Vicious! Ow!

[KaylaD8528]

She bites! My parrotlet, Chicklet, is a 1 year old female that I bought from a woman who didn't have time for her. I have a feeling she was raised hand fed, but since then has become un-tame. Faces? Fine. Shoulders? Cool. Legs? Neat. Hands?

OH GOD ATTACK RARARARARAR.

If I offer her food bits or treats, she refuses it, and lunges for me around the food. Or, she takes the food and throws it. It makes no difference if I move slowly or not. She'll allow me to scratch the back of her head/neck, but that is all. Talk about a little brat!

Just what can I do to get her hand-tame?

[maggy]

Sounds like she has been roughly handled and come to fear hands. Rosemary Low had a similar problem with a cockatoo, she began feeding and stroking it with her face. Don't know if this is wise in your case but maybe some thing like it. Perhaps give treats when the bird is very settled, with things other than your hands, chop sticks, tongs, a fork...? That way you'll become the "good guy" and in time maybe your hands (which in time could offer the same treats) and you would be trusted.

[Jag]

I'm working with the same type issue, but worse. There is NOTHING they won't bite..and there's two of them. A Sun and a Jenday. Put in the same cage young, now bonded males. I have been able lately to get them to take some food off my hand, but they (usually the Jenday) are also biting (although not drawing blood at this time). They so far are unable to be handled. Don't know if that will ever change. One of the many reasons I get irrate when people get birds they don't have time for....or do things like house them together then don't touch them and wonder why they got vicious!

[NotEnoughTime]

I recommend reading: Parrot Biting and How Not to be a Tease for some pratical advice on how to deal with biting behaviours.

Parrotlets are big parrots in disguise... They are quite social and will learn quickly.

[LovelySydney]

I have a parrotlet too, hes roughly 5 or 6 months - luckily for me he is not a biter but he IS scared of all things hands unless he crash lands on the floor and THEN of course he will step up for me, LOL. I am just working very slowly with him. I know he enjoys millet so I ONLY use it for training purposes, this gives him something to work for. Right now I just hold the millet in his cage and let him come to me. This usually takes about 20 minutes - talk about a hand cramp!! Im going to do this day by day and hopefully we'll see some progress. Patience is the key! I know there are a lot of resources you can use, too that will help. Good luck!!

[GRANNYAT50]

My pacific green parrotlet is 3 months old. We have come a long way. When i open his cage he comes right out and he will step up. He loves to be petted but then he keeps trying to nibble on my hand. H doesn't bite that hard but it still hurts. Then when I put him back in the cage he keeps calling for me. What can i do to change the biting habit?