Can't stand the biting anymore..

[LoveBug12]

I really can not standing the hard bites anymore. I came home, let Junior out of his cage and let him fly around. He comes over to me and lands on me then bites the heck out of my arm..it hurt really bad. After that, he bit me another time for no reason and I'm tired of the biting. I spent time with my brothers girlfriends new baby conure today and that is the sweetest bird I have ever came across. He kisses, cuddles, and just loves to be on someone. When I come home and experience this behavior from a bird for no reason at all and when it's constant, I don't want to deal with it anymore.
I saw an ad on craigslist about lovebirds and I emailed the person. They said they have several lovebirds so I think I'm going to TRY and get one. Hopefully, I can pair Junior and one up and maybe he will be nicer and maybe I won't get bitten so much. I'm not saying I'm not going to handle him, I just don't want to be bitten anymore and if it takes him to be un-tamed, i'm fine with that. I don't mean that to sound a little harsh...but he's coming very close to drawing blood now and it really hurts. I love my little bird, but I very much dislike being bit. Especially when he is bites my family and also went for my dads jugular. :shrug:

[aru]

I don't know if this will help you much, but have you tried target training? I've been having the same biting issues but with a slightly less powerful beak. Gem gives no warning whatsoever-- there's no body language or anything. He can poof his head up and be tapping his beak and dancing/singing one minute and then the next he's latched on to your skin and giving it his all.

But very recently I took out a chopstick and shoved a pony bead on the end of it and started target training. Gem took to it immediately. He really enjoys biting/touching the target stick. When he does it, I say "touch". This combined with a clicker and food rewards and suddenly he's got a new game. When he steps on to my hand I quickly offer the target stick (which is a distraction) and he tries to bite that instead of my sore fingers.

Again, I don't know if that will work for you, but it might be worth a try.

*As an added note, I too thought that giving Gem a friend would help. They get along for the most part, but Gem is the bully of the cage still.

[LoveBug12]

I don't know if this will help you much, but have you tried target training? I've been having the same biting issues but with a slightly less powerful beak. Gem gives no warning whatsoever-- there's no body language or anything. He can poof his head up and be tapping his beak and dancing/singing one minute and then the next he's latched on to your skin and giving it his all.

But very recently I took out a chopstick and shoved a pony bead on the end of it and started target training. Gem took to it immediately. He really enjoys biting/touching the target stick. When he does it, I say "touch". This combined with a clicker and food rewards and suddenly he's got a new game. When he steps on to my hand I quickly offer the target stick (which is a distraction) and he tries to bite that instead of my sore fingers.

Again, I don't know if that will work for you, but it might be worth a try.

I don't think that this will work for Junior because 1, he doesn't sit still..and 2, he flies everywhere and bites everything... I really don't know what to do. I don't really want to take him out anymore because he is really hurting me and it's very very painful. The worst bird bite I have ever experienced was just moments ago.

[aru]

The great thing about targeting is that you don't have to even open the cage door.

I have to wonder what's causing him to do all of that. Entertainment? Anxiety?

[linda040899]

Junior needs a wing clip. He has all the freedom in the world and he's obviously a dominant lovebird. Take away his ability to "rule over his kingdom" at will and you will see a major attitude adjustment.

[momo]

I found when Elmo was clipped she was great to train. But when she's got her wings, it's very hard to get her attention, millet works wonders but to an extent... BUT you have to be VERY persistent with training.. I would train with her 5-10 minutes per day, three times a day. It may not happen over night but with time patience and a routine it will. It's all about positive reinforcement.

Elmo went through the exact same stage as Junior is going through. Luckily for me.. my mum was the one who copped all the bites. But I too copped my fair share of bites and blood. After many tears of not understanding what went wrong. I had to realise, Elmo is NOT the type of bird that wants to be cuddled like a puppy.. and I should have realised in the beginning, if I wanted that I should have gotten a puppy not a bird. She is a bird with an attitude who at times, wants to do her own thing, and then wants to be with me. You have to love and accept your bird for what they are...

I had to stop letting Elmo in positions where she can bite me and stop giving her chances to bite me. Shoulders, Head, anywhere where I was not in control of her actions.
I found it was a dangerous circular path with biting. She'd bite me, I'd react, I'd feel hurt and send negative emotions (whether intentional and non intentional). You have to really assess her behaviour regarding biting. I realise that she was biting because she wasn't getting her way. Now, I'm not sure whether this applies to junior or not. Only you will really know.

Elmo wanted to crawl around in our clothes constantly. She was beginning her nesty behaviour. I had to stop allowing her to do this. It was so hard in the beginning, they are VERY stubborn birds, especially if they are spoilt brats.. think the 5 year old in the shopping centre crying because they can't buy a lollie.. this is what you're up against! BUT you have to be MORE stubborn. This all depends on YOU.... Junior doesn't know any better. You are the one that shapes his behaviour. You have to want to work on your relationship with junior.. really and truly.. for it to work.

