Discover How To Stop Your Parrot From Biting You >>>>
“Why is my parrot biting me?”
This is a question asked every day by parrot owners who thought they would never own a bird that bites.
Once you have been bit, it is hard to return comfortably to the biter. At least that’s what most people say. It does take a positive mind set and it is best to return with some understanding of the parrot’s needs.
Common Causes For Biting : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
Consider what may be happening from the bird’s point of view. Has there been a change in their environment? Is there something in the parrot’s recent or distant past that scared him or caused him not to trust you or other humans? Are there unexpected noises or sudden movements when the biting occurs? Could the parrot be jealous of someone or something at the time? Could the bird be angry at you, someone else in the room or even a situation?
Most of the time, the bird will warn you by giving you clues with their body language. The problem is, we don’t always speak parrot so we don’t recognize the clue they are trying to send to warn us.
Depending on the parrot, they may fluff up their feathers and slightly raise their wings while pining their eyes, they may make a particular noise that sounds like growling or hissing, they may scream, they may open their beak and lunge a warning, and some will just run away.
Besides considering the above, you have to consider the possibility that when one of the things above has happened that the biting behavior has been reinforced by improper responses. The biting may have become a habit that you have to break.
Fear : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
Fear is the most common reason a bird will attack. You must consider the environment from the parrot’s perspective. They don’t think like humans and they don’t understand our language for us to explain to them why things are the way they are. They didn’t ask to come live with us, so the burden is on us to accommodate them.
There are many obvious reasons your parrot could be afraid. A common reason would be if you just brought the bird home and it doesn’t know you or where it is. It could be afraid because it was abused or ignored in its previous home or worse, homes.
Imagine someone coming and taking you to their giant home and a bunch of big and little giants moving about your cage, making noises in all kinds of decibels and pitches. They even stare at you and try to put their giant claws on you! Nothing in your cage is the same. The look and smell of this home is even different. And maybe you were hurt by one or more of these giant looking creatures in the past. Are you going to be comfortable? Might you be scared??
Now there is a similarity in humans and parrots in that there are no two alike. Just as some people are outgoing and some are shy. Some people are nervous and scared of everything, and some seem to be brave from birth.
You can help the brave child learn to make wise decisions and respect others, and you can help the nervous child to come outside of themselves and enjoy life, but the core personality will always be there.
We have to do the same with our parrots. We have to help them see the world differently, but we can’t make them change their core being. We can train them and encourage proper responses to their environment, but we have to respect them in the process.
Frustration : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
Many parrots bite because they are frustrated. They want attention and you aren’t giving it to them. Maybe they want to play or eat and you won’t leave them alone. You may have trained them to be in a particular routine and now you have changed it.
They may be bored in their cage and would like out to play or be with you. Make sure you allow your parrot time out of its cage and give the bird quality attention daily, just like you would want if you were the one locked up in a cage all day. This is even more important if your parrot only has human friends.
There are more possibilities than I will mention. You need to spend the time to figure it out. You owe it to the parrot that you forced into your home. Always keep that in mind.
Hormones : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
You can sit and think about this one. Both humans and animals have hormonal times, and they all have them at different ages. Some people have more personality difficulties during those times than others. I won’t get personal here; just ponder it if you will. Will you accept that your parrot has to go through this too? How did or do you like to be treated when you are going through an emotional time? Enough said??? OK
If your parrot screams because he wants you and then lunges because he’s whacked out, then be sweet and talk nicely or give him his favorite treat when he has calmed down. Don’t reward the bad behavior, but don’t punish the bird for being hormonal. Keep up the relationship as best you can. It won’t last forever.
Molting : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
In order to get you to put yourself in this one, let’s pretend that you have to get new teeth every few months. You may not remember how uncomfortable it is for teeth to come in, but you probably have been around a baby that was teething. Again, some take it better than others. Some like their gums rubbed and some don’t want you within ten feet of them. Actually they cry because they want you and then they cry because you come. I have never molted, but it does NOT look comfortable. Let’s give these guys a little break if they are grumpy.
