Biting Baby

[OzarkSideburns]

We have a 15 week old Grey-who we have had since he was 14 days. he has suddenly started attacking our 14 and 12 year old. they have been very involved in his raising, formula feeding him, etc.... suddenly he has turned on them not sure why. he will lunge and screech at them, and bite as hard and fierce as he can. yet when the 14 year old feeds him.. he is lovable. i notice it nore when I am in teh room, so i think he is bonding more with me. how do i stop this behavior, before it gets out of hand

[danmcq]

Hi Ozark,

 

You Wrote "how do i stop this behavior, before it gets out of hand"

 

Your Boys will need to find another place to live

 

All kidding aside, you may have hit the Nail on the Head. Your Grey could also be a little nervous around them now that he is more aware of what's going on around him and Boys that age have a tendency to move around rather quickly and sometimes have their mouths and arms flapping at the same time :-)

 

You can not stop a Grey or any other Parrot from deciding it prefers one over another. If the can feed your Grey or give him snacks and he accepts them as you say. It sounds more like your Grey wants to be left alone at times by your boys and lets them know so.

 

Perhaps have your sons start paying more attention to your Greys body language and if he shows he is not receptive to being handled or moved, just have them back off and go do something else for a while. :-)

 

These are just some suggestions based on assumptions, not knowing the entire story or facts.

[lovemyGreys]

If they have been involved in raising him & he has been socialized well it may be as Dan suggest that he needs some space, his way of telling them to back off,Are you sure he is not useing his beak to explore as we do our hands ? They often at an early age touch everything with their beaks,Here is a useful link that explores understanding your greys body language, a simple read perhaps get the kids to check the link out

 

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/Reading-Your-Parrot-s-Body-Language.id-3111.html

[OzarkSideburns]

Actually my 14 yr old is a girl.. very calm and quiet. As I said before.. they can formula feed him, but if I am anywhere near he lunges and attacks the kids. I am wondering the best way to "discipline" the biting. I realize punishment is not an answer.. discipline is just the word I am using. I know you do not punish him to his cage, hit a bird, etc.. but what tips do people have to stop the biting.

[OzarkSideburns]

I will check out the link..thanks.. we are all very in tune with Zulus body language... and noises... he tells them to get away and stay away-ALL THE TIME...(unless Ashley is going to formula feed him) I am not sure why..

He is most definitely exploring with his beak, as we do with our hands.. he does that all the time.. this is an attack. HOW do you teach a bird to not bite.. besides only changing your tone, and saying NO BITE. That is NOT working.

Thanks for teh reply!! I appreciate it!!

[MisterDavE]

Could it be not that the bird is attacking them but rather testing its authority over them our bird does it sometimes, she is a baby and whenever we have a friend around we try and get them to interact and she will be all sqwuaky and husky saying no i dont like you and then i don't want to say bite them but she mouths their hand lightly to see whether they are scared and react if they do she thinks she is boss and wont have anything to do with them but if they just let her do this and not yank their hand away she becomes accustomed to them and accepts them.

I'm not saying chuck your kids hands in there and let them get pecked to high hell, but could it be a kinda authority thing and the bird seeing where he/she ranks in the home.

and the formula thing, parrots are clever "you never bite the hand that feeds"

[OzarkSideburns]

I am doing just as you sugeest.. already-Zulu doesnt pick on their hand lightly-he is drawing blood. YEs he is very clever already-at 15 weeks old. amazing.I see so much intelligence its scary-way smarter than our umbrella cockatoo-although she is a gentle giant. we never had trouble with her.

[danmcq]

Not knowing your specific environment and other details. Perhaps this video using a Clicker as positive reinforcement will help give you some ideas:

 

http://www.birdtricks.com/PowerPause/

[Acappella]

Does this only happen when you are in the room at the same time as the kids are interacting with him? Could he have picked you as 'his' and be saying to the kids, "no, I don't want you I want mom" If you think this is a possiblilty don't let him succeed in driving away the kids and bringing you to him. Even if it is to scold he may think he's winning because the kids leave and you come to him. Maybe if the kids just say 'no bite' and then everyone, including you, leaves the room for a few minutes he'll learn that biting means the whole flock leaves him and his behaviour might change.