Lovelady

[loveladys]

Hi, I am new to this forum and really don't know how to use it but I guess it will come. I am the father of a red-bellied African parrot whom I adopted. I have read all the material I can find. He is a cute little guy but everytime I take him out to play, he starts biting my fingers. I know I have made all the mistakes with him but I am at the point of finding a more skilled bird handler for him. I try each day only to put him back in his cage. He also isn't socialized with the rest of the family and put a pretty nasty bite on my wife. Any advice out there. I have a colony of 11 cockatiels, one parakeet, and my wife has a wonderful bluecrowned conure. Thanks, L

[phonelady61]

okay how long have you had him ? he is relatively new ? if he is then you have to give him time to adjust to you and his new home . if not new then try training him away from his cage . sometimes the birds are just cage aggressive and they need to be away from the cage in order to be trained in neutral territory . It is best if they are trained away from the cage . good luck .

[Sashagirl]

Welcome to the forum

The thing you'll hear is birds/parrots are nothing like owning a cat or a dog.
With birds/parrots they are all different but they all need time to adjust.
Depending on when he joined your family and what he/she has been through in the past makes a big difference.Don't try pushing yourself on him/her it doesn't know you and yes it will bite.Try spending time by the cage talking singing and giving it treats.I'm owned my many parrots as well as a Senegal which from the same family as your Red Bellied African Parrot.She didn't have the best life before my bestfriend rescued her so it didn't take a few days for her to become the sweet bird she is today.The key words are TIME and PATIENCE.Are you ready and willing to do this for him?You must if you went through the trouble of adopting him.It has to be in his time though.

Marcia

[micki]

hi and welcome to the forum.

[loveladys]

Thank you for your comments. My red-belly parrot is probably 5 years old. he was given back to a pet shop and I fell in love with him. he adapted well. he won't eat most fuuits and veggies. When I get him out of the cage he is always excited to step up and says it as he is getting on my hand. We play for about ten minutes and as he is sitting on my balled-up fist he starts picking at my fingers. I tell him to stop and put hiom down. When I go to pet him he says stop. I just can't make him understand that some of the bites are too hard. He also tries to throwup while he is with me. Sometimes he is so clam and I stroke the side of his face and he coos. I also think there is a little sexual thing with my fist. I simply put him back in the cage. If I leave the door open, he flies to the top of my head or finger whichever is first. What do you think?

[loveladys]

I forgot to tell you that I have had him for close to two years now. The biting is playful but sometimes too hard and when anyone else in the family comes around he takes a chunk. Is this something I just learn to live with or can I correct the behavior?

[Sprecker]

I have the exact same situation as you. I just recently brought home a Red Bellied from a petstore that had kept him in a little cage for 2 yrs. My RB need some adjusting time but things are getting better. As for the bitting all og my fids do that when they get startled. It hurts more when my RB does it becasue his beak is more long, narrow and pointy. It may have to do with your RB not liking to be around other fids and he gets agressive. He may think you are his and that is why he is displaying the affection signs and the agression when other birds are around you.
The same thing used to happen with my Senegal. It took some time but he mo longer does the real hard bitting. He has the same style beak as the RB so it used to hurt alot when he would get aggressive. BUt now he has accepted the other birds and doesn't mind them around me any more. It took about a year. I hope my RB comes around as quickly as my Seny did.
SO far it sopunds like you are doing the right things. Just don't give up. Some birds are just agressors and that's the way they are. They need you to trust them before they will trust you and so on.
Another thing to think about is puberty. If he is 5 he may be getting into his terrible youth stage. If that is the case there really isn't much you can do but be patient and loving. The way you treat your fid at his worst will reflect back onto the rest of his life with you. You so far are doing a great job. Just keep doing it is all. I am not sure of the age that these birds get into their terrible youth stage as my fids are only a few yrs. old. I will be reading up on that soon.
Cheers and good luck.

[catschair]