Biting

aw64 · Post by **aw64** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:50 pm

Hi everyone, please help! My irn is 7 months old, iv had him/her since june, but this biting thing is getting worse, i need to know how you manage to ignore it because it really hurts, i cant begin to teach him/her anything because one wrong move off me and shes got me, also when i try to get her to sit calm, go back into cage ect she goes onto my head which iv tried to stop but she bites like made if i put my hand anywhere near her for her to step on, her wings have been clipped but she can still fly a little, on very odd times she will allow me to tickle her cheek, well that area, but other times she bites like mad, she was hand fed but dont think she was handled much, i was having her out for at least an hour each night, but thats getting less because no one will sit in the room when shes out, please ask me anything, and help me get on the right track, iv read and watched stuff of other peoples and they seem to have great times with there birds, i could cry as im getting no where and i love her so much, thanks for reading

leo · Post by **leo** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:15 pm

i think u tried to put her in a pearch...then slowly talk to her and give her treat(millet spray or sunflower seed)(if sun flower seed, peel it and devide the seed into few pieces then feed her one at times)...was she like that when she just come or just recently?

if just recently, it might be bluffing...
1st, you cant let her on your head or on the shoulder now...

anyway, i never really believe in letteing her bite your hand and dont make any reaction...hmm, i cant stand the pain, hehe...

what i do is usually the earth quake method together with evil eyes and stern voice...

hope it help

Darlene · Post by **Darlene** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:40 pm

We went through the bluffing with our IRN at about 4 monthes old. And we got through that. Then she went through what we call ( the terrable twos ) Our IRN is female and I think the females are more aggressive by nature then the males. We were bitten often. But we handled it by returning her to her cage to spend some time out, time. Or alone time. While delivering her to her cage, I was in pain, becouse I was being bitten. And I had to try not to react, becouse this is what reinforces the behavior. Our little Luna was lucky on two counts. 1) she is so cute; 2) my husband & I have a good sense of humor. And a lot of patients. An IRN will go wild in a short time if they don't get enough handling and attention. They are very independant by nature. The females will have tendancies to be more dominant. So working with her every day as much as possable. If she bites, you have to try not to react and no attention or even looking at her. And then come back and try again until she steps up on your finger. Always give him/ her a treat and praise when he/ she responds to you in a good way. It will take time and patients. It sounds like your 7 month old is going through the ( terrable twos ) Like a human two year old. LOL!

If no one will sit in the room with her when she is out, then she is alone too much and not being socalized. She will grow out of this behavior with spending more time around her and patients.

Fah · Post by **Fah** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:57 pm

Micro Time-Outs are what I found to be the most beneficial thing with IRN's.

Set up a perch, with no toys on it and no easy access to something interesting (ie; not attached to their cage).

When you are training this behaviour out of them, and they bite / nip. Calmly, but quickly place the bird on the perch for 10 seconds and say firmly, but not loudly "no" or something similar.

*this only works on clipped birds*

While the bird is on perch do not say / encourage anything. Call for them to step up, and try again being nice etc...

IRN's are smart little critters, they will realise that doing the biting soon results in a boring perch.

If however you are in a situation where your IRN really prefers the perch to your hand, then you can throw this idea out the window. Your bird is quite possibly just doing the biting to test the limits and get a reaction and wont change what its doing through this tactic. At this point you really just have to ignor the biting. Or distract the biting with millet / toys.

Do NOT give it a toy every time it bites... but before it bites (since you are pretty expectant of a bit before you pickk it up) and keep it distracted with the toy while it is on your hand. Soon, it will get bored of the biting, and hopefully it has left your hand relatively alone.

You just cant give it a reaction. Its annoying... sometimes painful, but well worth it to ignor it as best you can.

aw64 · Post by **aw64** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:55 am

Thanks for all the replys i have a few days off work now and plan to win this battle, in one piece! will keep every one informed of progress, nice to get tip/advice puts the positve side back into things, and i must get a pic put on of tilly, hopefully being friendly

Dolphinheart · Post by **Dolphinheart** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:36 pm

You are not alone i am having the same sort of issues with my gal/guy Siren - it is a patience game i guess - i seem to have good days then go back to bad days - i trust i will win this out .

I am never too sure how far you push and how much you take but it is all a learning curve.

aw64 · Post by **aw64** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:53 am

Glad to here im not alone on this, thanks for reply, had tilly out last night, i was well armed with pieces of apple, the hardest part is keeping him/her off my head, each time i put my hand up to remove her she goes in for the kill! but did manage to keep her on my hand for a while and she did let my tickle her neck for a short time, after an hour or so all i ended up with was 3 bites one that broke the skin! but todays a new day!