So, I just got another handfed baby bird yesterday that's not really all that tame. The baby's only four months old and very skitterish, handshy and bites.
The person I got it from handfed it, let it out of the cage every couple of days, but otherwise didn't play with it or socialize it. She couldn't figure out why it's not tame because she handfed it.
To all of you who either are breeding or handfeeding babies - Please remember IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST HANDFEEDING TO HAVE A GOOD PET PARROT!!!
Please read: Handfed does NOT = Tame and The "S" Word
Showing posts with label biting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biting. Show all posts
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Bird Tip - More Independence
Yeah - I'm big on the a lot of out-of-cage time to avoid/eliminate behavior problems. Unfortunately, a lot of people take that to mean the bird needs to be glued to your body which makes problems worse.
Ducky's cage is pretty much open 24/7 with a play stand in front. We do regularly lock him in and do stuff around him when his door's closed so he can practice not screaming while locked up and watching us go about our business. I do this with babies I raise too. They learn that just because I'm in the room they don't necessarily get out and they don't necessarily get attention at the moment. I've been on the phone with people wanting a conure and they're not convinced I have any because I don't have any noise in the background.
So, practice Independence Sessions by locking your bird in its cage several times a week while you go about your business. In order for this to be successful, your bird's needs must be met first - Exercise or have your bird out for awhile before doing any Independence Sessions. Put super duper goodies in the cage so cage time and Independence Sessions are things they look forward to.
Also practice this: Teach Independence
Ducky's cage is pretty much open 24/7 with a play stand in front. We do regularly lock him in and do stuff around him when his door's closed so he can practice not screaming while locked up and watching us go about our business. I do this with babies I raise too. They learn that just because I'm in the room they don't necessarily get out and they don't necessarily get attention at the moment. I've been on the phone with people wanting a conure and they're not convinced I have any because I don't have any noise in the background.
So, practice Independence Sessions by locking your bird in its cage several times a week while you go about your business. In order for this to be successful, your bird's needs must be met first - Exercise or have your bird out for awhile before doing any Independence Sessions. Put super duper goodies in the cage so cage time and Independence Sessions are things they look forward to.
Also practice this: Teach Independence
Monday, May 16, 2011
Bird Tip - Do NOT Fall for the Jedi Mind Tricks!
Have you seen "Finding Nemo" - The seagulls going Mine! Mine! Mine! tell the story how birds think.
Your time is Mine.
Your food is Mine.
Your attention is Mine.
Your affection is Mine.
Your house is Mine to explore and destroy.
Your money is Mine and you will spend it all on more and better toys for ME.
Your undying gratitude is Mine for allowing you to be Mine.
You have to set a time when your baby can come out and play, and a time when it cannot.
If you do not set this time line and keep to it the sweet wittel birdy will use every trick it can to get you to capitulate and surrender your body and soul to the exclusive 365/24/7 slave service. And no, you do not get the 366 day on Leap Year off either.
My thanks to Les from the Conure Community Chat for the foregoing explanation of how a bird thinks: Conure Community
So, you see, birds are self-centered, self-absorbed little creatures that will use Jedi Mind Tricks on you to get what's rightly theirs. And the Force is strong in them. Remember to resist their Jedi Mind Tricks by teaching Independence, Socializing, teaching him biting is not appropriate, keeping him off your shoulder unless invited, not stimulating him sexually, and teaching him his cage is his room.
Your time is Mine.
Your food is Mine.
Your attention is Mine.
Your affection is Mine.
Your house is Mine to explore and destroy.
Your money is Mine and you will spend it all on more and better toys for ME.
Your undying gratitude is Mine for allowing you to be Mine.
You have to set a time when your baby can come out and play, and a time when it cannot.
If you do not set this time line and keep to it the sweet wittel birdy will use every trick it can to get you to capitulate and surrender your body and soul to the exclusive 365/24/7 slave service. And no, you do not get the 366 day on Leap Year off either.
My thanks to Les from the Conure Community Chat for the foregoing explanation of how a bird thinks: Conure Community
So, you see, birds are self-centered, self-absorbed little creatures that will use Jedi Mind Tricks on you to get what's rightly theirs. And the Force is strong in them. Remember to resist their Jedi Mind Tricks by teaching Independence, Socializing, teaching him biting is not appropriate, keeping him off your shoulder unless invited, not stimulating him sexually, and teaching him his cage is his room.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Bird Tip - The Bird Bit Me! Or Did It?
