Expert Advice on Biting and Toys - Long questions

[KimM]

LOL.. Good try, but no way! He's my boy!

[KimM]

Oooh Good idea with the SSSStop and hardware store stuff. I'll try that

[KimM]

Oh great idea! I'll try that!

[Mike B]

What I would do as soon as he tries to beak tell him no. I/we choose to say owie, or easy. So now as soon as they beak they say easy. We don't get pinched though. Just keep reinforcing it. It doesn't matter what pressure he applies as soon as he does it, you say it. For toys he can't destroy that will keep him entertained you need the grasshopper. http://www.grasshoppersparrottoys.co...teel_toys.html

Mike

[junior-coyote]

That is a pretty bird!

My YCM enjoys a variety of stainless steel nuts, bolts, screws, and nails (with dulled points). One of his favorite toys is human nail clipers. They are springy and they have the file part that swings out. You might try a big toe nail clipper for your guy.

Regarding biting: Can you give more info about a typical biting scenario? There are different reasons for biting, and it would be most useful to identify the cause. Does the beaking seam playful, or a reaction to something he doesn't like? One possibility is that your bird may be going through adolescence. Also, I've seen videos of macaws play wrestling. I tried it with my bird, and he loves it. He will roll on his back and wave a foot in the air indicating that he wants to play.

[The Outlaw]

Harlequins can naturally be a handful. That's one of the reason you don't see very many of them. They are, after all a hybrid and that makes for uncertainty about their disposition over the long haul.

I know how hard BGs and GWs can bite, for I have 6 of them. However, I don't ever recommend putting up with that nonsense.

He needs to be trained. He needs to understand that their are rewards for good behavior and consequences for bad behavior.

At 20, he is a fully hormonal adult male and may even think of himself as Alpha. I have a BG here that I routinely wrestle with once a year. I have to remind him that I outweigh him, A LOT.

I think you might want to seriously consider click training. Its teaching your bird to do a required action and repeating that action for a reward. You use a standard dog clicker and a pointer to first teach him what you want. Very interesting and a good way to communicate in a positive way.

In the meantime, please purchase 2 Ace bandages. Wrap both of them on your forearm and across your palm. It will protect you from nasty bites and put you in the cat bird seat. He frankly doesnt respect you. You can change that.

Do you have any other birds? If so, is he bonded to any of them? My bad boy is very bonded to another male macaw and that's where we have our conflicts. Also be SURE to keep him clippped hard. Don't let him have the advantage of flight. Harlequins are big and can do serious damage. Level out the playing field.

[Ringneckmom]

Have you thought of trying to teach him to do tricks? Like putting a ball through a basketball hoop etc. That may help to keep him preoccupied also.

Since he is only 20 months old - he is probably going through the terrible twos and is seeing what he can get away with. Just keep being consistent with him in whatever approach you use. My macaw would try to pinch really hard on my hand and I would remove the beak and tell him to be gentle every time he did it. He eventually got the idea and if he got overzealous, all I had to do was say Be gentle and he would quit.
It does get better - you just have to be patient with him and consistent.

[KimM]

Thanks. I checked those out. They should help

[KimM]

Different biting scenarios are when i come home from work and take him out, I get a bite. I think this is a "where have you been all day?"
I think he is jealous of my dog and when I pet him, he'll pinch. If he wants me off of the phone, he'll pinch me. I have been told he is going through his terrible twos. I have made myself consistent with everyone's advise here with either depositing him on the floor if he gets to overzealous or if it's a pinch/bite, gently pushing his beak away and telling him, "easy". This seems to be working.

[junior-coyote]

I would second the recommendation for training. Its a great way to have positive interactions with your bird. I can recommend "Clicker Training for Birds" by Melinda Johnson, and "Don't shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor. Both books are about $10 on amazon. You will be surprised by how quickly parrots pick it up, and most birds enjoy it. The trained behaviors don't have to be elaborate. If an interaction with your bird isn't going well, you can ask for a simple trained behavior and reward the bird for a success. This is an easy way to turn things in a positive direction.

"Different biting scenarios are when i come home from work and take him out, I get a bite."

When you get home, do you go directly to the cage to let him out? What does he do and what is his posture when you approach the cage and open the door? Does he come out of the cage on his own, or do you reach into the cage and ask him to step-up? Before he bites, does he appear to give any warning? What happens after he bites? Does he bite most times in this situation? Does he reliably step-up onto your hand in most situations?