Cranky Biting!

[Devin Corso]

_Hi everyone! When I let Korra out she stretches her wings and does her bird yoga. I put out a lot of toys and foraging/rip apart things for her. The problem is about 20 minutes into being out she flies over to me and starts either biting my laptop, or biting my fingers, arms, or toes. I absolutely understand this is because she wants attention, so I stroke her head, pet her belly, and talk to her. Sometimes I will sing to her, have her dance, and put her back on her perch. She does this over and over again, and every time she bites harder to the point of leaving marks and sometimes drawing blood. I try to talk with her and interact with her from across the room and put many toys and chewy things out for her like I said. I always put new things out for her with water and food. She throws all of her toys and food out, rips apart her chewy things and throws them too.

_I get that she is trying to get attention, but I have to do my work. How can I keep her entertained and calm? She knows biting me is bad because when she does she leans back and says "Oooh!" or "No!" and pins her eyes. I watched a video on how to stop biting and the guy said to use repetition, a firm (not loud) voice, and make a screech-like sound so they understand that it hurts. I also read to give her "the angry eye" and talk sternly to her as if she was a toddler misbehaving. None of this seems to be working. Please help! :mad:

-Sincerely, Devin

[SRSeedBurners]

I use a small squirt bottle to get compliance in my house of chaos. GreycieMae knows when the squirt bottle comes out she better tighten up the ship real quick or a squirt is coming her way, and she hates getting squirted. She loves to fly to the top of the littles (conure & cockatiel) cage and harrass/torment them. I hate getting out of my chair 50 times an hour to stop her so I bust out the squirt bottle. All I have to do now is pull it out and tell her to stop and she stops.

 

I also use it to bust up fights between her and the caique & jardines. They see me break out the squirt bottle and everybirdy buries the hatchets.

 

 

 

Something else that worked with my bitey lil conure was to have a dowel perch nearby. Once she started biting hard I break out the conure-beating-stick. Just the sight of it caused her to stand up tall and quit the dang biting.

[Acappella]

Sometimes they need a time out in their cage. Like you say, you have to do your work. As long as she has lots of toys and things in there a little in cage time is not going to kill her. Then bring her out when you can devote your attention to her. After all, you need to take a play break every once in a while.

[Devin Corso]

Gosh thank you both so much! I read a few books and really educated myself before getting her because when I got Yoshi (conure) I could already tell there was something going on upstairs! Something more than other pets. The bottom line of all the research I did came down to one sentence "They are toddlers." I have read yes and no on the time out method and the squirt bottle method, so I'm kind of flimsy about it. I'll keep my foot down this time! :cool:

[Greywings]

When I read your entry it sounds like you are rewarding her bitey behavior by giving her attention. I would ignore her and cage her when she gets antisocial then release her after a few minutes and repeat as needed.

[Devin Corso]

Ok, I see what you're saying. I read that African greys are really emotional and you have to be really careful, so that was my direction of thought. I'll take your advice though. I have to be firm.

 

Also, I have been trying to bathe her with the spray bottle. Should I save the spray bottle just for punishment, or should I continue using it for bathing? I don't want to give her mixed signals.

[SRSeedBurners]

If she likes to be spray bathed I would not use the spray bottle to deter. All three of my birds hate getting a squirt which is why I just have to show the bottle and they hop to attention. The only time I spray is when GreycieMae and Toby get into or about to get into a death ball. When they get like this just showing the bottle does not work, they need that little extra attitude adjustment.

[Devin Corso]

Ok, I will only use the squirt bottle if she is being bad, since she hates it.

[Acappella]

I got a cranky bite from Dorian yesterday and it made me think of you. How is it going?

[Ray P]

Reward the good, Ignore the bad.

I did use the squirt bottle many years ago but found the long term results were very poor and did nothing for the relationship.

Saying no bits and walking away gave me the long term results with no trauma in the relationship and I could mist her when necessary.

[Luvparrots]

Now that Sterling has matured he at "mating season" bites at me when I ask him to step up. He gives me the evil eye with the bite. He quickly switches gears when he see and remembers my evil eye is worse than his and I control the cage door and treats. Fortunately my greys do not interact in a male/female relationship although Ana Grey is 9 and Sterling Gris 7.