Just because a bird laid its beak on you doesn't mean it bit you. My family hates it when I say, "You're not bleeding, the bird didn't bite you." But that's usually true.
If you understand how a bird uses its beak, respect what the bird's trying to tell you, and apply fair discipline, you will rarely be truly bitten.
Understand how a bird uses its beak:
This biting info is not applicable to a bird that is not already tame and friendly. I don't like taming birds and I'm no good at it, so I don't provide tips on avoiding bites when taming a bird.
If you understand how a bird uses its beak, respect what the bird's trying to tell you, and apply fair discipline, you will rarely be truly bitten.
Understand how a bird uses its beak:
- Getting Around - This is not a bite. Birds commonly grab a branch in their beak to test it for strength before stepping on it. They also use their beak to steady themselves as they climb from branch to branch. This can appear to be an attempt to bite and your instinctive reaction is to pull away. DON’T PULL AWAY. Branches don't pull away. If you pull away, your bird will start biting you. Sometimes the bird loses its balance and will grab you with its beak. Sometimes this grabbing can be very hard, hurts a lot and you may even bleed. If your bird hurts you because it grabbed you due to losing its balance you CANNOT discipline the bird. He didn't mean it.
- Beaking - The bird gently gnaws and tongues you fingers, hands and arms. This is a form of social interaction on the part of the bird and is normal. However, it can easily get out of control to where the bird starts feeling stabby and starts to really hurt you or try to take your fingernails off. Discipline the bird if the pressure is too hard, gently wobble your hand and firmly tell your bird “no”. The bird will learn what amount of pressure is acceptable. ** Do not wobble so hard that the bird falls. The correct amount of wobble is just enough to get the bird to stop biting, but not so hard that the bird is afraid. Just enough to get its attention.
- Pinching - A good pinch administered with the tip of the beak. A parrot most often does this to get your attention, warn you of approaching danger, or to let you know you’re doing something that’s annoying. Not serious, but definitely irritating and painful. Discipline your bird with the gentle hand wobble and firmly tell him “no” to teach him that hurt you. BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO TAKE NOTE OF WHAT YOU DID TO DESERVE THE PINCH AND MODIFY YOUR BEHAVIOR IN THE FUTURE. This shows your bird you acknowledge the message he’s sending and you respect it. ** Again ** Do not wobble so hard that the bird falls. The correct amount of wobble is just enough to get the bird to stop biting, but not so hard that the bird is afraid. Just enough to get its attention.
- Biting - You'll know it when you get one. Generally it’s fast and striking like a snake. Usually the bird’s displaying and warning you in some way like puffing up (aggressive), snaking its neck from side to side (aggressive), eyes are flashing or pinning (aggressive), or backing up with its beak open (fearful). If you are not bleeding or missing chunks of flesh, it’s not a bite. If you are observant of the prior three ways that a bird uses its beak and you behave appropriately - not pulling away when the bird’s getting around on you, disciplining hard beaking and pinching, respecting the bird’s feelings and messages when it pinches you - you will rarely get truly bitten by a tame bird.
This biting info is not applicable to a bird that is not already tame and friendly. I don't like taming birds and I'm no good at it, so I don't provide tips on avoiding bites when taming a bird.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Bird Tip - Shoulders are a Privilege
Q: How did the pirate lose his eye?
A: Polly poked it out!
Seriously, think about it - That beak cracks nuts like nothing. Have you taken a good look at that hook on the end? I've suffered temporary nerve damage in my hand from an eclectus bite.
On your shoulder a bird can easily take your earlobe off, scar your face, blind you, take chunks of nose or lip. It doesn't even have to be intentional. If the bird loses its balance, it may use its beak like a climbers pick and thwack it deep into your cheek or neck. I've had this actually happen - it hurt . . . A LOT. . . I bled. . . A LOT. . . I have the scar.
Shoulders also aren't very safe for your bird. They can fall and break their leg, wing, keel bone. A really bad fall onto the pavement can cause internal bleeding and death. A clipped bird can fall like a brick.
I personally don't put any parrots on my shoulder unless it's a quiet moment like watching TV. And the bird has to be well behaved and predictable. Some birds are not not well behaved on the shoulder and will bite faces, necks and hands when you try to get them off.
Teach your bird that the shoulder is a privilege and not a right:
If it gets to the 3rd discipline, end interaction time for a significant amount of time like 1/2 hour or more, leave the room, etc. The bird learns we're done if he can't behave.
