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Paco bit me! How to handle this situation

Hawk12237

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Hawk, I do love to read your posts about your adventures with your birds. I have to remind myself that Bugsy (White Front Amazon) was scared when I first got her 25 years ago, the poor thing was in a cage that was to small, she had no socialization with anyone, too terrified to come out of her cage. With love and patience she would fly to my shoulder and we would chatter all the time. I am certainly enjoying the journey getting to know Paco more and more each day.
Isn't it just great! Nothing like a bird flying to your shoulders and cuddling. Paco is a good name. Almost named my grey that believe it or not.
 

Snowghost

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Oh she didn't cuddle, she would take a peanut out of my mouth and that was all. She was wild caught and on a seed diet. I couldn't convert her. She was with me for 25 years. I adopted Paco from a friend, he came with his name.
 

Snowghost

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Well Paco and I have been together now for 6 weeks. He has decided he dosen't like his green veggies any more or peppers, red or yellow. If I hand them to him he will nibble and toss them....sigh, still loves fruit.

Had another incident of biting which was my fault I invaded his space and munched down, hard.

Had a third incident yesterday. I have finally coxed him out of his cage, his sits on the door. I really don't like it cause it's thin. Just happy he is out of the cage. Not sure if I mentioned it here, but I found out he was cage bound for 6 years.

We are talking more, whistling and today he bobbed his head to some music.

Yesterday he was out, and he always steps up. Well I was in a bit of a rush and said step up and put my arm out, he is sitting higher then I am. Well he got my finder I said ouch don't do that he went to step up and clamped down on my forearm. I just didn't do anything but say ah ah no, and put him on his perch. Wow that bird can BITE! I don't want this to become a problem. I feel like it was my fault.

I read over the posts and someone posted about distraction. He is now on his "perch" the door and I need to put him away. 1. I'm nervous I don't want to get bit. 2. Should I bribe him with an almond?

I look forward to all of your responses.

P.S. No more plucking, he has baby feathers coming in!
 

Clueless

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You need a T perch. You get scared to get bit and just use a stick to avoid the fear that the Parrots KNOW. I do that ALWAYS with Secret.

With MC I can read his body language, so I vary it.

Do you have something he can step on to get him in cage? If not, wrap a small towel around your forearm and put a long sleeve something (shirt or jacket) on that will go over it. Bird sees clothing, you have protection and it won't hurt as bad.

I still wear a sweat jacket on my arm for transferring MC. My safety blanket.
 

Snowghost

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I wish I could use a T stand or a perch, lordy he is terrified of that. When I first got him I had him in a different cage, it didnt seem to bother him, I had to clean his old cage it was a nightmare. He adapted well, back to his old cage, however he is afraid of the old toys he had. I leave them on top of his cage. I thought he would remember them. I waited for him to go after some nutri berries in his bowl before I left, I didn't want to push the issue of stepping up. I will make sure I have a long sleeve shirt on in the future. I just don't want to cause any bad habits , we have a long life together. Oh, I forgot to mention he is starting to reach for the top if my head when I clean his cage, no bite, but I don't think its a love tap either.
 

redindiaink

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Well I just said no firmly and he went into his cage and I closed the door and left the room. Was this ok?
Between the time the bird made it's way back into the cage and you leaving the room the bird probably won't associate your leaving as a consequence for biting. Too much time went by and if something else happened in the interim they could associate that with you leaving the room. It also runs the risk of turning being put into the cage into a negative experience. I'd try to bite my tongue and not say anything (I usually say "yeeouch!" because I can't contain myself) when I've pushed it too far because they let me know I crossed a line in the only way they know how to communicate it.
 

Snowghost

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Oh that.was from the second time he bit me. This time I was having him step up, not sure if he bit to grab onto "perch" which was my arm. I just grittted my teeth and said no no, Closed the door and said Im going to the store bye, bue, I love you. I want to keep a routine of when I leave.
 

