When will the biting stop?

[whiterwing]

My Umbrella is just over a year old and she is constantly looking for something to bite. When I try to hold Stevie she starts to bite my shoulder, my ear, my breast if I have her stay on my arm, anything in site. Will she grow out of this becouse I'm all marked up by her, bruises, and everything.I don't want her to stay locked up or on a perch all day, but it hurts!!

[FloorCandy]

My CAG was biting a lot when I first got him, he put so many holes in my shirts, I read online that when they bite you can give a correction, like "no bite" and if they won't let go, you can wiggle whatever they are perched on, like your arm or shoulder, after a few tries, I only had to say no bite, and now he hardly bites at all. I am not sure how good this advice is, but it worked for me.

[whiterwing]

Thank you, I've tried that, not working. Someone else told me to pinch her toes when she does this, I don't know if that'll work I haven't tried it yet. Thank you again for the advise.

[maggy]

Help! Don't pinch her toes or "punish her in anyway, parrots don't understand punishment at all, all you would achieve is to destroy any chance of a good/trusting relationship. Dusty my BE2 used to taste me when she was young, more to see what I was made of (I think) and in order to stop this becoming something worse I would say firmly; "No" and put her down. She eventually worked out if she wanted to be on me or have cuddles she had to stop biting. She still puts her beak on my nose, and I say"gentle" and she is, she also nips my ear tips if I'm ignoring her and she thinks I should be doing something for her, eg., singing to her. Again I say"No" and put her down, so it never gets too rough...more like a friendly punch in the arm from a roughhousing friend. Think you need to be consistant, firm(like speaking to a little kid) and give her time. After all how long have you had her? Cockatoos take a long time to really "grow-up", bit like labrador dogs.

[whiterwing]

I would never pinch her toes anyway, I did read that they don't understand punishment though. I have had Stevie a couple months, I got her at 1yr.old. She's a sweethart, but the biting does need to go... I do put her down and tell her no when she does this bad behavior. She looks at me with that look and says" gimme a kiss, a big kiss, and she looks so cute I feel bad and pick her up again! Your right, I need to be consistant by leaving her alone after she bites.

[RubyMuse]

Originally Posted by whiterwing

Thank you, I've tried that, not working. Someone else told me to pinch her toes when she does this, I don't know if that'll work I haven't tried it yet. Thank you again for the advise.

The simple answer is that aggression will increase aggression. This doesn't work and will make the bird more angry/aggressive/and likely to bite.

The better question is: WHY is she biting? She is not trying to be mean, she is trying to tell you something.

Try giving her the appropriate things to bite: wood toys, hard woods, soft woods, puzzle toys to forage. Cockatoos are smart and she is likely bored or needs to shred something.

I buy wreaths from the dollar store by the bulk to give mine to shred and they love it!

Just put her down if she bites and you are afraid. Otherwise, give her something to do because they are not likely to just sit there and behave.....waaaayyyyyy to smart for that!

[RubyMuse]

Originally Posted by whiterwing

I would never pinch her toes anyway, I did read that they don't understand punishment though. I have had Stevie a couple months, I got her at 1yr.old. She's a sweethart, but the biting does need to go... I do put her down and tell her no when she does this bad behavior. She looks at me with that look and says" gimme a kiss, a big kiss, and she looks so cute I feel bad and pick her up again! Your right, I need to be consistant by leaving her alone after she bites.

You will get a lot further with her if you teach her what to do and not what not to do...example: when you pick her up give her something to carry in her beak (incompatible with biting you) and then put her down on your knee to eat or play with her reward...you will build a history of picking her up with no biting and this is far more effective than waiting for her to bite and putting her down as your only behavior modification technique. Do that only when you have not taken the time to create a good situation from the start with a scenario that teachces her what you would like her to do...she obvioulsy likes you and would respond to being rewarded for good behavior.

[whiterwing]

When I brought her home I got any and all books, pamphlets, internet info I could find about keeping her busy, nutrition and the dreaded plucking and forageing. I filled her huge cage full of everything the books told me to,and I even make my own toys, like hidding her favorite treats in a egg carton, she loves that. I am home 24/7 with my birds, and they get ample time with me and perch time. Stevie doesn't scream much only maybe once or twice a day.Saturday I had to help out at the corn stand for just a couple hours, and when I returned she had pulled at a bleeder feather while I was out. I would have taken her but it was way too hot Saturday and I didn't have room for a travel cage in my car, plus she freaked out in the car when I first brought her home so I didn't want to put her through that again. I leave Animal Planet on the little tv in their room for voices and still she plucked. Do I have to take her with me everywhere I go now?? Thank you everyone who replied to her biting, I'll try everything.......