Block before each escalation. That's a warning to the bird that there's a consequence coming up and he gets a chance to decide to stay on the hand and avoid the consequence.
If your bird allows it, you might also pin the toes along with the blocking when teaching it that you want it to stay on the hand.
A: Polly poked it out!
Seriously, think about it - That beak cracks nuts like nothing. Have you taken a good look at that hook on the end? I've suffered temporary nerve damage in my hand from an eclectus bite.
On your shoulder a bird can easily take your earlobe off, scar your face, blind you, take chunks of nose or lip. It doesn't even have to be intentional. If the bird loses its balance, it may use its beak like a climbers pick and thwack it deep into your cheek or neck. I've had this actually happen - it hurt . . . A LOT. . . I bled. . . A LOT. . . I have the scar.
Shoulders also aren't very safe for your bird. They can fall and break their leg, wing, keel bone. A really bad fall onto the pavement can cause internal bleeding and death. A clipped bird can fall like a brick.
I personally don't put any parrots on my shoulder unless it's a quiet moment like watching TV. And the bird has to be well behaved and predictable. Some birds are not not well behaved on the shoulder and will bite faces, necks and hands when you try to get them off.
Teach your bird that the shoulder is a privilege and not a right:
- 1st scurry to shoulder 1st discipline is blocking with hand, if bird reaches shoulder retrieving off shoulder and holding on hand.
- 2nd scurry 2nd discipline is blocking and if bird reaches shoulder then retrieving off shoulder and putting bird down somewhere it doesn't want to be like the floor, wait a minute and pick up the bird and see if it will stay off shoulder. LOTS OF PRAISE, SCRITCHES AND REWARDS FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME THE BIRD STAYS ON YOUR HAND.
- 3rd scurry 3rd discipline is blocking and if bird reaches shoulder then retrieve off shoulder and put in cage.
If it gets to the 3rd discipline, end interaction time for a significant amount of time like 1/2 hour or more, leave the room, etc. The bird learns we're done if he can't behave.
Block before each escalation. That's a warning to the bird that there's a consequence coming up and he gets a chance to decide to stay on the hand and avoid the consequence.
If your bird allows it, you might also pin the toes along with the blocking when teaching it that you want it to stay on the hand.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Bird Tip - **WARNING! X-RATED**
Don't sexually stimulate or encourage your bird to behave sexually!!!
It can cause screaming, biting, territoriality, aggression, and in the females egg binding - PROBLEMS!
Female Sexual Behaviors:
They're not like mammals - we can't stop our bodies having a menses. Their bodies don't have to produce eggs if the conditions aren't right. Egg production can kill your bird! Google "egg binding" to learn about it.
Male Sexual Behaviors:
I've never had any territoriality or aggression with the towel set up. I discovered this method by accident. My first jenday would put herself to bed behind the curtain that was near her cage, so I hung a towel in a corner for her in her cage. She'd wrap herself up in it like a burrito.
Just make sure the towel doesn't have loose weaving so no bathroom type towels. Cloth napkins with the tight weave work.
It can cause screaming, biting, territoriality, aggression, and in the females egg binding - PROBLEMS!
Female Sexual Behaviors:
- Don't pet her in sexy ways - one long stroke from the top of her head to the end of her tail. It feels like you're trying to mate with her. She may start crouching for you to make it easier for you to "do it".
- Don't let her get territorial or obsessed over dark little cubbie type areas like kleenex boxes, happy huts. Just don't give them any nesty type things in their cages.
- Don't let her back up onto you, trying to rub her vent on you.
They're not like mammals - we can't stop our bodies having a menses. Their bodies don't have to produce eggs if the conditions aren't right. Egg production can kill your bird! Google "egg binding" to learn about it.
Male Sexual Behaviors:
- Rubbing his vent area on you in a back and forth motion. I've heard they can complete the act and leave you a little puddle. EWWWWW!! You wouldn't let your dog hump your leg would you?
- Regurgitating for you or trying to feed you. You might think it's sweet or cute. Think VOMIT!
- Possessiveness of one person. It's not cute that your bird sits on your shoulder lunging at other people. It's territoriality and "claiming" you. If the bird can't bite the other person, he/she might take a bite out of your face. Stop the behavior immediately! Take the bird off your shoulder and firmly, not loudly, tell your bird "no"!
