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Older green cheek biting HELP!

Alyssa M.

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Hello, I'm not new to owning birds (have experience with budgies, lovebirds, and cockatiels) but I'm stumped. I recently had the opportunity to adopt an older cinnamon green cheek conure, not sure of the exact age but he's older than 5 I'm sure. The previous owner said he wasn't getting along with his ringneck so he needed a new home. I asked all the questions I could think of, age, health, behavior, diet, personality, and more. One major problem with this birdie though, he bites, HARD. I've tried a few training methods such as shaking my hand when he bites, putting him back in his cage, ignoring the bites, blowing on him gently, but nothing's working. I'm getting to the point where I'm scared to handle him. He doesn't step up and bites if I try to get him to. I'm at a loss, any advice tips would be greatly appreciated! Or would he be better off with a more patient, experienced bird owner? I think he was pretty closely bonded with his previous owner as well. Please help!
 

Sylvi_

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Glad you gave an older GCC a home! They can be pretty nippy, and there's quite a bit of power in that beak. So patience is needed with them. When he bites, you could try turning your hand a little off balance so it causes him to release you for sake of staying perched. This is of course if he's on your hand. If he won't step up, you may have to start the taming process over with him. Also, I find for my GCC, when she's getting nippy or as I say 'beaky', I lightly hold her beak with two fingers, not gripping just having them there softly and releasing. Not sure if this would help you at all, but it helps her tons. I'm guessing it helps redirect her, but this may only be for my girl. Good luck and I hope someone helps you!
 
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haleybethg

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How long have you had him? It sounds like this could all be adjustment biting & after some trust is built up, it will likely decrease. Maybe try giving him a little more space so he realizes you aren't a threat.

Ps - don't give up. My gcc was my first bird EVER and I wouldn't trade her for the whole world. It took a few weeks (and she was a baby bird) but now we are BFFs and the (real/hard) bites are few and far between. :)
 

webchirp

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I agree with Haley. And he may just really be upset if he was bonded with the previous owner. Poor guy. It will take time. I think first you need to work on training him to step up to a stick or perhaps rope. @Monica has some very good tips and written fabulously. Look for some of her posts.
 

Alyssa M.

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Thanks for all the tips! He's always interested in what I'm doing if I'm in the same room, he'll chirp at me and follow my every move. I've had him for about a week now, I've been giving him sunflowers as treats through the cage bars from time to time. He always acts like he wants out to be with me but when I try to get him out he bites and retreats. The first day I had him he would sit in my finger and step up perfectly, but the second day he was having absolutely none of it. I was quite surprised of the power behind that little beak lol. I've only ever had birds I'd gotten as babies from a breeder do older birds are a bit out of my comfort zone. The previous owner said before he had gotten him the poor bird had come from a rough home where he was in a small cage with no toys and hardly handled. Does anyone know if that'll effect how he interacts with me permanently? Also how do I start the 'step up' training with an older bird? All my other birdies knew how to do it when I got them, so I have know idea how to start. Thanks!
 

haleybethg

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Did the previous owner indicate any behavior problems prior to you taking the bird? He may be need more patience in trust and training, but I don't think his first home will permanently effect his behavior. I just rescued a blue crowned last month. I suspect he's well over 10+ yrs old. He still won't sit with me or let me pet him like he does for my husband, but he is making steady progress! But that also has meant I can't go letting MY expectations exceed HIS pace, otherwise we both get frustrated and nonproductive (and usually I end up bleeding and crying lol.)

For step up training, try YouTube. There are bookoos of step up training or target training (highly recommend) as targeting is how I get my blue crown in his cage withOUT having to touch him! Good for when you're scared to be bitten. I like the MandaandRio & Parrot Wizard on YouTube. Highly highly highly recommend Manda. She has a GCC and was one of the major sources of info for me before I got my GCC.
 

VictoriaVague

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How long have you had him? Got to persevere with the training and distractions from biting. It won't work straight off, but eventually will pay off. Pick a method and stick with it.
 

Jessie1285

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I have 2 gcc and one is a biter. Honestly, I think some of them just bite more often. Don't give up on him though. I'm not giving up on mine, but it's hard at times. He was from Petco so I don't blame him, who knows what he experienced in his first months. My other gcc is from a breeder and rarely bites and is incredibly sweet. We've been doing time outs for biting and it has helped some.
 

DancingLlama300

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Check out the thread "GCC recent biting - please help" on this same forum (Conure Court)
 

Laurah

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My male cinnamon conure is about 6yrs and I adopted him over a year ago. I'm his 3rd owner. His last home he was only used to breed. So it's been a challenge and I have no regrets. Love him to pieces..my female is 5, I bought her in a small, family owned pet store when she was 1yr and was handfed etc. she bites too, hard and screams out a high pitched beep to my bf. Sometimes until he gets home from work :-( but they can be a great joy too! My female taught my male to dance and talk :)
 

Monica

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"The only bite that can't be rewarded is the one that never occurs" - Barbara Heidenreich


@Alyssa M. - the best way to start step up training is to teach the bird to look at your hand. Reward that behavior. Then reward the bird for moving towards your hand. Then reward for touching your hand. Reward again for stepping up!

Birds in new environments are often scared and will not act how they would normally act.... so it may often appear as if a bird is well behaved when you first get them and then they revert. May be part of a survival instinct to be cautious about their environment before feeling comfortable enough to communicate with you. It's because of our lack of understanding about our birds that results in us getting bit, though!

BTW, I recommend avoiding "The Parrot Wizard" and "Bird Tricks" at all cost! There are some *great* trainers out there who have gone above and beyond to learn the science of behavior and work with animals in a force-free manner that doesn't put the animals, nor themselves, at risk! This includes Barbara Heidenreich, Lara Joseph, Susan Friedman, Hillary Hankey and many others!



@Jessie1285 - As I mentioned to Alyssa, bites are often because of our lack of understanding. Communication is a two way street, however when it comes to birds, it's typically a one way street... i.e. we expect the birds to do as we please and without consequences. The birds bite to say "I'm afraid", "I'm not comfortable", "Not right now", "I don't understand what you want", etc. They're trying to communicate with us and tell us to back up or slow down, but when we refuse to "listen" to these signals (eye pinning, beak open, wide stance, neck feathers ruffled, raised wings with spread tail and fluffed up body, etc) we get bit.

If you want better results then slow down! Take several steps back! Try to avoid getting bitten by learning to read your bird's body language and backing off before the bite. Then, try to figure out a different strategy to get the behavior that you want. Maybe give the bird a few minutes alone before requesting the behavior again. Work WITH the bird, not against them. :)


@Laurah - same advice as the other two!
 

Laurah

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Thanks for the advise. I never heard of "the parrot wizard"etc. I don't even believe in circus's(with animals)either.
 
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