Any tip about learning my sweetie not to bite ?

[Iloveringnecks]

My cute Loomi ( lutino ringneck, almost sure it,s a male, or a female that thinks she is a he? )
Dances all day long, heartshape dance with sweet noises, creaming,sweet noises again etc etc
Anyway, he takes food from my hand but sometime likes to bite my finger <8 or tries to, I am fast enough to not letting him "grab" he finger , while I give him something:)
He doesnt bite so hard that I bleed, no, but hard enough that if feels quite much.
It doesnt happen often,but if I would let my finger be there too long he do like to take a nibble! My fingers is VEEEERY interesting to him
I cant touch him yet, only on his terms and that is good,and I dont hurry him in any way:)

I am trying to learn him to to bite to hard, but I guess it is a process and is there any more tip about learning him not to bite?

Jenny in Stockholm

[willowisp71]

Hi Jenny,

From the little I've learnt in the 3 weeks since my introduction to ringnecks, all I can tell you is that the most common advice given regarding 'biting' is to NOT give a reaction when you bird bites, as this will re-inforce the behaviour if he/she thinks they can get a desired reaction from you. I've read lots of stories from others that have been through the biting stage, (and have the scars to show for it ), but most have said that the best way to stop them biting is to not yell, not snatch your hand away (hard I know cos it HURTS!), and then try to reinforce the good behaviour when they 'let go' of your finger by giving praise or a treat. I think also I read that you can blow gently on their face to encourage them to let go of your finger? Maybe try that also?
I've only ever been bitten badly once by Skittles, and that was when I first captured him after he had escaped from someone's aviary/cage, so I can't really blame him for that. Since then he has had a couple of nibbles of my finger when I've been trying to train him or feed him a treat, but lucky for me, it has only been a gentle, testing sort of bite, not hard at all

Good luck with your Loomi, hope he/she breaks the habit sooner rather than later for you

[MissK]

Hi Jenny!

Sorry you are getting nipped by Loomi!

[Invader ZIM]

I got my little Ricky when he was 4 months old, and he went through his assertive stage too.

I never let him know that his beak was a weapon, or that he was something that intimidated me. There was one night were he was particularly agressive, and he ran and lunged at my fingers when I was putting in some fresh food.

I did not pull back when he bit, but it did pinch alot!! I continued to outstretch my hand toward him, even though it did hurt, he pinched me a few more times and when I had my hand on him I started to gently rub his feathers, he still pinched me here and there, but the next day he didn't try it as aggressively. I simply kept reaching over to him and rubbing him until he realized that biting my hand wasn't going to make it go away, it made the hand come after him and that the hand gave good rubbies!! Within a week he never has been agressive toward me, ever, in over 4 years now.

However, since my mother instinctively pulls back, and my grandmother, when he lunges, to him it's now a fun game to try and lunge and pinch their fingers, but only them, and only when he's inside his cage.

My uncle I taught to not pull back, he got bit once like I did, but did not relent. And Ricky never attempts to bite him or me.

[Invader ZIM]

great to hear rritoch!!

It only gets better the more you and your family take time to interact with her.

[RedNado130]

I don't have my own IRN or bird just yet, hopefully soon though!
But I just wanted to say how helpful this thread really was!! I'm trying to do all the research and learn about taming and behavior issues, I'm so glad I found this community

[Invader ZIM]

They have feelings, and can fall into certain moods you'll notice.

When my little buddy was in his biting moods, it lasted for a few months, then calmed down and never got to the same level of intensity it did for those few months.

Hang in there, keep talking gently to her and giving attention, but it sounds like your doing all the right things.

Edit: you mentioned giving vitamins, perhaps she is getting riled up because you have to administer them to her directly? Is there a liquid vitamin formula that you can put in her water so that you wouldn't have to handle or upset her, but still get her the vitamins?

My little buddy literally flips out when I have to trim his toenails. It's literally a 45min wrestling match as to who has the clippers in their beak or hand at the time. He never bites me though, but he hisses like a snake and grabs the clippers from me. I feel bad having to fight him like that, but all I can do is tell him I'm sorry after it's all done, rub him on the head, and then all is forgiven when I give him a slice of apple for his troubles.