MauiWendy

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Thank you all for your wonderful insight and information. I truly appreciate it, too funny a parront. Michael the first few nips I figure was just testing me out. I was wrong by invading his space. Interesting to know about the different views on letting a parrot sit higher then you.
Most of the time, birds will give clear signs or signals, in the form of body language, when they do not want to be touched or they don't like something. You can go to the web or youtube and look up this body language and use the information to read your bird. There are times when Keoki doesn't want to be touched, but always give him a cue and ask him before I just touch him. The only time I have been bit is when my daughter (who he doesn't like) was around and I put him on his back. He wasn't comfortable with her presence, and I put him in a vulnerable position. 100% my fault, and I was bit. I don't force him to do anything, and use treats to accomplish something fast, (ie. if i have to get him in his cage and he is being stubborn) i will use a couple of pine nuts (his fav) and he will do anything i want for it. Just go slow and keep working with him.
 

MauiWendy

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Well Paco and I have been together now for 6 weeks. He has decided he dosen't like his green veggies any more or peppers, red or yellow. If I hand them to him he will nibble and toss them....sigh, still loves fruit.

Had another incident of biting which was my fault I invaded his space and munched down, hard.

Had a third incident yesterday. I have finally coxed him out of his cage, his sits on the door. I really don't like it cause it's thin. Just happy he is out of the cage. Not sure if I mentioned it here, but I found out he was cage bound for 6 years.

We are talking more, whistling and today he bobbed his head to some music.

Yesterday he was out, and he always steps up. Well I was in a bit of a rush and said step up and put my arm out, he is sitting higher then I am. Well he got my finder I said ouch don't do that he went to step up and clamped down on my forearm. I just didn't do anything but say ah ah no, and put him on his perch. Wow that bird can BITE! I don't want this to become a problem. I feel like it was my fault.

I read over the posts and someone posted about distraction. He is now on his "perch" the door and I need to put him away. 1. I'm nervous I don't want to get bit. 2. Should I bribe him with an almond?

I look forward to all of your responses.

P.S. No more plucking, he has baby feathers coming in!
Get one of those ss skewers a larger one that you can hang veggies and pieces or fruit. They work well, and birds like to investigate hanging things. This is how I got Keoki to eat peppers, apples, and carrots, oh and grapes. Just fill it up and hang it near a perch and see what happens.
 

Fuzzy

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Sounds like you are making awesome progress! Amazing that he is coming out already and sitting on the door when he's been cage bound for 6 years!! You must be doing something right!! :D Glad you are recognising that it is your fault if he bites. Yep, take note of what you did and try to avoid it for next time.

Yes, definitely bribe him with an almond! You might want to give him another when you have closed the cage door so that he pairs that with something good too. If he is taking almonds from you nicely, think about breaking them up into smaller pieces so that you can ask for more behaviour before he gets satiated. Do everything you can to avoid getting bitten, because the more he bites the more he is learning to bite. Think about teaching him to step up on a hand held perch as it will mean he will be easier to move around. You can use almond pieces to slowly shape the step up behaviour. Yay for no more plucking!! :dance4:
 

Snowghost

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Oh thank you Roz! I know I boo booed. I was in a rush, stuck out my arm and said up, well he grabbed my forefinger and of course I said ouch. I kept my forearm up and he used his beak to latch on but he did step up. I just bit my lip and put him on his perch and he let go. Whew.....Today I was nervous but I let him take his time to go into his cage. I move slow, always telling him what I am doing. Today he bobbed his head to music I was so happy. We are still working on getting to know each other. I feel so bad he shakes when I'm near him.. The poor guy just hasn't had a very good life. I'm amazed at his intelligence and we are making progress.

Thank you all for your advice and continued support, I'm a member of this group for life!
 

Clueless

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If he doesn't like wooden perches, a friend used a stiff rope one. They had a large circle one they used for transport.
 

Fuzzy

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If he doesn't like wooden perches, a friend used a stiff rope one. They had a large circle one they used for transport.
Agree with Clueless. I usually opt for a perch that they are used to in their cage. Even so, it does look a little different waving around not attached to anything, so you may still have to desensitise the bird to it at first.

For Ollie I started off with a multi-stemmed natural wooden one, then when that broke (horrors!!) I had to desensitise him to a single wooden one:



Kobe is afraid of wood perches, so I use a rope one for him since he is used to rope perches in his cage:



A friend of mine uses the long curved handle of a woven basket to transport her Pionus.
 

