recent cage aggression

[chris key]

Hi,
I have a Black Cap Conure who will be 2 in April. We purchased him April of last year one day after his first birthday. He has been very tame all along til recently. For the last few weeks he has become cage aggressive. Normally he will step up no matter what. He has begun to bite when I put my hand in the cage for step up or even if I put food in his bowl and he is sitting there. I firmly tell him NO BITE. Calms him alittle, not enough. I want him to know I am boss. Would taking him out with a dish towel be damaging? I feel when I back away he feels like he has won. Out of the cage he is not as cuddly as he was but doesnt bite. Why the change??

[Michael]

1) Don't say "No." Without aversive consequences it doesn't help or is even counter productive. It's like one of those kids toys that say "press here" and it talks. The bird learns to "bite here" to get the human to respond.

2) You're not the boss. You never will be the boss. The parrot will always think it is the boss. The best you can hope for is flock mate and get the parrot to respond to you because it wants to for positive reinforcement.

3) Don't towel. This will only make the parrot fearful of the towel and most likely more aggressive.

4) The parrot is probably hormonal but also maturing. It is becoming more independent and realizing that it doesn't have to come out just because you want it to and biting is the way to do it. Most likely it is your fault and you taught it to bite. It could just be a phase and things might go back on their own, but this is not guaranteed. The parrot is obviously maturing and experimenting, testing it's independence so to say. If this phase is handled incorrectly, it may learn to stay that way long term.

5) But don't worry, it is still possible to amend this situation. First off you're going to have to make sure that all out of cage experiences are positively reinforcing. The parrot should look forward to coming out instead of being defensive.

6) Go back to basics and retame. This is a good exercise and can be needed from time to time with any parrot. Here are a couple articles about taming which you can follow to rekindle your relationship with parrot and help maintain it:

http://TrainedParrot.com/Taming
http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=227
http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=768
http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1528

[chris key]

The cage aggression thing was something I had to work out not my bird. I learned if I walk away for a few minutes and then come back 90% of the time he is fine. If he is not I go away again and being the lovebug he is most of the time, he can't stand that and comes looking for me, yelling "baby"! You are right I am not the boss! I am fairly new to parrot ownership and I learn so much all the time. I am lucky that when I say bite it is not ever been breaking the skin. I actually see him catch himself if he thinks about biting me and stops. I have had him 1 year and a month he is a joy. Thanks.