- Stop any sexy petting (head and neck scritches only)
- Immediately stop any sexy behavior from the bird
- Redirect any sexy behavior from the bird (he/she tries to crouch, rub, regurgitate you need to change whatever it is you two are doing that causes these behaviors)
- Move the cage to another location in the house
- Move the toys and stuff in the cage around
- Decrease the number of lighting hours
- Remove any boxes, happy huts, or other dark cozy areas
I've never had any territoriality or aggression with the towel set up. I discovered this method by accident. My first jenday would put herself to bed behind the curtain that was near her cage, so I hung a towel in a corner for her in her cage. She'd wrap herself up in it like a burrito.
Just make sure the towel doesn't have loose weaving so no bathroom type towels. Cloth napkins with the tight weave work.
An old shirt works, too.
Ducky was already asleep behind it,
but came out to yell at me for disturbing his beauty sleep.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Bird Tip: Handfed does NOT = tame and handleable
Ok - I have to comment on this "handfed" issue. I've handfed birds that I've intended to become future breeders. Other than stuffing them with food, I don't play with them, I don't cuddle them, I don't do anything with them. I let them grow up interacting with other birds and all they know is that they're birds. Once weaned, these birds are completely unhandleable and not in the least bit tame despite the fact that I handfed them as babies.
Why am I bringing this to your attention? Because a majority of my breeders have been acquired from people who thought they were getting a sweet, pet quality bird because they were told it was "handfed". Not true!
When looking for a PET quality bird, keep the following in mind:
GOOD THINGS:
- The bird appears calm in general.
- The bird is calm while you're moving around checking it out.
- The bird may look at you curiously, or just seems unfazed by what's going on around it and may be exploring.
- The bird does not move away from you or otherwise appear nervous or shy when you slowly raise your hand towards it.
- The bird reaches out calmly/slowly with its beak to climb on your hand.
- You are able to easily handle the bird after a few minutes of both of you checking each other out.
- If in a cage, the bird does not go to the farthest point away from you.
- If in a cage, the bird is easily taken out of the cage (including by you).
- The bird does not appear to be afraid of towels. Some time in its life the bird will probably get toweled by you, the vet, someone in an emergency or maybe for clipping toenails/wings. Hopefully the bird's been introduced to towels in a positive manner so it's not traumatized when a towel's thrown over it for emergency or grooming.
DOUBLE PLUS GOOD (Don't disregard a bird that doesn't exhibit the following behaviors, especially if it's a very young baby):
- The bird moves towards you calmly in a friendly manner.
- The bird goes back and forth on its perch or the person selling it, body leaned forward towards you to try to get to you to meet you.
- If in a cage, the bird comes out by itself to meet you.
UNGOOD THINGS:
- The bird bites you hard in a lunging, striking manner like a snake, and either won't let go or lets go immediately and tries to get away from you. (Well, I guess if you're masochistic and like to bleed, knock yourself out, this is the bird for you.)
- The bird lunges at you.
- The bird keeps trying to get away.
- The bird seems nervous about being handled.
- The bird seems scared/nervous of hands. (I've seen a cage full of birds labeled as "handfed/handtame"; when I slowly raised my hand up towards them, they all run, some screaming, to the opposite end of the cage.)
- If in a cage, the bird needs to be chased around to get it out.
DOUBLE PLUS UNGOOD (caveat emptor):
- The bird bites the person who's selling the bird.
- The bird keeps trying to get away from the person who's selling the bird.
- The person selling the bird seems afraid or tentative about handling the bird.
- If in a cage, the bird bites when anyone tries to get it out.
- The person selling the bird puts on a glove or gets a towel in order to handle the bird. (Ok to towel to clip toenails/wings)
- The person selling the bird excuses the bird's poor behavior and tells you, "Oh, it just needs to get to know you." If this is going to be your first bird - Do you really want to lose blood, or do you want to be off to a good start with a nice bird?
- The person selling the bird excuses the bird's poor behavior and tells you, "It's a baby and just needs to be socialized." **This one's a BIG crock of bull Shitake Mushrooms. Whether you're buying a bird from a breeder or pet shop, a baby should be easily handled. THE BREEDER OR PET SHOP SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOCIALIZING THE BABY TO PREPARE IT TO BE A GREAT PET.
Why am I bringing this to your attention? Because a majority of my breeders have been acquired from people who thought they were getting a sweet, pet quality bird because they were told it was "handfed". Not true!
