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Thread: Bite pressure training...help/advice please?

 
  1. #1
    Member
    MomtoPercy's Avatar


    Parrots

    Percy, BFA Jack, Budgie

    Bite pressure training...help/advice please?

    As I mentioned in my first thread, Percy and I did not hit it off when he first moved in. I have worked intensively with him to change that and we have made significant progress. Although from the embarassing pic attached, you may not think so.

    Amazingly - THAT is progress! Previously, he bit me that it bled EVERY time. Admittedly, I was handling him wrong at first - too insistent and pushy and not attentive enough to his body language. Now, I wait for him to ask to be picked up...and then I get bit (not every time anymore, but often enoug).

    I'm trying bite pressure training no. He's now learned that he is not allowed to (and I don't believe he wants to anymore) bite 'hard' but he equates 'hard' to 'wide open beak - which draws blood. He tries soooo hard to bite 'gently' and uses only the tip of his beak - which leaves these massive bruises! (the pic is the result of a few bites unfortunately in the same spot)

    I engae in beak play while he's on his play gym (he won't sit in my lap yet) and he enjoys that and doesn't bite when we do this. However, he ASKS to be picked up by holding out his "pick me up foot" (left foot) and says "Come?" Which also means 'pick me up. So I hold my hand, he steps up and bites. If its too hard, I immediately say "No! Be gentle!" & return him to the gym, and walk away. I return within about 30 seconds (he calls for me all the time I'm away during these sessions) and give him the chance to try again. I tell him, before I hold my hand to be gentle (and I try to demonstrate by sooooftly rubbing his foot and his beak. Then I pick up him and he tries ever so hard to 'be gentle'. However, I think I may die of internal bleeding before we get this right.

    Any tips and advice would be appreciated. My supply of arnica for bruises is running out LOL!
    Attachments Attachments IMG-20131219-00361.jpg  


  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Honesty's Avatar


    That looks like a pretty nasty bruise Michelle

    Maybe for a while you could try getting him to step onto a stick when he asks to be picked up. At least this way, if you can see he is going to bite, you can put him back on his stand before he gets the chance?

    You are doing a great job with him and eventually, your perseverance will pay off

    You could also try clicker training. I know quite a few people that have had great success with this type of training. If you look on Youtube, you will see quite a few videos on clicker training!


  3. The following user likes this post:

    MomtoPercy (12-19-2013)

  4. #3
    Senior Member
    coltfire's Avatar


    Parrots

    eclectus x 4, cockatiels x4, lories x2, budgies x26 and babies all year round of all my birds
    i would be giving the same advise as Wendy,but do remember when a bird steps up they use there beak to work out how safe and steady it is for them to hold on, which does not help with how hard he is biting , but the more time goes on it will get better,but do check out clicker training.

  5. The following user likes this post:

    MomtoPercy (12-20-2013)

  6. #4
    Junior Member
    Wayne361's Avatar


    Parrots

    Senegal
    I would also attempt to avoid the bites all together. By doing this I would train in a hands-off manner. You want to extinguish the behaviour over time and not reinforce it.
    He is also making a game of "suckering" you into picking him up and biting IMO. Fun for the bird, but not for you so much He is training YOU in a sense as he knows the human will come pick him up again when he calls. Hence the cycle continues.
    I will give you credit in the patience department but I wouldnt directly handle unless the bird has gained that privilege. For now do target training, simple tricks etc that allow bonding to increase and doesnt allow bird to bite (due to hands off nature).
    Hope this helps,

    Wayne

  7. The following 4 users like this post:

    Blancaej (01-05-2014), Honesty (12-20-2013), MomtoPercy (12-20-2013), spiritbird (01-06-2014)

  8. #5
    Member
    MomtoPercy's Avatar


    Parrots

    Percy, BFA Jack, Budgie
    Thanks all, I will try your suggestions.

