yoshi
Hatchling
Posts: 11 
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Post by yoshi on Dec 16, 2015 14:48:50 GMT -5
so today i took Yoshi out if his cage like a do everyday and today once he was out he started to bite everything he seen his food bowl, perch, cage, my fingers etc
i am just confused of why he started to randomly bite. i have not changed any routine i take him out at the same time and he sleeps the same time same food and everything
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Post by aaron on Dec 16, 2015 18:29:15 GMT -5
From what I recall, Yoshi is a very young parrot... What you are describing is probably normal exploratory behavior. Just to be clear, your bird's behavior will often change even if you don't change anything that you are doing. They are very complex little creatures and they go through personal changes and their behavior evolves over time. If he displays biting behaviors that you would like to discourage, you should get in the habit of immediately putting him down when he bites (but no other reaction). In general, the rule is to praise them for good behavior and to ignore bad behavior.
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 22, 2015 12:35:13 GMT -5
lol unless of course he WANTS to get down and that is why he is biting you. In that case, you have just reinforced the exact behavior you are trying to get rid of  |
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Post by beccilouise on Dec 22, 2015 16:28:13 GMT -5
The technique we've used to stop Byron's biting behavior is to shake his 'perch finger' (enough that he notices it and stops what he's doing, but not to unseat him) and say 'gentle' in a firm voice. If he bites hard, he gets put back in his cage and I walk out of the room for 5 minutes. Bear in mind that all parrots explore with their beaks and what he could be doing is just looking around. Keep your eye on his posture. Threatening, 'biting' demeanour is very obvious and Byron will threaten by opening his beak and leaning forward as if he's about to lunch. Most other beak related behavior is just exploration.
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Post by bruce on Dec 23, 2015 12:55:39 GMT -5
The shaking perch works well. I also calmly say "be gentle" if Chuckie's finger grooming becomes a bit too aggressive. I even will say that before I hold him. I am half expecting him to say "be gentle" when I start grooming his neck and head feathers. Beccilouise, Byron sounds like a polite parrot: at least he warns you. Chuckie frequently nips with no warning at all  . Zim, I suspect QPs like to test boundaries and establish a pecking order. Gentle, firm correction with the shaking perch or covering the cage reaction is recommended in a lot of books for parrot training. Of course, you will have to figure out which works best for you little guy  . |
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Post by beccilouise on Dec 23, 2015 16:54:43 GMT -5
Hahaha, don't worry, I am under no illusion, he is only 7 months old and I'm sure I have surprise bites, aggressive screaming and adolescence to come! But right now, he is being gorgeous. I agree with you that they definitely test boundaries! But if you're consistent with them, it does start to pay off. Our routine with Byron is to remove our attention when he is bad and lavish attention on him when he is good. That seems to work way better than any form of 'punishment' as they inevitably just see punishment as attention. And their attention spans are REALLY SHORT. If Byron is naughty, we put him away in his cage without attention for 5 mins max. We have covered the cage before when Byron's been naughty, but the difficulty with that is that you have to APPROACH the cage first, which means they think they've got your attention. Also, during the day, while the lights are on and they can hear noise, you should never leave a cage covered for longer than 10 mins. Best of luck! I'm sure you and Yoshi will work it our |
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Post by juicyquaker on Jan 5, 2016 21:03:12 GMT -5
Hi everyone im new to the forum. I have a two year old quaker and I've had juicy for the majority of her life. Im a firm believer in not reacting to bites but wow has my juicy bird not responded well to that technique. I know what most of her bites mean but she has been grabbing skin and almost looks like she is purposely knawing and then bites down extremely hard. Nothing has changed around her she gets plenty of attention due to me being a stay at home mom and has everything she needs. Please someone explain this type of biting to me.
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Post by biteybird on Jan 5, 2016 21:52:03 GMT -5
Hi and welcome, juicyquaker. If only it were that easy to 'explain' this type of biting! We are still trying to work out why Bonnie, our 2-year-old blue quaker, bites my hubby. She'll have a great day (no biting) followed by an appalling day; this seems to happen a lot. All I can think is that somehow either me or my hubby - or both of us - are somehow unintentionally reinforcing the unwanted behavior...it's a work in progress, alright. Maybe some of the others will contribute something useful. |
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Post by julianna on Jan 6, 2016 11:53:19 GMT -5
My quaker after being together for 5 years still bites me. Not only over his food but also he removes small pieces of my skin from my neck and hands constantly. He is so very quick at it... and most of the time I do not even feel it as a bite... but more as a hair removal... then the next day I will see a whole bunch of little sores everywhere. This is not uncommon.
If the QP is on your hand and attempts to bite you... then wiggle your hand (the one he is sitting on) up and down quickly. This gives the feeling of a tremor and the bird will stop what he is doing.
I wish I could show you the scars I have from the nibbles and bites. I do not think it will ever truly stop... as it is just part of their nature.
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Post by beccilouise on Jan 6, 2016 13:31:58 GMT -5
Hello Juicyquaker! Juicy is a cute name for a parrot. I also think that we forget sometimes how much a parrot relies on their beak to express themselves. Someone once suggested (for a different pet) keeping a behaviour diary to track the time of day/weather/food/noise/other stimulus that were around or happening when the poor behaviour happened. Gradually, you may be able to see a pattern and, if not correct the behaviour, at least anticipate it. It worked for Oakie but he wasn't a parrot. However, it may help to work out why the bites are occurring |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jan 6, 2016 15:30:50 GMT -5
Wow, I feel really lucky. Shah's biting has almost completely stopped now he is feeling better. It used to be constant and drew blood every time. Now he gives me a warning nip if I am doing something he doesn't like - if I don't stop, I get a bite (which still draws blood). The advice everyone has given on this topic is really good - I remember using the hand tremor one years ago and it worked well.
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Post by easttex on Jan 7, 2016 6:28:53 GMT -5
Juicyquaker, if this type of biting is fairly new, what you're seeing might also be hormonal behavior. At two, she's probably heading into breeding season for the first time as a sexually mature quaker, assuming you're in the northern hemisphere. The days have started to get longer, which is the primary signal to them. If she's not already getting 10 to 12 hours of darkness every night, now is the time to start that. Also avoid or limit soft foods, and for sure don't give them to her by hand. Watch the physical affection. Keep it short and don't go beyond the head and neck. For more information on biting, see: www.stfrancisanimalandbird.com/index.php/pet-resources/library/9-avian-care/84-my-parrot-bites-what-can-i-do |
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. Zim, I suspect QPs like to test boundaries and establish a pecking order. Gentle, firm correction with the shaking perch or covering the cage reaction is recommended in a lot of books for parrot training. Of course, you will have to figure out which works best for you little guy 
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