Nipping phase ?

[sidech]

Zoulou has started to get quite nippy this past week. I have been a little bit more impatient and stressed these past days, because of my health problems, and he has more than probably felt it. You can't hide anything with animals.

So, my question is : is there a nipping phase when they are a certain age (he is 5 months old now), or is it because of my mood, or a mix of the two ?

And, if it's my fault, what can I do ?

[sidech]

I think there isn't nipping phase. Good Luck

Allright then, I'll work on getting back his trust. I thought it might have been the same as dogs, they have a biting phase in puppyhood up to about 1 year old.

[Michael]

No, there could well be a nipping phase. The Poicephalus books do state that certain species tend to go through it. I lent mine out but don't have it off hand to quote right now but basically it says that there comes a period when the parrot tests boundaries by nipping. This is a very important time NOT to teach the parrot to become a biter. It's important to ignore the nips and reward alternative behavior.

Also nippy stages will return periodically during molts and bad weather so learn to deal with them early. As long as you deal with them and don't reinforce the biting, they do eventually go away.

[sidech]

No, there could well be a nipping phase. The Poicephalus books do state that certain species tend to go through it. I lent mine out but don't have it off hand to quote right now but basically it says that there comes a period when the parrot tests boundaries by nipping. This is a very important time NOT to teach the parrot to become a biter. It's important to ignore the nips and reward alternative behavior.

Also nippy stages will return periodically during molts and bad weather so learn to deal with them early. As long as you deal with them and don't reinforce the biting, they do eventually go away.

Well, that's interesting, thank you ! Can you give me a few examples of what I could do, unknowingly, to reinforce the biting ? I'll make sure then I don't do those things. Right now I'm just trying not to give him any chances to nip, and hoping he'll get out of it if he doesn't get to do it as much.

Also, if anyone has an idea how to get him off my finger... When I put him back on top of his cage, or in his cage, he doesn't want to let go of my finger... So I have to force him out by gently pulling on his fingers, which of course can result in biting !

[Michael]

Here's the thing, neither we nor you can be 100% sure of what that parrot may find reinforcing (remember, yelling, saying no, attention, etc may be reinforcing), therefore ignoring the nipping behavior is the absolute safest option because that is the only guaranteed way that you are not reacting in some way that could be perceived as reinforcing. So yes, just ignore the nips and pretend you don't care one bit. Then after a few failed attempts the parrot will stop trying to do that. However, if you react in any way at all, the parrot could learn to keep doing it to get that reaction from you.

The nippy phase is a natural exploration but it is up to you to ignore it so that there is no reason for it to stick around.

As for not wanting to step off to the cage, this should be sending off red flags for you. No matter what you may do to force the parrot off, fact is that it doesn't want that to be done. It is important to make the return to cage be more reinforcing. What I would suggest is feeding meals only in the cage and putting the parrot back in at meal times.

[sidech]

Here's the thing, neither we nor you can be 100% sure of what that parrot may find reinforcing (remember, yelling, saying no, attention, etc may be reinforcing), therefore ignoring the nipping behavior is the absolute safest option because that is the only guaranteed way that you are not reacting in some way that could be perceived as reinforcing. So yes, just ignore the nips and pretend you don't care one bit. Then after a few failed attempts the parrot will stop trying to do that. However, if you react in any way at all, the parrot could learn to keep doing it to get that reaction from you.

The nippy phase is a natural exploration but it is up to you to ignore it so that there is no reason for it to stick around.

As for not wanting to step off to the cage, this should be sending off red flags for you. No matter what you may do to force the parrot off, fact is that it doesn't want that to be done. It is important to make the return to cage be more reinforcing. What I would suggest is feeding meals only in the cage and putting the parrot back in at meal times.

hum, I'll see what I can do to ignore it, but my he is really going at it, it's crazy ! He is biting me non-stop, every chance he gets. Not in an aggressive way, he just wants to " play " with my fingers, I guess. I started blowing at him, and was getting some results. But it hurts, I don't know how I can constanly get bit and ignore that.

About going back to his cage, I should have explained it better, it's not only going back to his cage, but going anywhere except on my finger or me ! He doesn't want to be off of me. No matter where I put him, counter, table, playground, he doesn't want to go there. He wants me !

[Mr.Darcy]

One of the books I have suggests giving the bird something to distract it from biting you. So you could give him a foot toy or ask him for a behaviour/trick as you attempt to put him back. The easiest solution, in the book, is to put a tasty treat in his food cup and let him see you do it, so that he will want to go to his cage....a reward so to speak.

Good luck!

[bmsweb]

One of the books I have suggests giving the bird something to distract it from biting you.

This is the method I use and it works perfectly! If your bird has already been allowed to developed the habit then its a little harder to get them out of it, but it really wont take that long. Distraction works like a charm.

Good Luck

Cheer
Paul