    Wayne - I was wondering just yesterday if he thinks its a game!
    Thanks for the comment on patience . It is so NOT my strong suite so I've been conciously keeping an eye on my patience levels to avoid doing something rash that may set us back. Must say though - anyone else who tried to bully me like this will certainly regret it! LOL. But I'm a sucker for my green pterodaktyl and I'm very stubborn so I keep going

  9. #6
    Junior Member
    Wayne361's Avatar


    Parrots

    Senegal
    Birds are smart creatures and like children will test you to see the reaction created. If it is favourable for the bird,(reaction) you can bet they will do it again and again. It is up to us to convince bird to do what we want as well as the bird - positive reinforcement. Reward the good and ignore/extinguish the bad.
    I can guarantee you one thing.....your patience will be tested, over and over again BUT this is a good thing if you are a committed bird owner as it will help you gain greater and greater patience in life. Training is key..
    Also, make sure you watch body language of bird and respect it. Zons are very good at signalling when they are not in a good mood or ready to strike. Again, avoid the bites and dont physically handle and give space at these times. The LAST thing you want is for the bird to get a reward from biting i.e. you jump, yell, give it what it wants etc. Basically if a bird realizes that biting does not benefit her/him in any way the behaviour will extinguish over time. Also as bond grows and bird is secure in your presence the biting should/will deminish.....
    I would research target training and go from there....as a start.

    Wayne

  10. The following user likes this post:

    MomtoPercy (12-20-2013)

  11. #7
    Senior Member
    Feathers First Aviary's Avatar


    Parrots

    Umbrella cockatoo,Goffins Cockatoo, 2 red lored amazons, blue fronted amazon, 3 black capped conures, 4 green cheek conures, 16+/- american and english budgies and babies (linneolated parakeets, parrotlets, crimson bellied conures, budgies, green cheek conures at any given time)
    I really do think this has become a game for him, he asks to be picked up, you pick him up, then he bites. I've dealt with a lot of birds like this and I don't think that continuing the routine is going to get him to stop. I would start over completely honestly. Go to a different training skill that doesn't involve stepping up, I would try target training. It shouldn't take more than a week or so to teach him, amazons are very smart birds, and in that time, he may forget how much fun the lure and bite routine is. After you have him successfully targeting, and you can use a clicker for this if you'd like, place the target stick so that he has to step on your arm to reach it. He should be more focused on touching the target stick than he is on biting you. So have him step up, touch the target stick, give him his reward and return him to his perch. If you can get him to do this, even if he is only on you for a second, you just successfully picked him up without taking a bite and while that may not seem like a huge achievement, it really is. The key is to figure out how long you can hold him before he tries to bite you and return him to his perch before he reaches that point. Over time, try to extend the period that he is sitting on you without biting. Also, providing foot toys while you are holding him may really help with his beakiness as it will give him something to chomp on that isn't your flesh! Good luck and let us know how it goes
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  12. The following 4 users like this post:

    kendrafitz (12-20-2013), Lady (08-12-2014), MomtoPercy (12-20-2013), spiritbird (01-06-2014)

  13. #8
    Member
    MomtoPercy's Avatar


    Parrots

    Percy, BFA Jack, Budgie
    Thanks all, I've tried target training before but he was more interested in eating the chopstick! LOL! I'm going to continue with a different stick and see how it goes.

  14. The following 2 users like this post:

    Feathers First Aviary (12-20-2013), Honesty (12-20-2013)

  15. #9
    Senior Member
    Blancaej's Avatar


    Parrots

    Quincy CAG Hatched 03/2000 Gotcha @ 3 months old ~ Savannah GW Macaw Hatched 06/1993 Gotcha 4/2013 ~ Coqui B&G Macaw Hatched 09/2003 Gotcha 10/2013 ~ Sidney Blue Crown Conure Gotcha Day 06/2015 Hatch Date Guess 06/2010.
    You have been givin very good advice here. How is it going?

    "Nothing that matters comes easy, and nothing easy ever really matters." ~ Lyrics From Ordinary Girl By Rick Springfield

  16. #10
    Member
    MomtoPercy's Avatar


    Parrots

    Percy, BFA Jack, Budgie
    Much better, thanks for asking! I haven't beenseriously bitten since this post and our clicker training is coming along very well . He still gets his off days but then I just interact from a distance (talking, singing, etc). I believe that patience and training will overcome our issues. He may never adore me like he does my son but at least he doesn't hate me anymore

  17. The following 3 users like this post:

    Blancaej (01-07-2014), kendrafitz (01-07-2014), Lady (08-12-2014)

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