Confidence Shrinking + Biting getting worse. Please help

[bluepepe09]

Hey folks, (sorry about the big post)

Well recently I dont think things have been going very well, I now feel that I am actually causing him too bite each time I try to get him to step up. Due to me not being completely confident of picking him up, and the lack of successful attempts. Even getting him to step up with a treat is proving difficult now.

I also cant get him to go back to his cage once he is out, sometimes he goes back to eat (but not very often) and this is proving very challenging and sometimes a bit frustrating. I want to let him out as much as possible, but he wont return to the cage when required.

Last night I followed him round the room for 45 minutes, trying to get him to step up and go back to the cage, (with and without a treat) I got bit 3 times (sometimes he dropped the treat then bit me), eventually was getting so late I gently placed a dishtowel over him and used this to get him back to the cage. He was actually very calm, I expected a growl or scream but he was quite relaxed and I placed him back in the cage. and removed the towel, then treated him in the cage.

This is all very frustrating as he was so good at first, but things seem to be getting gradually worse. I feel if this continues I will make more steps back than forward.

Have tried cutting back on the treats completely, but this only results in a bite/lunge each time.

I feel that a change of tactic is required here to make progress, he is not afraid of me, takes treats and doesnt fly away when approached, but bites a lot.

I am considering 3 options and would appreciate some thoughts from those with more experience. I'm not giving up on him!!! ;)

1. A Chet Womach course, but I think this involves clicker training. Has anyone used for a similar problem??

2. Getting his wings clipped. (dont like this option but......)
I feel this would allow me to get closer to him more of the time, bring him down a peg or 2, and maybe make him more reliant on me for getting about.

Am I better doing this myself??, I know cliping wont be without stress, but I feel a trip to the vets at this stage may be very very stressfull)

3. Using a towel to get him used to being handled without being able to bite. After his reaction last night to the dishtowel I wonder if this may work. (He likes towels and chews/chimbs on them constantly) Have heard of people gently wrapping the bird in a towel, uncovering their head, and sitting with them for 30 minutes like this to build trust (stroking and talking to).

Please help......

[sherry]

You may want to invest in something called a " Buddy Perch" which is sold online. It is a perch attached to plexi glass which shields your hands from getting bitten and thereby you can gain your confidence back. You may have to get him used to the perch, but it seems to be working for me, my IRN was biting me when trying to get him hand-tamed. It obvious that the bird does not want to go back in the cage- the little scamp and knows that biting you sometimes work. I would clip his wings to get him more dependent on you.

[julie]

I would definately get his wings clipped , and by someone else. Watch how the person clipping him handles him ( providing they aren't getting bitten) .I would also start from scratch and treat him like a new bird as he will be different when he can't fly away and will need your help.does he like bathing ? Some of my birds seem to mellow out after having a spray bath , even the aviary birds after having a bath in the sprinkler. You need to build your confidence back up and try not to think you are going to get bitten, as hard as it is.

[bluepepe09]

Sherry, Thanks....Was considering the buddy perch but was unsure how effective it would be.

I cant work him out at all, he is not scared of us, keeps landing on both of us. He landed on my knee tonight. When I didnt have a treat for him his seemed to make a beeline for my hands. He did the same to my girlfriend twice tonight, and bit her.

Julie. Yeah, think wing clipping is the way forward, but didnt feel confident to do it myself. He uses the bath in his cage I think. (have a stainless steel dog bowl he uses as a bath), but never see him do it, think he does it early in the morning.

Do either of you think I would have any success with the towel method. Have heard this can be very sucessfull in certain cases.

[bec]

i agree with julie if you get his wings clipped get someone else to do it then he wont blame you for it
i have trouble with bed times too genjen was my easiest cause she hates being touched she would put herself to bed so i wouldnt touch her (this was before she decided she liked being an avairy bird)
but with skeet i figured out her favourite food (popcorn) and when i want her in bed i just fill a bowl with popcorn once she flies onto my shoulder i simply put my arm with the bowl in her cage & she rund down my arm to the popcorn while shes eating i shut the cage

[bluepepe09]

i agree with julie if you get his wings clipped get someone else to do it then he wont blame you for it
i have trouble with bed times too genjen was my easiest cause she hates being touched she would put herself to bed so i wouldnt touch her (this was before she decided she liked being an avairy bird)
but with skeet i figured out her favourite food (popcorn) and when i want her in bed i just fill a bowl with popcorn once she flies onto my shoulder i simply put my arm with the bowl in her cage & she rund down my arm to the popcorn while shes eating i shut the cage

Yeah that makes sense with the clipping, blame the vet ;)

I have started to try to tempt him back with food, this worked tonight, but doesnt always.

[bec]

i use that one on all my pets if you can manage it get someone else to carry him in and out of the vets too my 15 year old cat still blames my dad for having him desexed!!!!! even though i went with them dad carried the carrier in & out of the vets bolt got home jumped on my lap & told me how mean everybody else is apparently paying the vet dosent mean you were involved!!!

[sherry]

Then I think the budy perch will work really well for you since the birds is not scared of you- It will gt your confidence back.

Sherry

[bluepepe09]

Progress update Folks

I spoke to a parrot behaviour specialist tonight and she had a great idea.....Use an empty 2 litre juice bottle, cut the bottom off it, make some slits up the bottle (bottom to about half way and tape the bottom so it narrows....Remove the label and insert your hand into it....pull your jumper over it so he can still see the hand but cant bite it.

The bottle should cover your entire hand and forearm.

I got him to step up 3 times like this tonight, really impoves your confidence and he is none the wiser ;)

Gonna see how this goes but I think this is the winner.....not going to clip his wings yet....this is a very last resort.

Better and cheaper than a buddy perch.....

IM BACK ON FORM!!!!!

[3tiels&aringneck]

Yeah Bluepepe09. I hope this works. I was going to check in to see how you were doing. I took Bullet for his weight check today and apparently is right on target. I was talking to the "bird lady" at the pet store. She has lots of experience with birds and reassured me that things will improve and the biting will stop. I can only hope so. She made it sound so uncomplicated, but when you get bitten every time you try to bond with your baby, it feels like it will never happen. She also mentioned that the person who supplied the birds to them doesn't have problems with her birds. I have dealt with this pet store for years and have purchased birds from them before and never had problems (not IRNs). I am trusting what she says.

I can only hope she is right. Bullet seems to have slowed down on the biting somewhat, but nonetheless, when he/she does, it hurts. Maybe I'm getting lucky and things are settling down..... one step forward and two steps back.......

Good luck. I hope what the behaviorist recommended keeps working. I'll keep my "bitten" fingers crossed for you. I guess all we can do is let Mother Nature do her thing:)

Wendy