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Biting

3K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  pixiebird 
#1 ·
I have a 11 month old blue female. I love her so much. Everyday I try to get her out of her cage when i get home and spend time with her. She will regurdgetate(if thats how you spell it) like she is feeding me then a second later, bite me. She will ride on my shoulder all over the house and never fly off. If I put her on top of her cage to play and I walk away she will fly directly to my shoulder. She acts like she is really bonded to me but I can not get her to quit biting me when I am holding her in my hands or on my finger. Why do you think she is doing this and how can I get her to stop? I blow in her facr and that seems to make her more mad and she bites me more. Can anyone help me?:confused:
 
#2 ·
Hi Divasmom! Parrotlets are very nippy by nature. I have 2 males and went through the same thing. My 1 year old male still nips at times especially when hes tired or in a mood. As soon as I raise my voice though and say, NO BITES! he stops. Sometimes, blowing in there face does not work. I tried it and it didn't work for me either. What worked better for me was shaking my hand so he would get off balance. I think they call this "Earth Shake". When I did this I would say, NO BITES! firmly. Also, sometimes I would put my parrotlet on the floor for a few seconds then pick him up. Parrotlets don't like to be on ground level it scares them because they are prey animals. Once I did this he behaved beautifully. This may work for your little girl and it may not. All parrotlets are different, but hey what do you got to lose right?? : )
 
#3 ·
Sounds like she is very bonded to you. I would discourage the regurgitating. Shoulder time is a privilege... so my guys only get it when they're behaving well, otherwise, off they go.

What do you mean "holding her in my hands"? If you're cupping her or surrounding her body with your hands, she may not like and most birds don't (it makes them feel vulnerable because they can't escape and that's what a predator could do). If she's biting the finger that she's sitting on, the earthquake method works for me. Otherwise, it sounds like she's fully flighted and it seems like fully flighted birds are brats, so they tend to act out more. You may want to trim her wings to see if it makes a difference.
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys. I have heard that clipping their wings can make a big difference because a flighted bird is more nippy. I did not think that something that simple and wierd could make a difference but I have heard it here on the forum as well as in a book I bought about Parrotlets. The blowing in the face definitely does not work so I will definitely try the earthquake method and see if thats better. How do I discourage the regurgitating? Kind of gross LOL.
 
#11 ·
Thanks guys. I have heard that clipping their wings can make a big difference because a flighted bird is more nippy. I did not think that something that simple and wierd could make a difference but I have heard it here on the forum as well as in a book I bought about Parrotlets. The blowing in the face definitely does not work so I will definitely try the earthquake method and see if thats better. How do I discourage the regurgitating? Kind of gross LOL.

Yes clip the wings! A very good idea. My boys are always clipped. It makes them easier to train and they avoid getting hurt that way. I also agree with Jink and Noodle, parrotlets don't like to be cupped in the hand. It makes them nervous. Mine just sit on my shoulder, my finger or they sit on there play gym which they love. :p
 
#5 ·
I usually put my guys back in their cage or stand and ignore them.

Of all my birds, I have only one male (who could care less that I'm alive) and since I've had 2 females that have laid eggs in the past, when they start regurgitating, I take steps to discourage further issues that may lead to egg laying. I restrict the amount of food that they get, less interaction from me, make sure that they get at least 12 hours of night/dark time, make sure that there aren't any toys in their cage that they're overly attached to (especially mirrors!), and basically ignore and put them away if they are overly affectionate to me. Also, no petting beyond the head.
 
#6 ·
my husband likes to stick his finger in our birds cage and let the bird bite at it, I have tried to tell him that it is not a good habit as one of the grandkids might get bit one day but he seems to think it's okay. Can you tell me if he is allowing the bird to develop a bad habit that he will later regret?
 
#7 ·
It sounds like he is training the bird to bite a finger when it gets near him, not a vey good idea. Your husband may not mind the sensation of being bit but it could cause someone to get hurt, even the bird as when bitten most people will yank their hands away quickly which could hurt the bird too. I would "nip" this practise in the bud if I were you, it seems to defeat whatever training you are doing with your bird.

ed
 
#9 ·
my husband likes to stick his finger in our birds cage and let the bird bite at it, I have tried to tell him that it is not a good habit as one of the grandkids might get bit one day but he seems to think it's okay. Can you tell me if he is allowing the bird to develop a bad habit that he will later regret?
Not nice to do. I would ask him to stop.

Diva's Mom, sometimes they just don't want to be held on the finger. They prefer to be on your shoulder or near you. Do you have a good playgym to put near you when you sit and watch TV or read, etc?
 
#12 ·
The earthquake method, cage method and blowing did not work for my girl. I actually use a spray bottle on her when she's bad. Now all she has to do is see the bottle when she is misbehaving and she straightens up her act. She seems to consider it her arch nemis and will attack it if it is left on the couch or table. Its hilarious. This may not work for you if you mist bathe your bird, but otherwise I found it was a great training tool.
 
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