Yeah he is adorable.. The bite just hurt lol
Yeah he is adorable.. The bite just hurt lol
Hiya plax he does it in cage... He will come to the treat take it and move and then sometimes he just goes for my hand or finger... He doesn't lunge or squawk and I'm stuck as to what to do to stop it or should I just grin and bear it... through the cage he seems to be fine
I mean my hand is inside the cage when he nips... Could it be him being territorial or just a biter
If he's not lunging at you, it may not be cage aggression. It could be a game to him instead. But I think it's more likely he may be afraid/distrustful of your hand when there's nothing between it, and him. Have you tried allowing him to come to a treat you are holding rather than reaching toward him with it? You might try holding a treat near his cage door to see if he will come over and take it from you.
Many birds are territorial about their cages, as you've suggested. A bird often considers his cage to be his safety zone where he can feel free from threats and have some control of his immediate environment. Any breach of that safety zone may be looked upon by such a bird as a serious threat. So when Blue bites you for placing your hand into his cage, it's likely either an action of warning or an action intended to vehemently defend his sanctum.
Some birds never fully overcome cage aggression. You may find that Blue is an entirely different parrot (personality wise) when he's out of his cage - once he's comfortable enough to come out of it, that is. Time, patience, and perseverance are essential.
He wanted to live. He was my Heaven... He's gone!
Clover is cage aggressive and he will lunge at me if I cross the line he has set. I just get a stick for him to step up to. He lunges and bites at the stick too sometimes but I just hold it in front of him and when he realizes the stick isn't moving he'll climb up on it. (note, I don't push the stick on him, I just hold it in front of him). Once out of his cage he is fine and has never bitten me anywhere else. He will take treats from me from his cage but I let him come and get it. Honestly, I think Clover would be better about it if I worked on it with him, I just haven't.
I would just keep giving Blue treats and let him come get it. Teach him to step up in a room other than where his cage is. And above all, don't loose your patience because they will not forget.
Taking treats from your hand at the door is a good start, once Lady takes the treat into her mouth I would move my hand back a little to give her space and show that giving her the treat is all I wanted to do. I also waited for her to stay where she was when she took the food before I started leaving my hand in the same spot but it took time for her to learn that my hand was not going to do any harm to her. Moving your hand slowly is also important because right now she is not sure what your hand will do.
Some days when I am home all day I would feed her bits of her first meal by hand before putting the dish in the cage and letting her finish it up on her own. You have to hold the food so that they can't bite your fingers. Maybe something larger like a treat would be easier to hold and offer to her. I always give her her fruit from my hand and not in a dish because it is something she really likes and she seems to want it more than worry about me or what my hand was doing.
Lady is cage aggressive as well and will allow me to only go so far before she lets me know I'm not welcome there. Sometimes even on the Play top so I have learned to watch her body language. I prefer her to come to me, then I know she is more likely to be nice.
plax (09-14-2014)
Dragonlady2 (05-26-2018), Lady (06-03-2018)