ownconfidence thinking she's different, which I doubt she is much.

"Bird"s name is Blue. Blue bird named Blue. The friend I got her from wasn't too creative. XD This is a good opportunity though, you're right, to seriously start.

lamagdalena - When she dialates her eyes, she is excited, I know this. She only does it when she gets near a phone or something that beeps. Because it's a shiney toy to her. When you pet a bird, you don't pet their backs, I learned this after my conure started laying egg after egg and realized it was my fault for that and for keeping her up at night. When Blue starts getting all playful I pet her head or give her a quick scratch under her wings. Thw finger wiggle trick sounds good though!

Thanks for the help, and thanks for the links J! I'm going to check them out and give Blue a better set up, and go find a perch that she likes, not a giant tree branch looking one (the only ones that were given to me by the previous owners). Maybe a clicker. Hmmm

i think she might be hormonal because usually all ringnecks avoid/hate being touched, and if you are able to pet her on her head and under her wings, it sounds like she likes you.

I can't pet my guys at all. They hate it. and it mostly comes from the fact their feathers are so close to their bodies, its uncomfortable for them to be petted or scritched like we can do with other species.

good luck and dont give up hope!

 

[Theresa]

She is afraid of perches, will fly away. But she will bite the crud out of your fingers.

I need my fingers.

My friend got a new GCC a while back, and she was a bit unpredictable. She tried sticks and perches but she was afraid of them. When she brought her over to have me help her do her nails. I decided to try something other than a stick. I used a bird ladder sideways, it took a few tries but it worked

Good luck and sorry about your fingers