Parrotlet is bitey

[Ifrit]

Hi, my little Pico, sometimes called Pickle (lovingly haha), is getting to be that age I think. I'm not sure how to get him to stop biting, but he doesnt like to step up anymore without taking a chomp, especially if he is in his cage when I try to coax him out to rest on my shoulder.

He will willingly stand in my palm or across a few fingers, but he used to step right up. once he is on my shoulder he is fine, he will burrow into my hair or hide behind my ear and make crunchy marble noises.

My question is, how do I teach him not to bite the hand that feeds? And what can I do to make him happier to spend time with me? I feel like its because I work long hours and have only three or four hours a night before bedtime to play with my babies. Could he be mad at me for being gone all day?

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I wish I had a recommendation. I wonder if yours has decided that you must be punished until you change the things he finds unacceptable! You might be getting chomped for a while... As much as we work to train them, they work to train us, too!

My mom has a parrotlet and he's quite a fierce little thing! She moved a few months ago and he still hasn't forgiven her for the disruption and lack of a perfectly quiet window view, lol! (The traffic enrages him, but not being at the window also enrages him!) He bites her all the time now. It's the funniest thing to see how gingerly she approaches the tiny, tiny little king of everything!

 

[Heather F]

Cute little devil!

If asyou say he's all right once he's actually stepped up, could you try maybe using a chopstick or other tiny perch for him to use to step onto instead of your finger? It could be that he just thinks whatever reaction you give when he nips at your finger is funny. Remove the opportunity and he might get bored of this antic.

 

[Milo]

First thing's first: I wouldn't try to get him to step up in his cage at all. Plets are incredibly territorial and sticking your hand in his space is inviting a bite, which you seem to be getting. It really sounds like normal plet behavior to me. Some birds are more independent and like to be around you but not necessarily on you all the time. It's not that he's rejecting you he's probably just being a busy body does he have a play stand or anything like that where he could explore and do his own thing while you go about your business?

 

[Monica]

Try not to get bitten?

Can you use millet or whatever his favorite food is to teach him how to step up again?


Training is always happening. If he loses interest in what you have to offer for a step up, why should he continue to step up? If you stop rewarding him for stepping up, this can also result in him deciding he doesn't want to step up.


Kind of like having a job. Even though you may be good at your job, if they stopped paying you, would you continue working there? Or would you balk and refuse to help out because you aren't getting paid?

 

[Ifrit]

Hmm, ok thanks guys.

I'll try the perch thing, maybe consider an above-cage playground when i have enough money hahaha, I think it might be a combination of the territorial thing and the "bad human!" thing.

Also, do you know any easy ways to have him let me give him scritches? (wow my grammar this morning, haha)

 

[Milo]

Milo's favorite was always the lower cheek scritch, from there he'd start bowing his head and I was in. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't, try waiting until he's sleepy and beak grinding then go slowly, he might be more receptive then
Don't feel badly about the grammar, I am the run-on sentence queen!

 

[Monica]

If he doesn't accept head scratches but you want to pet him, then you need to teach him to bow his head and pair 'wriggling' your finger above his head with bowing his head. If he's ok with this, you can then move on to lightly scratching the back of his head or neck area, going in the opposite direction of the growth of his feathers.

 

[Ifrit]

Thanks Monica. I'll try that

 

[petiteoiseau]

Jenny is correct. Putting your hand in a plet's cage is usually a no-no (they are bitey little things). And taking them out at night doesn't help with their mood, either. Parrots have natural biorhythms and their interaction times are after breakfast and before dinner (which happens at sunset. Some of them refuse to adapt to a human's schedule (which is also not healthy for them), they want a bird schedule and period.

 

[Boston]

I have a 10 year old female that bites harder then any other bird. She goes for blood. I take her out of lher cage with a wash cloth. Once out of her cage she is sweet and cuddly!!

 

[Beanurita]

I had a little "monster" (said with love and adoration) that was a hater while in his house so we had to compromise so I opened his door walked away and let him come out on his own then he was a snuggly sweet boy!

 

[Milo]

I have a 10 year old female that bites harder then any other bird. She goes for blood. I take her out of lher cage with a wash cloth. Once out of her cage she is sweet and cuddly!!

Why not just let her come out on her own?

 

[melissasparrots]

How old is he and how long have you had him?