Nippy green cheek baby

[Tashalee]

I just purchased a 5 month old cinnamon green cheek conure. She's adorable, very outgoing (not the least bit shy or timid of anything so far) and very nippy. I understand that the baby green cheeks go through nippy phases and that she's just exploring and it's normal. I also own a white capped pionus and a budgie. I haven't had experience with this kind of "nippy" before. It's definitely an uncomfortable pinch and I'm confused about now to handle it. So far ignoring it doesn't help. She just increases the pressure as if she's testing me and the boundries. I tried a mini "earthquake" but this seems to encourage her more. I've tried a gentle blow of air...works for a second but then she's back at it. Distracting works momentarily. Should I say "no" in a firm voice? Should I put her back in her cage etc. and ignore her for a while as a form of "time out?" I'm sure I could figure it out by trial and error...but I'd prefer some good sound advice and reassurance:) Also, I've only had her for a few days so she's VERY new to us all!

[KiwiJo]

With Kiwi, I say no and put him in timeout in his cage for 5 minutes. It gets the message across. He doesn't bite nearly as much, but he still bites. Try time out.

[dmiller91]

Green Cheeks can definitely be nippy, but it seems that a lot of them are worse when you first bring them home! I'm sure you will get many good ideas here, but you are correct, it does work to teach them NO. I say "no bites" and put them down for just a few minutes. Any more than that and they forget any relationship. Then try again. Same drill, nips, gets put down.

Usually in a baby it's just beak testing, learning what's okay and what isn't. I've gone through this twice and was really worried the first time. Both times it passed in about a week.

Good luck and pictures please!

[Tashalee]

Thanks for the advice and reassurance:) I will try the time out this week and see how it goes. I really do need to get some pics up here, that will be my next goal:D

[Greycloud]

It does not benefit the bird to be put back in the cage if it bites. It will than affiliate being on the hand as going back to the cage and the biting issue could worsen. I agree with Diane, just put the bird down for a few seconds and pick him back up. In the time it takes to get the bird back to the cage it has forgotten why it is going there. A stern "No bite" and put down for few seconds, then pickup and praise. No "earthquakes" please, this causes young birds to fear being on your hand and can be dangerous as they are not real steady on their feet.

[hollyhawkz]

I think a stern no bite, look them nose to beak right in the eye with the no bite. Then depending on the frequency, you can either put them down or off to the cage for a time out. Some days I would gently hold his beak while I said no biting. I would also gently grab his beak and remove it from my skin when he was hanging on while I said no biting. I gave Wawa three chances, on the third he was off to the cage. Just remember time outs should only be minutes.

I have used the earthquake method, it didn't phase Wawa... Didn't deter him or scare him, or make him any less secure. Conures can be fearless and tenacious which makes training all the more important.

[dmiller91]

Originally Posted by hollyhawkz

I think a stern no bite, look them nose to beak right in the eye with the no bite. .

this made me chuckle. Make sure they don't bite your nose LOL.

Chiquita will go for it!

[Tashalee]

Hehe! Yes I'll watch out for my nose! I agree that the mini earthquake doesn't cause any fear, she doesn't seem afraid or intimidated by anything and she has an excellent grip with those little feet. But it wasn't working. I went home on my break today and took her out for some training. She wasn't eager to come out on my hand so I used a perch. But once she was out...she was doing great! I just told her "no" when she nipped me hard and she would look up at me immediately with a curious expression. She then tested several more times, I'd put her down on the t-stand...try again. After only 5 minutes of this she was only very gently beaking and exploring in a way that was comfortable. And I did tell her "no" and used the close up eye contact. I'm amazed at how smart these birds are;) I'm very excited to get to know this little girl!

[CRToon83]

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

With Kiwi, I say no and put him in timeout in his cage for 5 minutes. It gets the message across. He doesn't bite nearly as much, but he still bites. Try time out.

He won't know what he's going in the cage for. Just gently push the beak off and say gentile, no bite, easy, whatever your choice word is. You need to stay it just about the exact same time you are pushing the beak off so it understands what that comes to mean. I would say after 3 or so times of repeated biting, then place in the cage for 15 minutes. This way the bird will understand specifically what it is going in the cage for, and once it stops getting its beak pushed it will learn it gets to stay out longer, thus biting will reduce. It won't ever stop completely, and you'll just have to learn to deal with it. It's just the manageable level that you have to get to.

Just placing it in the cage won't do any good, and may actually hurt, for the simple reason it will take a LONG time to make the connection, if it is ever made. You have to be very precise when training, which is why the clicker was first conceived.

Parrot Biting

So I've been thinking about getting a pionus... have you let them out at the same time yet? How are they interacting? (Or if you have her in quarantine, good for you!)

[Young]

Lots of good advice and being mom to two cinnamon boys, I've used most of them, lol. After 5 years, I have just had to resort to the fact that my cinnie boys Yogi and Booboo are always going to be loving little stinkers with and unpredictable nipp without warning. All the advice above will help, but please, be careful of the staredown nose to beak...lol.... My boys would probably just take the moment to reach over and give me a new beak sized tattoo, lol.