“Teething” or rather Beaking : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
Young parrots will often go through a stage where they beak everything. They don’t know what we feel when they beak us. We have to communicate to them that it hurts and encourage them not to bite or beak us.
Don’t allow your parrot to nibble when it is young and you will deter biting when they are old. There are many ways to deter this behavior.
When my Green Cheeked Conure nibbles me, I squeak like he does when I touch one of his pin feathers coming in that is sensitive. This doesn’t work for my husband, because he can’t squeak, his voice isn’t high enough. He gives the little guy the “earthquake” instead. (The “earthquake” is a very gentle movement of the finger or arm that distracts the bird.)
Now if your little buddy likes the “earthquake” routine, he will bite just to get the ride. You will have to try one of the many other methods.
Some people blow in their faces, I personally don’t like that one, but some say it works for them. If you keep a chew toy with you, you can tell them “no” and encourage them to bite the toy. Mine doesn’t usually want the toy, he likes the way my finger or neck feels, so this doesn’t work for me. He can be distracted by food however.
Make sure you aren’t teaching the bird that if he bites you he gets a toy or food! We are talking about a bird that is exploring their environment, not biting you for attention.
Don’t give up too fast on any method you choose. Some parrots take a long time to change, again just like kids and adults. Some parrots are more stubborn than others. Patience, love and understanding is the key here.
Selfishness : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
In humans, selfishness is a character flaw. In parrots however, it is just what they are. We can not expect them to act or respond like humans, even though they do sometimes.
If your parrot is trying to communicate to you “I don’t want to come to you, I’m busy right now” then leave him alone unless you have to interact with him. Watch his body language and respect his wishes.
If you miss the signal and he bites you, then try not to react in an excited way. Stay calm and speak sternly. If you entertain the bird with your response, he might selfishly choose this entertainment more often. Think about it.
We put our parrots back in their cage, shut the door and walk out of the room. Some people cover the cage too. My cage takes so long to cover that he would probably forget why he’s in there by the time I could get it covered.
If they aren’t screaming for our return, we come back in a few minutes and give them another chance…if they want one. We don’t force them to come back out.
It is very important that you don’t give the bird any attention at all during the “time out” period. Don’t talk to the bird, don’t look at the bird, act as if the bird doesn’t exist. When the time out period is over, give your bird a chance to do something right and reward him. Even if it is that he quit screaming or that he came to the side of the cage when you talked to him.
NEVER EVER hit your parrot or sling your parrot when it bites! It can harm your parrot both physically and emotionally. The bird may never trust you or like you again. He may have a hard time trusting any human again.
If your parrot likes you but bites others, you can help the parrot accept the other person. When your parrot attempts to bite or in fact does bite the other person, you be the one that disciplines them. They don’t care if the other person dislikes them, but they do want to please you.
Conclusion : How To Train Your Parrot To Stop Biting
Take the time to study your parrot and learn the nature of its personality. Study its body language and learn its moods. Be sensitive to when they need attention and when they need time alone. Give them the opportunity to just be with you and not have to interact with you if that is what they want.
Take the time to expose your parrot, slowly, to new people, places, objects, sounds and environments. It is unlikely that a parrot that will live 20 to 80 years will never have to leave home or have a different routine. Help your beloved parrot now to prepare for the unexpected changes later.
About the Author
Written by Paula Dansie of the African Grey Parrot Centre
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Hi, I bought a hand tame baby African Grey. It is now 1 year old. He/She was a perfect bird, came to our hand on command and loved affection. One morning it decided to give me a very meaningful bite and refused to come to me it was as if it was suddenly frightened of me. There was no change to routines or any reason I can find to act in this way. He/She whistles and talks beautifully but that is not what I want in a bird. To be honest I have considered getting rid of the bird as I have no reason to keep a biter. I have read the above but still cannot see what is going wrong. Any last bit of advice to help would be very appreciated before he has to find a new home.
