ear nipping

[Gregg]

My grey is very tame but has a habit of nipping my wifes ear rather hard. How do I stop this.Also dislikes children

[Luvparrots]

When I first got my grey, she would nip at my ears. After a few stern "no bites" and the action didn't stop, she was banned from my shoulder for awhile. Now she has learned that she can't nip at my ears if she wants on my shoulder. They are very smart and you have to be persistent and clear in your "cans and cannots" with your grey. As for the disliking children/people, my grey chooses whom she likes and dislikes, what can you do??? Small children are impulsive and quick in their actions, some greys are very leery of quick movements. My grey is leery of most people but me, she has decided that my 11-year old grandson is fine and so is my 22-year old grandson. But they are calm and gentle young men. The more rambunctious grandsons are just not allowed around my parrots more for their protection than my fids.

[Dave007]

Disliking children is not an unusual thing. Many greys don't like kids because kids are moving around too quickly and get greys nervous. It doesn't apply to every grey though.

 

Nipping your wife's ear. That can only happen when a bird is on the shoulder or when a person intentionally puts the ear near the bird.

There's shoulder birds and non shoulder birds. Shoulder birds will stay on a shoulder and not do anything but sit there.

A non shoulder bird is one that will bite ears, neck, cheeks, nose, hair, eyeglasses, jewelry and clothing. All of these things are attractive to some greys and even other parrots. There's nothing that can be done to change that nipping bird other than to keep it off the shoulder. Many people will tell you about experiences they've had with a non shoulder bird.

PS--simply watch your kid very carefully and keep the child away the bird ( not close). The problem will eventually ease up.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Dave007

[judygram]

Dave is right, some greys can be shoulder birds and some cannot, if yours wants to nip the ears and other facial features then it has to be an off shoulder bird. A grey has to earn the priviledge to be on the shoulder and when they are there it is hard to read their body language since you can hardly see them when you turn toward them but then that puts your face right where they can get a good clamp down on a body part you would rather keep intact. I have a grey who has shoulder priviledges for she doesn't go for body parts and comes down when asked to by me so she has earned her right to be there but it is only for short periods of time.

It could be that your wife is reacting to the bites and that in itself is entertaining for the grey and they will continue to do what amuses them so if you want to keep the grey off your shoulder then you will just have to block him from going up the arm and if the bird is flying onto the shoulder then put an arm up to divert the bird away from you.

[Pi_1]

Our Grey likes to nibble at ears - but very softly in an affectionate way. Does yours bite hands or anything other than just the wife's ears? Yours? If your Grey bites at other times, it needs to be taught biting will not be tolerated. If it is ONLY your wife's ears, perhaps something is enticing your Grey. Does she wear earrings? Can she cover her ears with her hair? Perhaps give your Grey something like a pop bottle cap to play with instead of the ears? Is the Grey really biting hard or is it just startling to your wife? The Grey COULD just be being affectionate and playing and your wife could be misinterpreting it.....

 

As far as kids go, I haven't found anything that will get a Grey to like someone - they either do or don't. My Grey hated my fiance for the longest. I started having my fiance feed and water her, as well as deliver all the treats. It took awhile, but she is now able to pet and they have a very good relationship, although our Grey will still fend off any attempts by the fiance to pet her outside the cage. She loves pets from my fiance inside the cage, however, and loves going to see my fiance when out. Greys have their strange little ways and the only thing I can advise would be to keep the children from playing around the cage so as to not scare your Grey, and have them feed, water, and bring treats while slowly approaching the cage and chatting with your Grey softly.