When looking for a PET quality bird, keep the following in mind:
GOOD THINGS:
- The bird appears calm in general.
- The bird is calm while you're moving around checking it out.
- The bird may look at you curiously, or just seems unfazed by what's going on around it and may be exploring.
- The bird does not move away from you or otherwise appear nervous or shy when you slowly raise your hand towards it.
- The bird reaches out calmly/slowly with its beak to climb on your hand.
- You are able to easily handle the bird after a few minutes of both of you checking each other out.
- If in a cage, the bird does not go to the farthest point away from you.
- If in a cage, the bird is easily taken out of the cage (including by you).
- The bird does not appear to be afraid of towels. Some time in its life the bird will probably get toweled by you, the vet, someone in an emergency or maybe for clipping toenails/wings. Hopefully the bird's been introduced to towels in a positive manner so it's not traumatized when a towel's thrown over it for emergency or grooming.
DOUBLE PLUS GOOD (Don't disregard a bird that doesn't exhibit the following behaviors, especially if it's a very young baby):
- The bird moves towards you calmly in a friendly manner.
- The bird goes back and forth on its perch or the person selling it, body leaned forward towards you to try to get to you to meet you.
- If in a cage, the bird comes out by itself to meet you.
UNGOOD THINGS:
- The bird bites you hard in a lunging, striking manner like a snake, and either won't let go or lets go immediately and tries to get away from you. (Well, I guess if you're masochistic and like to bleed, knock yourself out, this is the bird for you.)
- The bird lunges at you.
- The bird keeps trying to get away.
- The bird seems nervous about being handled.
- The bird seems scared/nervous of hands. (I've seen a cage full of birds labeled as "handfed/handtame"; when I slowly raised my hand up towards them, they all run, some screaming, to the opposite end of the cage.)
- If in a cage, the bird needs to be chased around to get it out.
DOUBLE PLUS UNGOOD (caveat emptor):
- The bird bites the person who's selling the bird.
- The bird keeps trying to get away from the person who's selling the bird.
- The person selling the bird seems afraid or tentative about handling the bird.
- If in a cage, the bird bites when anyone tries to get it out.
- The person selling the bird puts on a glove or gets a towel in order to handle the bird. (Ok to towel to clip toenails/wings)
- The person selling the bird excuses the bird's poor behavior and tells you, "Oh, it just needs to get to know you." If this is going to be your first bird - Do you really want to lose blood, or do you want to be off to a good start with a nice bird?
- The person selling the bird excuses the bird's poor behavior and tells you, "It's a baby and just needs to be socialized." **This one's a BIG crock of bull Shitake Mushrooms. Whether you're buying a bird from a breeder or pet shop, a baby should be easily handled. THE BREEDER OR PET SHOP SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOCIALIZING THE BABY TO PREPARE IT TO BE A GREAT PET.
Sun Conures, Jenday Conures, most cockatoos should be easily handled like this.
The bird may not let you immediately handle it like this, but the person selling the bird should be able to.
At the very minimum the bird should sit calmly on your hand.
The bird should calmly go from hand to hand and not be nervous or biting.
Note - reaching down and chewing/nibbling your fingers is NOT biting.
I'll post later about what is and isn't a bite.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Bird Tip-The Cage is His Room, not Jail
Does your bird scream or otherwise fuss when you put him back in his cage?
When putting your bird back in his cage put something special in there first - favorite food, toy, etc. Let him see the special item, then put him in the cage. From my experience this teaches them that the cage is a wonderful place and they'll start to go into their cage by themselves.
Leave the cage door open when you have the bird out. When he's tired, thirsty, hungry, whatever, he can go back into the cage himself. He learns the cage is not a prison, it's his room. A couple of days ago my daughter told me Ducky (her sun conure) got tired of playing with her and walked back to his cage for a bath. Then he took a nap in his cage.
When putting your bird back in his cage put something special in there first - favorite food, toy, etc. Let him see the special item, then put him in the cage. From my experience this teaches them that the cage is a wonderful place and they'll start to go into their cage by themselves.
Leave the cage door open when you have the bird out. When he's tired, thirsty, hungry, whatever, he can go back into the cage himself. He learns the cage is not a prison, it's his room. A couple of days ago my daughter told me Ducky (her sun conure) got tired of playing with her and walked back to his cage for a bath. Then he took a nap in his cage.
Skittles
(Jenday Conure)
Partied too hard the night before and crashed in the food bowl.
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