Stop biting

[elisablueee]

Pleased to announce that he has not bitten me since I first posted about his  nasty bites. We are working on "step-up", and he is enjoying almonds for doing so(:

[kins23]

good job! Keep up the good work. Repition is sooo important. You need to let your baby know you mean business, and you can be just as stubborn.   Nancy M

[elisablueee]

Thank you he is getting the hang of it, even stepped on my hand from the top of his cage (no small feat!)

[kins23]

elisablueee... just a suggestion, have your baby step up, when they are LOWER than you in position. A bird that feels taller than you, feels dominate. They must be lower in height in you, to be more submissive.  Nancy M

[elisablueee]

That's what we have been doing, I just had to get him down from there somehow as he would stay up there forever if he could But I always welcome suggestions, especially from longtime parronts

[feika]

Well, Jojo NEVER steps up from within her cage so I open her cage top and she comes out and sit on it (which is above my head) and from there she just easily steps up--piece of cake. However, she does step up easily from within another cage. This height thing to me is something to be debated and analysed from different angles, I had earlier read a lot about never allow the bird to sit above your height so that the dominance issue can be controlled but both Captain and Jojo have no issues stepping up from above, they don't bite, or show any signs of aggression. They are just their normal selves even on top of their cages or elsewhere in the room.

[jbaxter]

Well said, Shanlung, you put all that *brilliantly* well, and I couldn't agree more. 

Also, it can be difficult to get one's CAG down from the top of the cage because they quickly learn that this means they are going to be put back inside. My way of getting around this is to strile a bargain. I offer Jeremy a treat (perhaps a small piece of cheese, or a monkey nut), then, as he takes the treat into his beak I (simultaneaously) ask him to step up onto my other hand. It works a treat (no pun intended) and conditions him to associate a treat with stepping up from the top of his cage. Parrots are indeed the most intellligent creatures, and they do indeed feel (and need to be accepted as) equal. But they are every bit as conditionable as the rest of us. 

Cheers,
Jule

[jbaxter]

Again, I agree wholeheartedly, Shanlung. It's just that Jeremy only turned two on June the 28th and he's at the (teenage?) stage of testing his boundaries. When he's a couple of years older I will expect him to behave in a more grown-up fashion (more like an equal and less like a very naughty boy). 

That aside, one thing that amazes me about Jeremy is that he constructs his own sentences, and often makes very appropriate responses to things that others say and do. For instance, sometimes when we're playing and he offers to give a little peck, I'll say, "Naughty boy; Jeremy's a naughty boy". He now says, "I'm a naughty boy," to which I reply, "I know you are". The important thing is that I've never actually said to him, "I'm naughty", it's always been either, "You're naughty", or "Jeremy's naughty".

Recently I've taught him to say, "It's not fair". I've also been trying to teach him to say, "I'm watching you". Earlier today, as I walked past the door to the sitting room where Jeremy was chattering away happily to himself, I heard him say, "I'm naughty!". I popped my head around the door and said, "I know you are, and I'm watching you." Immediately, and in a loud voice, Jeremy replied, "I know you are, and it's not fair". How, one wonders, does he manage this kind of thing, and at such a young age. Is it coincidence? Maybe, but I could give lots of different examples of the same thing. 

Cheers,
Julie

[elisablueee]

I try my hardest to treat Avery as a friend and equal. I don't impress upon him that I am the boss by any means. Right now, though, reasoning is beyond him which is what I need help with. When he first came to me, we had no issues. He never bit me. But NOW, he is testing me. And mainly testing out the taste of my flesh  It is definitely difficult to want to treat someone as a friend when you have the bruises from them on your body. But as it is, when he bites, I remain calm and tell him no. We're working on it Thank you for your advice, shanlung, I really do value your opinion.

Julie, I am inclined to think that he knows exactly what he is saying, and what he means. They're smart little guys

[jbaxter]

Julie, I am inclined to think that he knows exactly what he is saying, and what he means. They're smart little guys

Me too! 

Also, if it's any consolation, Jeremy was nine or ten months old when he came to me, and for the first couple of weeks he literally shredded my hands. It was a crash course in learning to read CAG body language, and he taught me much. 

Don't worry, you're doing nothing wrong. Just have faith in yourself and use tact when handling him. You'll get there. I promise, a few months from now you'll wonder what on earth you were so worried about. 

Cheers,
Julie

[jbaxter]

Thank you Shanlung. Could you possibly let me have the link to the thread you mention? I would so like to read what you have to say on this subject. 

Cheers,
Julie

[elisablueee]

Thank you. That is extremely reassuring I'm just ready for him to be his sweet self again.

[kins23]

Shanlung, you have soo many positive thoughts and advice. I know you were concerned about Sophie's safety, and truly appreciate your advice. I was also happy to learn, my bird trimmer also trimmed them well from your suggestion of a "good trim!" He is a professional bird handler and has taken care of my birds for past 10 years.
     I am probably, one of "zero", people, that doesn't believe in closing a cage. They have cages, with gyms in front of them. Their cages are never locked. They all jump back and forth, to each others cage and gym. All get along, my home is birdproofed. Someone is home, 24 hours/day.
     I entered the bird world, thru a rescue, that noone would take, but loved my son at age 9. I took this bird home, and has been with us for 10 years.This is a bird, that would fly across the room and attack! Of course, he doesn't do that anymore, and will let his family pick him up!He is in love with my Amazon, and vice versa! I will NEVER, lock a cage of any kind. Birds love dogs, dogs love birds. Alot of work to get here.   Nancy M