Regards,
Steve
well, our parrot(a meyer) became ours when my son divorced. We have had him for 5 yrs. He has a biting problem & tonite was the worse .My husband (who is the only one who can handle him&he runs from him }was opening the cage to let him out & he grabbed his finger & bit it real hard. He wouldnt let go & yes, he was slung . Once on the floor he proceeded chasing my husband.I stepped between them because i was afraid he would be hurt & he bit me badly on my toe,where he stayed till my husband got a towel, which he latched on to & i put him in the cage.Thank god he wasnt hurt.Now my husband who really loved him said thats it. No more out of the cage.Will this harm him ? Believe me, we have tried everything.
I HAVE A AFRICAN GREY PARROT. HIS NAME IS PUZZLE.PUZZLE IS ABOUT 3 4 YEARS HE IS NOT TAIMED BUT HE IS A LITTLE PALLY WITH MY DAUGHTER. HE EATS FROM HER HAND, HE CALLS MY DAUGHTER, BUT THE THING IS HE DOES NOT LET US TOUCH HIM OR HE DOES NOT SIT ON THE HAND NEITHER DOES HE LISTEN TO OUR COMMANDS. HE HAS STAYED WITH US FOR THREE MONTHS. HE CALLS MY DAUGHTER, BUT MOMENT WE GO NEAR HIM HE SCREAMS. PLS GIVE ME SOME GREAT IDEAS TO TRAIN HIM.
my mum bought a African grey, im not sure how old he is because the lady told us nothing except he was a male and VERY UNTAMED.We had to cover him because he growled and screamed ALOT, when we had to feed him we had to chuck the food into the cage and quickly close the door before he could bite you.But after a few years he now talks alot and is tame enough to now scratch his head and hand feed him,i bend my finger into a C shape to tell my parrot (now called ozy)that im about to scratch his head, then i wait for his response (which is when he bends his head down)but when i scratch his head he quickly turns back to bite me (not a very hard bite just a nip but sometimes he bites hard)how can i stop it?
Please can anyone help we have a young african grey who does not bite my hubby but goes for me everytime I go near him. What can I do ??
Hello i bought a african grey parrot 3 weeks ago. His last owner was turkish and franky the parrot was realy good with him as the man came out with fanky on his arm and he said ‘do not be afraid of him’ as he put is finger in frankys beak and he did nothing the man he could do appsulutily anything with the parrot but now 3 weeks later he will let me tickle him, stroke his beak, give him kisses on his head… but when my two little girls and my partner try to do thows he ataces them. We will give him untill christmas so he will be settled in proberly and we will go from there. I could realy do with some more advice so plz contact stevebowen34@hotmail.co.uk thank you
How long does it take for an African Grey to settle with the same people in a home? My mum bought one, his/her name is Maddy and it bites me whenever i put food in its cage, causing me to throw it in. Sometimes, he/she will let me kiss on the beack through the cage and it does mimmick me, but for some reason, i can’t trust it enough to stroke it. What should, could i do to make it be less aggressive with me?
Hi Ray,
Greys can be very territorial in their cage so I would suggest that you gain your grey’s trust outside of the cage before you attempt inside of the cage, how long do you let your grey out of the cage each day and what sort of interaction do you have with it while it is out?
Rick
Hi, I have a 16 yr old female African Grey. I have had her for 3 yrs. I received her from my niece who was pregnant and couldnt take care of her (Pepper). She plucks really bad. one of her wings is bald an dshe has started plucking the other wing and her neck. Pepper was neglected when she was a younger bird by her original owner. I love this bird bt she still bites, and she wont let anyone touch her. She did sit on my arm a couple of times but the last time she fell off because she wouldnt hold on properly. Could this be fixed with proper diet and vitamins? She throws fresh fruit and veggies out of her cage to the dogs! Please help me!!
