Nippy green cheek baby

[dmiller91]

I have discovered things that upset my GC and make him nippy, okay aggressive, as he has aged.

So be mindful of those sorts of things.

He hates the color red, and that includes sweaters, toenails, and UW Badger gear of any kind.

He also hates medicine bottles, aspirin bottles, anything with a cap, any color. These are to be feared and attacked. No I don't encourage this behavior.

He hates sweeping and brooms. He cannot ride on my shoulder when I am sweeping any more. For some reason, the idea of cleaning the floor turns him really off.

If he's in an angry mood, no shoulder. He loves to climb up on my head, dangle from my bangs and bite at my face. Maybe he hates bangs too.

What a sweetie!! :)

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by dmiller91

He hates the color red, and that includes sweaters, toenails, and UW Badger gear of any kind.

Where mine doesn't mind red but seems scared of large "circular" objects (any colour).

Originally Posted by dmiller91

He hates sweeping and brooms. He cannot ride on my shoulder when I am sweeping any more. For some reason, the idea of cleaning the floor turns him really off.

Where mine enjoys our vacuuming and sweeping sessions - sitting on my shoulder telling me where I've missed.

I believe that these things depend quite a bit on the individual bird (although I know that large black circles painted on a white background are sometimes used as "scarecrows" in Japan).

This bird at 5mo is really a baby. As an infant and still learning about things a simple removal of the beak with a "no bite" should suffice. If the same problem still occurs after a year or so then you have a problem...

[dmiller91]

Originally Posted by NotEnoughTime

This bird at 5mo is really a baby. As an infant and still learning about things a simple removal of the beak with a "no bite" should suffice. If the same problem still occurs after a year or so then you have a problem...

I know. I was just being silly.

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by dmiller91

I know. I was just being silly.

Ahhh - that's my problem... I always take things so seriously

[Tashalee]

Russel,
I have not let the pionus and the greencheek out together yet as she is still being quarantined. Although knowing my whitecapped pi (Cripsin)...he's not going to be pleased at first. He's an introvert and adores his current flock but is not so into outsiders. I think he'll always "tolerate" but prefers to keep to us humans or on his own. We'll see!

[Tashalee]

Thanks everyone for the advice:D So far what seems to work the best is just simply saying "no" in a deep and firm voice. I tried pushing her beak away and it seems to tick her off and then she just nipped harder on the finger I was pushing her away with! But she's already getting much better...and from the sounds of it it's going to be an up and down journey with the nipping. Good thing she's so cute and worth it! ;)

[Renae]

When I first got my Cinnamon GC, she was very nippy.. (she was 7 weeks old so that's when they really start using their beak) took chunks sometimes and most of the time left a nice 'Leila's bitten here' mark.

What I done is had either had a treat in my hand, or I had something like one of her fav foot toys or paddle pop sticks in my hand, and every time she went to bite me, I'd distract her with either the treat/foot toy/paddle pop sticks and it definitely worked, she's not nippy at all anymore. Putting them on the floor is something else you could do, but Green Cheeks love to test you out, so don't scream or anything when your baby nips you.

[CRToon83]

oh yeah... get something for her to bite besides your hand. guitar picks worked very well for me. Still one of her favorite chew toys.

[Jag]

I have to add that with the age of the baby and the short amount of time you have had her, I would not floor this bird. If ever used... never with a baby. Never.

Rayne is my 'tester'. She's been this way for awhile and I think she's going to stay this way. She knows when she's headed off to bed... and when it's a night that she doesn't want to go to bed... she bites. She's a snot. Totally. However, I have found that telling her 'no' (while it DOES work mostly) has resulted in her telling me 'NO' when she doesn't want to do something. She will also stop and give me that 'Really??' look and then open her beak and sloooowly head back down to my finger... Like I said, she's a snot.

She wanted to tell me how unhappy she was that I was speaking to Ziva Sunday night when I brought her upstairs... I had a bandaid on for awhile. I totally agree that what you're doing seems to be the best way to handle the nippy phase. However... be prepared, LOL! She may not totally stop this, as it seems to them to be a good way to get the point across when they're unhappy with something.

[asulli]

This is what I do. I usually always have something around that is a distraction.
When she nips I usually say "no bite" (I do not pull my finger out instead I push a little against her) and I put the "distraction" up to her and when she nips at it I make a big deal. It took a couple of times, but it has worked for me.

I think quaking would probably be a game to her as I usually play "Dharma is the plane"!

I do not blow on her face because I feel that when I pucker up for kiss she might think I will blow in her face.

Putting her back in her cage as punishment leads me to believe that she will start hating her cage and not play in it as she does.

I just try to reward good behaviour and ignore bad. One thing she does not like me to do is when she is misbehaving (which is usually is never) I will turn my head and not talk to her for a second or two. She will try to get my attention by making baby sounds which I love. I think they get to know your facial expressions....