Snowghost

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oh we already had a disaster with a perch. He is on a wooden dowel. When I got him his cage was filthy. I don't how this woman didn't realize the crud on this poor birds cage was so bad. Granted its white metal and she said the age was old, it looked old. When I asked her if the cage came apart she said no. Now I've had birds long enough to know that all cages come apart. I brought him home in my Amazon's cage. I put the cage outside and started hosing it down. As I scrubbed off the yuck, I figured out how to get the cage apart. Well with out the gunk on the walls of the cage, it left a space and the perch was loose, poor guy, the perch fell down. I did get him a new wooden perch, he was terrified of the natural wooden perch. Since this one looked like his old one it will work for now. I'm gong to start a new thread on how I can get this poor bird used to his new home and to be the beautiful creature that he is.
 

ReNap

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I'd highly suggest you look into the webinar barbara heidenrich did on aggressive behavior in parrots and how to handle it. All really solid methods. Its what I've been doing since I got my bird and she's bitten no more than 3 times in the 8 months I've had her which I credit insanely to these videos on this list. All methods that are really humane and considerate of the bird too.

Parrot Digital Media | Online Parrot Media
^
3. Solutions for Biting and Aggressive Behavior in Companion Parrots
 

Snowghost

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Oh thank you very much Chelsey. I truly believe he is just scared. I recently found out he has been cage bound for 6 years. He is currently in my bedroom, so I am spending more time with him. Observing and talking to him. I have switched him from a water bottle (I never heard of giving a bird a water bottle) he now has a water bowl, (that's another funny story) I have given him two stainless steel bowls one for fruit and veggies, the other for nutri berries and avi cakes. Not taking to pellets right now. One thing at a time. I now leave is door open and I keep it open with a bread tie (I know I need a better solution for that) I am establishing a routine every morning and evening. I go slow, speak to him and tell him what I am doing. He isn't used to be interacted with, no one I think has ever fed him fresh food, he is scared of it. Oh too funny I have the Eagles playing Take it the Limit on my lap top and he just bobbed his head. I am confident he will be a wonderful companion, I just have to take it slow and easy. I posted about the biting as I don't want this to be a learned behavior.

Thank you so much for your advice. I am looking forward to viewing the videos and receiving advice from all the wonderful people on here.

I have a confession to make, I truly did not know these babies to be soo intelligent.
 

ReNap

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Hope the process goes well! The aggression and biting video goes into what the cause of the biting may be and how to address it at the root, whether it be from fear or whatnot. Not just “if it bites do xyz”. Number 4 in the link I posted is “fixing fear responses and building trust” too, also a really solid one.

And yeah they are too smart for their own good sometimes for sure haha :)
 

Clueless

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I'd highly suggest you look into the webinar barbara heidenrich
Anything by her is fabulous.

I've personally met her and I've heard her speak in different states. She is good.

Because of her, MC can step on my hand. He was sooooo scared when I got him. I sent her a thank you once I used her guidelines and it worked.
 

Snowghost

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That's great to hear. I have another situation and I hope I don't sound silly. As fellow beak freaks I'm sure you'll understand.

I had plans to go out of town on the holiday weekend. Of course I never knew that I would loose my Bugsy (amazon) and then Paco came into my life. I can take him with me, (3 hour car drive and will be in a smaller cage) 2. Leave him here in the care of my room mate, I don't think I'd sleep a wink, this man forgets to feed and water his dog. Or I can take him to his previous owner. I would take his veggies and fruit in baggies for her and his new food. I'm sure she can watch him for 2 days. But it won't be his cage.

This is making me loose sleep, that grey ball of fluff has wormed his way into my heart.

I'm ready to just stay home. If I do let his previous owner, will this be a set back from all of what we accomplished?

If I try to discuss this with my adult children they think I have a screw loose, they don't know the bond that you can have with a parrot. My oldest is a little more understanding. Non bird people just think "oh it's just a bird" we all know better then that.

Looking forward to the awesome advice I always receive here.
 

Clueless

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Do your adult kids live close?
 
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