Beaks me non-stop

[darth_mint]

I've been trying to start Nicky on "step-up", first by just getting him used to my hand. But all he wants to do is beak me! Even when my hand is outside the cage, he'll stick his beak through the bars and try to chew on me. It's not biting - I've been bit before and boy do I know the difference - but it hurts when he starts gnawing the finger joints. Plenty. I started fisting my hand to protect my fingers and he took to pulling up little pinches of skin (fortunately I don't have much flab) and chewing on those. Like I'm a chew toy

 

How can I get him to stop? He starts reaching for me every time I put my hand in the cage. I kept it there so he wouldn't start thinking beaking was a good way of chasing me off, and wound up with a double row of little purple bruises from knuckle to mid-forearm where he pinched. Ow...

[danmcq]

Well, would suggest that you stop offering your hand as a chew toy. :-) he is starting to think it is a game and you are taking part in it.

 

Are you only able to interact with him from outside the cage at this point? If you can open the cage and ask him to step up, while bringing your hand up from underneath slowly, what does he do?

 

When he does beak you (as they always will, due to it being their way of testing things) if he does so too hard, look him straight in the eyes and say "No Bite" in a firm voice. Then slowly remove your hand and walk away from him. he will catch on that he is applying an unacceptable amount of pressure.

 

One thing to note also, sticking you fingers or hand through the cage bars is intruding into their home and space. Many will give a hard beaking just to let you know they do not appreciate it. Many have become this way due to the first thing someone new wants to do is run up and stick their damn finger through the cage bars and play with the birdy, if you don't catch them before hand. So the bird views it as a small threat and annoyance they deal with by giving a hard beaking. :-)

[darth_mint]

Ack! You're probably right about him thinking it's a game. I tried rewarding him for letting me pet his beak without biting. The little monkey did get the point, but after two rounds of petting he apparently decided chewing was more fun, threw the treat away and tried to pull my thumbnail off :blink:

 

Right now he won't come out of the cage even when I open the door fully. I've tried moving my hand up under him, and he straightaway bends down and starts the chew toy business. Will have to try "No Bite" ASAP, my skin may not hold out much longer!

[Acappella]

Don't forget to walk away after saying No Bite like Dan said. It just has to be for a couple minutes. They want the company of their flock, so it's important that he associates being left alone/ignored with biting. Here' hoping your career as a chew toy is a short one:)

[n2fisher]

I've heard, and used, the idea of using a stick (or short pvc pipe) to help train the bird to step up .. it's offering something that can't get hurt when he bites it. Get him comfortable stepping up on that, then make it shorter and shorter until he steps up on your hand. When my brother-in-law first gave Gandalf to me I used this technique. Are you a bird owner otherwise and this is a new bird, or is this your first bird? A lot of my issues when getting comfortable with Gandalf was my own fear of being bitten -- as I became more comfortable he bit less; now he won't bite at all.

[darth_mint]

Perverse little monkey, after I used "No Bite" and walked off, when I came back he made a nasty lunge at my hand instead of nibbling. He did that twice, then went back to treating me like a chew toy. Hmm...wonder who's teaching who here...

 

Nicky is my first Grey, but I've had budgies for years and I know all their tricks. Some of his behaviour isn't too different from theirs. Funny though - the budgies acted a lot more mature, if less visibly intelligent :laugh:

[darth_mint]

Update: Nicky's finally getting the idea that gnawing on my hand is a Bad Thing

 

Today he gave me a pretty nasty pinch while I was petting his beak (he won't let me touch him elsewhere yet) I went "Ow" and turned my back on him. One minute later I turned back and he was sitting there very quietly. This time he didn't even try to nibble my fingers. I feel so bad! He had such a miserable look to him when I turned away.

 

Do they usually learn that fast? Seems he only took a few days to figure it out and react to such a low-key cue. I didn't even get up to leave, just spun round on my butt.

[danmcq]

darth_mint wrote:

I feel so bad! He had such a miserable look to him when I turned away.

 

Do they usually learn that fast? Seems he only took a few days to figure it out and react to such a low-key cue.

 

Don't feel bad for communicating in a way that he understood. Thats how they learn.... cause and effect. He wants to communicate with you and is learning what is acceptable or not. Once he figures out it's just "Hard Beaking" that is shunned, he will only do so if he truly wants you to leave him alone.

 

They are as intelligent as a 3 or 4 year old child. They understand cause and effect instantly. The only time you will not see fairly quick results is if it is a learned behaviour, something new they must evaluate, or their will is very strong and it will take persistence to overcome.

 

You are doing a wonderful job and showing the patience it takes to see positive results. :-)

[Mel]

I agree with Dan. It sounds like you are doing a great job!

[Tycos_mom]

Good job keep it up and you'll have a wonderful friend that will love you forever. They are so smart and pick things up very quikly its still amazes me what Tyco knows and learns in a matter of a couple hours she will learn just about anything I want to teach her. like different colours and what different numbers look like. I have childrens number blocks and I show her and tell her what the number is and within a coule minates I'll say pick up the number 2 and she will get it right everytime they are so smart and so much fun to teach new things. They seem to just thrive on learning.