Biting to get what she wants, please help!

[Michael]

Well unfortunately you're pretty screwed because someone (you or prior) has taught her to bite. The only way to undo this is to prove to the bird that biting doesn't get it what it wants while teaching the alternative. It takes a fearless steady hand, read on body language, and positive reinforcement approach to get through this. The absolute worst thing you can do is to give in to bites/screams because then the bird has everything to gain by doing this.

[GreenWing]

I haven't tried the turning the back thing. Michael is such a proponent of no reaction negative or positive but seeing as i am doing a horrible job at not reacting (i hold out until it becomes too painful and then gently shake and eventually place her back on her play gym or cage if it upset me enough. I'm so annoyed with myself but it hurts!) I'll at least try that technique. She wants and loves attention so she's not trying to tell me to go away which means the method might work.

Exactly, when you turn your back don't say anything... it's all in the body language.

How is Nika doing now?

[Eurycerus]

I had a horrendous weekend and didn't even get to talk or hang out with her. She is still the same. It is SO weird.

She will bite me even AFTER I set her back down. She won't bite immediately because I now treat her. I try to keep her on my finger just long enough that I know she won't bite before I treat her. As soon as she's done she'll bite me. :/

[Grey_Moon]

Break it down like this, this is what they taught me to do at the mytoos forum I'm part of (don't own a too obviously but I really enjoy and appreciate all the advice they give that comes from working with all manners of toos).

Its the Applied Behaviour Analysis approach thing.

So break down the encounters like this ABC style:

Antecedent---what happens before?
Behaviour----what does the bird do?
Consequence---what happens after?

IF you look at it as a confusing, overwhelming whole then it becomes nearly impossible to target the issue and modify/avoid/prevent it.

So what I'm seeing is:

A) Eurycerus asks Nika to/Nika is...
B) (this is probably what your missing---there is probably very slight body language prior to the bite) Nika bites
C) Eurycerus puts Nika down

From this I see that she doesn't want to be on your hand/is uncomfortable with whats going on. The biting after you set her down I've seen before with Jacko when she's trying to defend herself/drive me off. Its hard not to reinforce because in putting her down to get away from the bite you are giving her what she wants. So the biting is working for her.

You need to figure out how to avoid triggering her and setting up the whole scenario. Whether thats targeting her back into the cage instead of putting her in there, or teaching her to step up on a stick. Also give her choice and don't make her feel trapped. Also avoid triggering that B that ends up with the C that's so rewarding.
Instead, set up a new A, so you encourage new B and then a new, more positive C that you reinforce.

[Wayne361]

I would start over from scratch. Meaning start targetting/rewarding and build up trust over time before handling once again. The longer you interact with the bird without biting, the more the biting behavour should diminish. As was eluded to in previous post (grey moon) he is obviously not happy/content with being on you. Start building the relationship from scratch and go from there.

Wayne