Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnewsl!nora
From: nora@cbnewsl.ATT.COM (nora.y.mclaughlin)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: INDOOR: Biting Conure
Keywords: I disagree with water method
Message-ID: <3343@cbnewsl.ATT.COM>
Date: 18 Dec 89 17:28:46 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 23

I have a 3 year old Blue Front Amazon which we got when he was
about 3 months.  He had a real problem with biting also and what
we did to break him was to blow sharply on him when he bites.  
This stops him right away.  The reason I disagree with the water
method is because I think it makes them more agressive, it kind
of gets them mad.  When you blow on them, they are surprised because
they don't know where it came from.  With water, they can see the
squirter coming from your hand.  Anyway, it takes patience and
persistance on your part.  I may take 6 months to 1 year to break.
I also found that being gentle with your bird makes them gentle
in return.  If you start shaking them when they bite, their natural
instinct is to hold on using their beak.  One final comment and
this may be a hard one to swallow but..... when they bite you
give them no satisfaction with a reaction.  Act like it doesn't
hurt, because what they want to do is see some result of a bite.
This by far really tests you as


.  But I seriously think you will
get results if you try these suggestions.  I know, I had bloody
hands every day!
Good Luck
Nora