an intro and a plea!

[brightbird]

hi everyone! im from ny and i have an 8 month old sun conure, named tahj mahal. im having a lil trouble learning the best way to teach him not to bite, and not to scream(if its possible). if anyone would like to thro some tips my way, id appreciate it! :aiwebs_01

[jessicaboyer89]

If you ask your question in bird talk or ask the experts or the section for conures you may have better luck getting an answer! Welcome to the board!

[Kevin]

Welcome to birdboard... To get the bet responses and info from other members regarding biting posting in other areas ie birdtalk would be the best bet

[Franciscus]

There could be several reasons your bird may be biting and screaming. First of all, make sure he is eating a healthy diet, getting 10-12 hours of dark uninterupted sleep every night (I know if I don't get enough sleep I'm awfully cranky) and getting at least three hours of out of the cage time, supervised with about a half hour to an hour of focussed attention daily. When cuddling with the bird, head and neck only to prevent sexual stimulation, no beak rubbing, keep some things in your hand the bird can chew or bite. This could be a piece of wood, small bird toy, or a food item. Always reward positive behavior and ignore bad behavior. If he is on your hand and bites, wobble your hand slightly while saying "no" and he should let go. Do not let your bird on your shoulder. "Laddering" which consists of getting the bird to step from one hand to the other repeatedly while giving the "up" command should follow bites. Some things are rather simple. For example, if the bird starts getting nippy after petting him for five minutes, put him down after four. Keep an eye on him, start reading body language, get to know his likes and dislikes. When the bird is being quiet, or making pleasant sounds, reward him with exuberant enthusiastic praises, and possibly a treat. It's easy to forget when they are being quiet so keep reminding yourself. There are several good books on the market. Mattie Sue Athan's "Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" is excellent, as are books by Sally Blanchard. You can order Sally's books through her website:http://www.companionparrot.com/

Good luck with your new little friend. Sun conures are exquisite, exhuberant little characters, you should have lots of fun.

[SunConure1]

Hi welcome to the board since your bird is still young it is a good idea to praise him when he does something good and when he does something his not ment to do say NO in a firm voice. He will learn the word NO and when he hears this he should stop what ever he was doing. I don't like the wobbling of the hand idea as it can make the bird scared most breeders and pet owners gently grab the sides of the beak and say NO BITE. But most of the time just saying NO in a firm voice lets them know that is wrong.Another thing you could try is when he is being good reward him with food that he doesn't get very often a treat so its called or a new toy. But when he is being naughty you can say No in a firm voice and put him on his play gym and pick him back up when he has behaved him self.

[The Outlaw]

Franciscus:

Excellent advice and beautifully written. I'm very glad you joined!

THE OUTLAW

[mamalovesrico]

Rico used to bite when he had his tantrums. I've really been focusing on this. I pay attention to things that frustrate him. When he's playing and really having a good time and gets too worked up, he would bite. He pretty much doesn't do this anymore. When he would bite, I would firmly grab is beak and say "No" and look him straight in the eye. While practicing with this I still got an occassional good bite but it eventually stopped. Once in a while when he bites he'll come running to me with his head down as if to say he's sorry. So he understands it's not accepted. He understands the word "No" now. So when he's on the other side of the room getting ready to do something he's not supposed to, like bite the blinds, I say "No" and he stops.
Now when we are playing and he gets worked up I will intentionally stick my finger in front of his face. I can tell he's first thinking of chomping on it, but then he second guesses and puts his head down on my finger. Then I praise him and give him kisses all over his head and he absolutely loves this. I think it is extremely important to give them positive reinforcement. Let us know your progress.

[Majj]

Welcome to BB ..I also have a sun conure and he screams his morning hello !! screams when he thinks we need to be warned by something happening out side the window..but on the whole when he is with us he is a happy boy , so I gather his screaming has meanings he is not just screaming for the heck of it ...BUT BOY !!! if you have one that screams non stop that would be a problem as those Suns have got good lungs ..lol..
I can`t offer you any better advise than has been offered good luck and once again welcome to the group.. Hope we can Chat on the forums some time byeeeeeeee ...