normal for them to be so bitey?

[cheebamaster]

Ive been visitng my baby every day in the store. She is about 12 weeks old and i already love her to death . One thing i noticed though is that she is really starting to use her beak. If she doesnt want touched shell lunge out or begin biting my fingers when im just holding her...today she tried playing with my phone that was on a table and when i put my hand down to block her path she took a little chunk of skin off my hand lol...just wondering if shes testing bounds or what

[judygram]

Yes it is normal for they use their beak like a child would use their fingers but you can distract her with a foot toy when she gets bitey.

[cheebamaster]

ah okay cool, I've been moving my arm up and down so she has to let go to catch her balance and say "no bite" lol

[brianlinkles]

That is a good thing to do if she is on your hand or arm, just rock it and she will have to correct her balance. This will distract her from biting. Every bird is very different, some more independant some more cuddly. She is still so young that she is testing her beak, independance etc. When do you plan on bringing her home, are you waiting for her to be weaned? When you say she bites do you mean "beaking " like kind of moving her beak around on you even opening it and using it to move your hand, finger etc., or do you mean actually biting you?

[cheebamaster]

well she definitely bit me pretty hard today when i denied access to my phone lol..that one broke the skin...otherwise her "bites" aren't too bad...she just sort of chomps with her beak if something looks tastey..but if she doesn't want pet or if she has access to a finger she chomps down pretty hard. I haven't really tried rubbing her beak..don't know if good idea I'm new to this whole thing

 

edit; I'm bringing her home in about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks..I think she'll be about 15 weeks old then and fully weaned.

Edited April 26, 2012 by cheebamaster

[Acappella]

Sounds like you were on the receiving end of a little bit of temper when you had the un-mitigated nerve to deny her royal highness something she felt should be hers! If you have to block her path to something, tighten your hand into a fist, protecting your fingers, and then roll your fist in so the skin is too tight to get a bite of. If she tries, just say 'no bite' with a serious face and voice, then distract her with something she allowed to have. Teaching her 'no' now will serve you well in the years to come. Of course, you still have to let her express herself, so if she's mad, give her a toy or a bell that she can beat the stuffing out of!

[JeffNOK]

Definately make that fist if you can't avoid a bite--it works!

[aerial.2000]

Sounds like you were on the receiving end of a little bit of temper when you had the un-mitigated nerve to deny her royal highness something she felt should be hers! If you have to block her path to something, tighten your hand into a fist, protecting your fingers, and then roll your fist in so the skin is too tight to get a bite of. If she tries, just say 'no bite' with a serious face and voice, then distract her with something she allowed to have. Teaching her 'no' now will serve you well in the years to come. Of course, you still have to let her express herself, so if she's mad, give her a toy or a bell that she can beat the stuffing out of!

 

good idea lol I like the fist and the bell ....

 

marco nipped me once at the pet store pretty good broke the skin and all but she was VERY startled by a little girl running thru the shop at HIGH speed that when I went to pick her up she lunged out and bit me before I even knew what hit me. Better me then the little girl who was flaring all over but since bringing her home in the new environment she "uses her beak" like an arm but doesnt bite (me at anyrate LOL the rest of the family is a whole nother story)