Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!netcom!stratus!cloud9!mm
From: mm@cloud9.Stratus.COM (Mike Mahler)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: INDOOR Biting Conure
Message-ID: <9976@cloud9.Stratus.COM>
Date: 8 Dec 89 19:11:03 GMT
References: <4950001@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM>
Organization: Stratus
Lines: 35

In article <4950001@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM>, steveg@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM (Steve Grant) writes:
> I am looking for some advice on how to deal with my pet Conure who has
> decided to start biting. He (or she?) is about 6 mo. old and was a hand 
> fed baby. Until recently he has been the perfect bird. Never bit me
> hard, likes to snuggle up to me, and is very friendly. We spend a lot of
> time together and I have tried to be consistent in my training. But now
> he has started biting me occasionally.

    Your bird is in little-bird-puberty.  It's going through it's sexual
    maturity and you have to deal with it.  It's difficult to reprimand
    parrots since they are often enticed by moving objects so tapping
    the bird on the beak is often followed by MORE biting.  Putting the
    bird in the cage is a good reaction but only if the bird prefers to
    be out.  Hand fed babies often love their cage so it may not help
    as a form of punishment.  Sometimes, if I can get it, I grab the
    birds beak with my thumb and index finger tight enough so he
    can't pull it out and say "NO!" quickly and firmly.  This often
    leads to me grabbing the beak and the birds yells "NO!" and
    then bites me.  You can't win.  It often passes after they get 
    over the sexual changes, sometimes it doesn't.  Conures are nippers
    anyway so it's often tough to break a habit that isn't really a habit 
    in the first place.  You could also try raising your hand QUICKLY behind 
    the bird when it goes to bite you.    
    
>   Also, can anyone recommend a GOOD book on keeping indoor birds? I have
> looked but am not satisfied with what I have found.

    Dr. Decateau (sp?) nearby me is an excellent source for
    training video's and books.  I'll post the address when
    I find it myself (he usually advertises in the birdy rags
    like Bird Talk [where you can read about yet another bird-that
    saved-Chicago]).


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