How to deal with biting

[bazie]

Hi All I brought my BE2 home in late August. Some of you may remember my husband surpriseing me with her for our anniversary.
She is a lovely smart bird but ohhh man can she bite hard.
She still seems quite nervous around the kids sometimes she will let them pick her up other times she hisses and lunges at them.
She typically only bites me when she doesnt want to do something like get off my shoulder . Which I know she shouldnt be there and i am working on that too. Typically if shes on my shoulder and I ask her to step up she would put her head down and click her beak. If i persist with step up she ususally bites. When she bites i really try to give NO reaction which Ill tell you is mighty hard but I try to take the pain and keep insisting she step up, which she ususally does. I then tell her shes a good girl.
Am I going about this right???
She is my first Big bird and totally different then my caique!

I really feel like alot of the biting is from lack of confidence as she is nervous around new things. Any suggestions for me?

Thanks

[RubyMuse]

The answers to your training question are within your description of the events. Can you look at what you wrote and tell me the thing that happens JUST BEFORE the biting occurs?

I could tell you the answer, but it would be better if we worked on the problem together.

[bazie]

I guess just before the biting I ask her to do something she is either uncomfortable with or dosent want to do..
Now she knows step up and most times will willingly step up. If i have treats and the clicker she steps up perfect each time......

[nanmadpad]

I think insist and persist are the key words to your problem. Thought i would help you out in case you werent getting it.

[chapala]

A biting bird or one that refuses to step up from the shoulder doesn't belong there. You need to keep her off until she has earned the privilege of being there. If she's that unreliable around your kids, I would not suggest they try holding her. How about if they are the ones to give her favorite treats?

Taking the pain is not the right way to deal with a bite - avoiding the bite is the best way! The more she learns to bite to communicate, the more she will bite. She needs lots of training with positive reinforcement - a little treat for step ups, going back in the cage or on a play stand, etc. You may want to buy some of Barbara Heidenreich's training dvds and books, lots of good information in there. Just google her name, and you will find her site.

[bazie]

Okay thats for the advise. I have told the girls not to pick her up and to give her treats when they walk by the cage. That has worked really well.

[maggy]

This BE2 is young? Take the clever peoples advise....but please remember she's young, be patient and deal with her in a manner that reinforces your trusting bond, don't do anything that might damage her trust in you. Dusty tried being bitey (not hard but thoughtfully) ...but all I did was put her down and say No!...so it didn't get her anywhere...so she stopped. She doesn't bite now.