If internally you have given up on hope, then it won't work. You can't try to re-establish your relationship half hearted. I only say this, because I was at the exact same spot with Elmo. She was driving me completely insane, what was happening wasn't what I had envisaged and dreamed... but then I had to realise.. being taken away to live with me wasn't what she had envisaged and dreamed her life would be. It was MY choice to take her home, it was MY responsibility to make it a positive experience and make it work. It would have been great to have a snuggle bug bird. BUT.. it wasn't Elmo and I had to accept that. Look at it from a positive point of view rather than a negative. She may not be a snuggle bug, but she can entertain herself which is great if I want to do something else. She does come to us and fly to us. She shows her love in her own special way.


The way that I curbed her aggressiveness was, if Elmo wanted interaction with us, then she was only allowed in designated areas. And constantly praised for her good behaviour. Verbally and food wise. If you want junior to play on you, you need to give her other things to do rather than use you as a chew toy, or a means of entertainment. Elmo would play on our laps with her toys, she'd try to jump up our chests, but as soon as she jumped on our chests, we would bend down so the back of her wings would touch our legs, she didn't enjoy this and would turn around and stay on our legs. Sometimes it took 4 or 5 times per play time for her to give up/ get the message. But you have to be persistent with her.

Training is a wonderful bonding toll. You get to work with Junior, see what he's able to do but also spend time with him in a positive manner.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps. Don't give up hope.

[Pips mom]

Wow, Momo.....that was great! Elmo has obviously taught you well! and you her! gee, reading all of this makes me appreciate how really gentle Pip can be and is most of the time. Yeah, he bites, but compared to you two, I guess he isn't so bad!!! and what's nice about Pip is that he tends to only bite in certain situations, so it's fairly easy to know when he'll bite and when he won't and avoid the bites, plus he rarely bites while on people.... he'll chew holes in my clothing instead!
Best of luck to with Junior.....sounds like you may have a long road ahead of you, but I truly believe that in time things will calm down.....he can't be THAT bad forever!!! AND if you have a female, this could just be some hormonal phase that might pass.

[LoveBug12]

The great thing about targeting is that you don't have to even open the cage door.

I have to wonder what's causing him to do all of that. Entertainment? Anxiety?

I don't know what's causing this...I really don't understand why either. He has toys, he has food, water, he can come out of the cage, talk to the birds outside...his life is really good.. I don't get it.

[thebubbleking]

Basicly he is fully flighted and gets the reaction he want from the bites which is you make noise and pay attention to him, like linda said clip his wings then begin training lovebirds are naturaly curious and love to play so by training "playing" with them it builds a bond and trust, rmember lovebirds think they are the kings and queens of birds so a wing clip keps them inline, but realy i should let you take baby boo she will take out chunks of flesh and loves the taste of blood youll be asking for junior back in no time!!!
Remember junior is your fid would you give up on your child if it was haveing a little biteing problem?

[michael]

I don't know what's causing this...I really don't understand why either. He has toys, he has food, water, he can come out of the cage, talk to the birds outside...his life is really good.. I don't get it.

To most parrots, whether you scream in pain or not, any reaction is a GOOD reaction. To them, that is much more fun than any toy which has no life to it. Matter of fact, in addition to food, water, and an abundance toys and outside birds, now that your bird has "learned" all this, life is really good.

I would be careful about offering Junior a friend. While it may turn out good for him, it could lessen any acceptable behavior he might yet learn from you.

[BarbieH]

Gracie was my little biting monster. She would bite hard, breaking skin and drawing blood, for no reason I could determine. I eventually stopped trying to interact with her because she scared me.

Funny thing happened. She got more interested in me.

The thing that really helped me with Gracie was stick-step up training. I could never handle her, but when she found us she already knew how to step up. That's how I could bring her in and out of the cage, and move her around the house, without actually trying to touch her. She hated that so we just didn't do it.

Then I started "reprogramming" her, so that she would learn that coming out did not mean biting me. I started by bringing her out for five minutes, and returning her to the cage before she even showed signs that she might bite. I praised her and treated her when she went back in without a biting incident. Gradually I would increase the length of time.

For her, the worst biting usually coincided with hormonal time or nesting. The one time she bit my neck (little vampire!), she had eggs in the nest. I had her door opened and she jumped out on my back, ran up, and clamped down. We danced for a while, then I transferred her biting beak to my hand. We went into the dark bathroom so we could both calm down before I returned her to the cage.

It took me a long time to trust her after that. I had to build up my own trust level again. Thank goodness for her step-up training with the wooden dowel.

I think you can rebuild your relationship with time. Start with short intervals away from the cage. Stay within your comfort zone. Respect the beak.