Stayce
Hi, first off, I was recently told by a friend who has an African Grey that had feather pulling out problems that they found out on taking him to the vet peanuts can cause this – go figure. And then of course there’s the unhappy reason. Secondly, I have two AGs. The older one is the most gentle creature exisitng, I’m sure 🙂 but the little one is as cocky as hell. Very cute, chatty etc, but oh boy, can it bite. No problems with picking he/she up, going in their bedroom (night time cage), etc etc. I think it could just be that it does not like being loved & touched like the other one, please confirm that this could in fact, be the problem? Thanks.
I found Your coments of parrots biting very interesting
I think he is a male and his last owner said he will bond
with a femail before a male only time will tell.
I had a beatiful relationship with my African Grey for two years. I worked and he spend the whole day with himself/herself the whole day with the tv on Animal planet very softly. Now 3 months ago i stopped working and spent more time with him, a month at home he/she started to bite me and takes more to my husband but let him know very clearly when to touch him or not. I feel sad for i raised him/her from 10 weeks. Could it be that the routine makes him uncomfortable. He started to poise by raising his feathers and puffy. Although he does not chase me. I do not know what to do..he gets a new toy each month. What am i suppose to do in this situation. He used to shower with me at least twice a week on my shoulder and on the floor. he changed it to by loving sitting in a tiny bit of luke warm water and play. Yet i have tried to leave him alone and call him, he will then very unsurely begin to come to me especially if i give him berry juice 100%. I also battle to make him eat his vegies. He is not interested in veggies, just sead and fruit. Is there anyone that could give me advise..i am afraid and very cautious of him now. It feels he slips away and i feel desperate to stop him biting me.
My Mom got an African Grey (Max) about 23 years ago, it was abused by the previous owner. My Mom could not touch him, he would take peanuts and bread from her hand and he does take it from my hand. My Mom passed away and I took the bird. He will not let you near him he trys to bite, we cannot touch him. Can you please help me to change this and start enjoying Max?
I have one male and one female African Grey. I got them from a bird rescue. Ive had them for 7 years and they both bite. The female bites really bad. Ive tried all kinds of things like spending more time with them, letting them out of the cage alot every day,putting them on my knee while i’m watching tv. They only bite my hands. They will sit on my knee or leg just fine and really enjoy that, but when I put my hand near them and say step up, the female bites very badly. I just cant take it much longer and it’s about time to sell them, because the biting wont stop. I’m afraid that someone else will abuse them however, if the birds bite them as well. any advise?
my african grey bites me draws blood and then says bad boy
I got my African Grey a little over a year ago. He has had at least 2 owners that I know of before I got him and he has obviously been mistreated/abused. I spend time with him daily yet he is still very aggressive. He has attacked my black lab, nearly taken my husbands finger off (many times) and seems to have serious issues with men in general. He has also bit me but has never bought blood. When he is down playing on the floor everyone must have thick shoes on because he will chase and attack bare or sock feet. I have no clue how old he is or how to help him stop biting and being so mean which he must enjoy because he has an evil laugh that he does every time he attacks. Would love any advise I can get.
I also need help because i just got an African Grey two days ago but am confused he/she won’t let me near him and am scared of him/her biting me but i would want to know how to bond with him. he is not caged but free in the house but am also scared that if i open the windows he might fly away and disappear, i don’t even open the curtains coz im scared of him seeing the outside and wanting to run away. Please advise me on what to do.
Sorry i also forgot, he/she has refused to eat, i gave him a banana, rice/ a red chilli and ground nuts (peanuts). and he/she also seems to be biting his/her feathers.I named him /her (i don’t know the sex) ZAZOU. PLEASE ADVISE ME.
I just bought a 12 year old african grey and he talks alot. But every time we try to touch him he bites and then he says sorry. Hes very territorial of his cage and he hates it when i take his food dish out to clean it. I don’t know what to do.Hes bit my boyfriend twice and he bit my dads girlfriend several times. I havn’t been bit luckily i was able to pull away in time. When i bought him i was able to hold him but the people at the stores had to reach in and grab his leg and he seemed afraid when they did that. I don’t want to scare him. I hope that hes not to old to train. All i know is that he was with an old couple for 12 years and then they sold him at the bird store.