Training Bird to Not Attack Phone.

[kaylayuh]

Cheney Bird and the phone aren't very great friends. Answering it becomes an issue when Cheney Bird is on me because he often lunges for it and ends up biting my face. While I've had facial piercings in the past, I hadn't been planning on having my bird try to pierce my lip or nose or cheek.

How would you go about desensitizing a bird to the phone? I'm not particularly sure what sets him off with it, but he knows that when it rings, the phone comes out. I've taken to putting him back in his cage and away from me while I answer it. I'd like to be able to have him near me without scurrying over to attack.

[captwest]

he's jealous, close it up and let him attack it, he's bound to get tired and give up.i bet if you picked up a coffee mug and started to pet it and talk to it he would act the same .Maybe after he calms down try petting him while "talking " on the phone.

[pchela]

Could also try positive reinforcement training. Have you done any at all? In this case, I'd think you would need to reinforce him ignoring the phone while close by, then when it's in your hand then move on to when it's next to your face. Maybe also make it ring and reinforce him when he ignores it.

[kaylayuh]

Could also try positive reinforcement training. Have you done any at all? In this case, I'd think you would need to reinforce him ignoring the phone while close by, then when it's in your hand then move on to when it's next to your face. Maybe also make it ring and reinforce him when he ignores it.

I've done positive reinforcement with things like flying to me or staying where he's supposed to, but never with getting him not to do something. I'm having a hard time even imagining how that might work. I'm supposing I could give him a treat to stay at the desk or on my hand while I have the phone ringing, so he knows that staying x place is more fun than the phone?

[Michael]

It's not possible to use positive reinforcement to train to not do something. That would require punishment. But what you can do is to teach an alternative behavior that can be positively reinforced.

If the parrot REALLY bothers you that much when you're on the phone that it's a problem you must solve rather than just putting it down/away or moving the phone in a way to prevent it (all easier solutions if you don't use phone much), then you can do some training and the phone being a cue. You know how I teach to wave when I wave my hand? Well you make picking up the phone to your ear (by pretending during training practice) do be a cue for doing some kind of behavior that makes it impossible to play with phone at the same time. For example (kind of stupid but just to show the concept) I could teach Kili to play dead any time I am on the phone. Since it's a trick she already knows I would just teach her the new cue for it. Until I put the phone she has to stay like that but I can slip her treats or pet her for staying that way. At first I would keep it brief but then increase duration. I doubt no matter WHAT kind of training you do that you could get a parrot to stay put for an hour long phone convo so practically speaking giving a toy or putting away is just more practical.

[pchela]

Sorry, that's what I meant. You'd have to distract the parrot (with a previous trick or a toy or something) and reinforce that behavior... Michael explained it better. You'd just be replacing the bad behavior with something manageable.

For example, Pippin sometimes lunges at my face when I answer the phone, just like yours. I would start by just doing target training with the phone in my hand. Then basically, step by step, train him to be doing something else when I'm on the phone. I suppose the phone ringing could even eventually become a cue for whatever behavior you train... maybe going to a perch or something.

[captwest]

We're all telling you the same basic thing. the issue is the bird is jealous of the phone, when you talk on it , the bird gets zero attention and that's it's problem. now either you distract the bird with tricks or pets , the bird is now getting your attention while your on the phone , it's you who's being trained, not that that's a bad thing , we just need to learn where our birds are coming from.Your bird has gone to biting you because that 's what it takes to get your attention, you missed all the little subtle actions that didn't work. so now it's a big issue and it's gonna take a lot more work to straighten thing out, however his strategy worked, when your on the phone , you won't completely ignore him.I don't know all that fancy psychiatry lingo, just little green minds.I should know better than to stray below the line that says "General Parrot Care" though.

[kaylayuh]

you missed all the little subtle actions that didn't work. so now it's a big issue and it's gonna take a lot more work to straighten thing out, however his strategy worked, when your on the phone , you won't completely ignore him.

It's weird because I never really ignore him on the phone. I always tend to pet him or play with him and a foot toy. I think he came from somewhere that did ignore him for the phone and has learned that this behavior is acceptable. I try not to react, but my lip and jawline is reeeally hurting from being bitten. I've taken to now putting him down when the phone rings.

I should also say that he actually attacks the phone if he can see it anywhere. It's not just when it rings or he sees me using it. He'll be hanging out in bed with me and will see the phone on it's base on the end table and just lunge at it. He has some crazy issues with it.

[Kirsten]

you missed all the little subtle actions that didn't work. so now it's a big issue and it's gonna take a lot more work to straighten thing out, however his strategy worked, when your on the phone , you won't completely ignore him.

It's weird because I never really ignore him on the phone. I always tend to pet him or play with him and a foot toy. I think he came from somewhere that did ignore him for the phone and has learned that this behavior is acceptable. I try not to react, but my lip and jawline is reeeally hurting from being bitten. I've taken to now putting him down when the phone rings.

I should also say that he actually attacks the phone if he can see it anywhere. It's not just when it rings or he sees me using it. He'll be hanging out in bed with me and will see the phone on it's base on the end table and just lunge at it. He has some crazy issues with it.

Skittles does the exact same thing. She can't stand it if I'm not paying attention to her and any phone is in view. What can I say? Hide the phone and put it on speaker? Sometimes I dangle a toy or treat with one hand to distract her while I'm on the phone. Even pens and bottle caps turn her into a happy non-neglected feeling bird.