Lunging and biting !!!!

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Robb n toohey
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:09 am

Lunging and biting !!!!

Post by Robb n toohey »

G'day,

My Indian ringneck toohey is a really great bird but sometimes he will walk off and climb up onto my mrs or a visitors shoulder and if they go to pat or talk to him, he pins his eyes fluffs up and lunges at there face tryin to bite ! This makes me really unhappy cause he is such a beautiful bird and I tell people how good he is and then he goes and does this..

Also when puttin him back into his cage he will bite my finger really hard then continue to lunge and try to bite me through the cage until he settles down and then he is all cute and loving ! also getting him out he will pin the eyes and lunge and bite ?

Have tried treats but he just throws them away.. Even try his favourite foods that any other time he would love but as a treat for doing good he hates ??

I just don't understand ?


Cheers in advance robb,
clawnz
Posts: 148
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:59 pm
Location: Auckland NZ

Re: Lunging and biting !!!!

Post by clawnz »

I am not up on Ringnecks, but have a few questions.
How old is this guy.
The thing you are seeing when on someones should is not dominance, but more like just telling them he is not happy with them trying to remove him from his chosen spot.
I say this as you do not say that he does this with you, so if that is the case he respects you and you have that bond.
Putting him back in the cage can cause displeasure, which I think is what you maybe seeing.
I had a thought about testing. That is he is of an age where he is testing his boundaries.
And I do not think this is hormonal.
How do you deal with it! If he is not doing this to you (the shoulder thing) tell whoever he is on that he does not like to be removed by a stranger and step in and remove him your self. If he excepts head scritches while on a branch or perch put him there for them to give scritches, but warn them to move slowly and that he may object. Read his body language and do not interact if there is any sign that he is not comfortable with what is going on.
Being positive can help get him over this action. Be very careful not to reinforce this.
Redirection can also help work with the should one.
The cage! Well it is understandable they may not want to go back there at times.

There is a thread where we talk about Bluffing.

Only my thoughts and I am sure more knowledgeable people will be along to offer their thoughts.
Robb n toohey
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:09 am

Re: Lunging and biting !!!!

Post by Robb n toohey »

Cheers for you advice mate :) toohey is 5 months old.. Not sure on The sex, I sent away a DNA test last week to DNA solutions in Melbourne and am currently waiting on results :)

He chooses to walk up to other people never has he been forced to interact with them.. He will stay with me for a little bit and then want to wonder and goes out of his way to climb up on guests and sits comfy on there shoulder and then they sit terrified cause as soon as they move he wants to attack. Even if they try to speak calmly to him he goes to bite there lips ?

In saying that he won't ever walk to me and climb on me, I have to get him from where ever he decides to be.. But never gets cranky at me unless in hes cage and which is only rarely that he will attack from there most times he comes freely.. When he is on guests I have to walk over and pick him up and he comes to me no worries at all, just say up and he's on my finger straight away.. He is the most confusing bird I have ever owned.. But I love him/her to bits.. I say he or him only as habit :)

Cheers robb,
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Lunging and biting !!!!

Post by MissK »

Perhaps the bird-from-shoulder removal style needs work? If the method causes the bird discomfort, perhaps from not feeling well supported, he might bite. I know some people use a method of sweeping the hand at the bird's feet to get it to step up, and I can see where that could get upsetting (literally and emotionally) to the bird. Also, if the bird is still building confidence, he may not be comfortable with someone else guiding this movement. I would suggest to work on the step-up and get that behaviour very solid so the person can just ask for a step up. Also, please consider letting those wings grow in. If he can't fly and is worried about getting knocked onto the floor, might go a long way to explain your issue. He could be just trying to keep his balance.
-MissK
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: Lunging and biting !!!!

Post by InTheAir »

Hi Robb,

Parrots are pretty complex pets! I find it is easiest to breakdown any behaviour I am not happy with using applies behaviour analysis. First there is antecedent (what happens before the behaviour occurs), then the behaviour and then there is consequence.

Have you identified his absolute favourite treats? If you have, have you removed them from his usual diet? Whatever you use for reinforcers should only be used for reinforcers. Does he take treats nicely from your hands in normal circumstances?
Robb n toohey wrote:Cheers for you advice mate :) toohey is 5 months old.. Not sure on The sex, I sent away a DNA test last week to DNA solutions in Melbourne and am currently waiting on results :)
That's exciting.
I wouldn't get to hung up on the "bluffing" idea that is described on certain sites, if you stick to simple ABCs of behaviour, use positive reinforcement to interact with the bird, watch for signs of discomfort and back off when the bird shows signs of being upset, you can have a good relationship with any parrot. I wrote to a few actual qualified parrot trainers and behaviourists a while ago to ask what they thought about the information going around about indian ringnecks "bluffing" and not one of them gives those articles any credibility. Here is Barbara Hiedenreichs response http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com.au/2015 ... bluff.html
I think that bluffing is rather like "dominance" in dogs, the author of the study that created the idea of dogs having a linear dominance structure came to the conclusion that his original study was flawed and retracted it, yet so many people still believe in the flawed study!
Robb n toohey wrote:He chooses to walk up to other people never has he been forced to interact with them.. He will stay with me for a little bit and then want to wonder and goes out of his way to climb up on guests and sits comfy on there shoulder and then they sit terrified cause as soon as they move he wants to attack. Even if they try to speak calmly to him he goes to bite there lips ?
What body language does he display prior to biting? I'm asking because we do have one parrot who (sometimes) really likes to try to look inside open mouths/teeth, if he is on someones shoulder and they smile broadly he will try to grab at their teeth, when their mouth closes he tries to prise their lips open by grabbing a lip and pulling (it hurts as much as biting does!). He very rarely displays this behaviour to my boyfriend and I, but visitors are fair game to him. There is no aggression in what he is doing. Also, as Missk mentioned they can be inclined to grab parts of you for balance, though both my birds favour ears for that. :lol:
I see in your first post that you mentioned he displays aggressive body language when they try to pat him when he is on their shoulder? I am inclined to think Missk's point about how the bird is removed from shoulders may be contributing to response you are getting.
I would start by not allowing him on shoulders of guests. If he does climb on to them then you (not the person he is on) should remove him by asking him to step up and then giving him a treat when he steps up. If he doesn't want to step up you can start by luring him onto your hand. You can let him perch on peoples hands that are held at or above shoulder level, this means he can have the safety and security of the height, but can be kept far enough from faces to prevent injuries and bad experiences for everyone (especially the bird). Remember that the more practice that a bird gets at biting, the more it will do it, so avoiding situations that encourage biting will decrease biting. Also, make coming down from shoulders more rewarding than being on shoulders.

Robb n toohey wrote:In saying that he won't ever walk to me and climb on me, I have to get him from where ever he decides to be.. But never gets cranky at me unless in hes cage and which is only rarely that he will attack from there most times he comes freely.. When he is on guests I have to walk over and pick him up and he comes to me no worries at all, just say up and he's on my finger straight away.. He is the most confusing bird I have ever owned.. But I love him/her to bits.. I say he or him only as habit :)

Cheers robb,
Do you reward him for stepping up?
The issue of not wanting to go to the cage is pretty well discussed on here already, if you do a search you should find lots of info. Basically, make the cage an attractive place for the bird to go to and to stay in. Personally, I am a big fan of foraging toys because they keep my birds busy in the cages.

I hope this was helpful.

Claire

ps check out http://www.behaviorworks.org
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