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In Reply to: I have to wear gloves now because of her biting! posted by Janine on July 02, 2009 at 08:24:12:
: Hi everybody,
: Although you aren't aware, I was here a few weeks ago to read up on "the terrible twos" (my GCC is about 9 mo. old) and how to work through the biting/nipping stage my girl seems to be in. Yes, there was change in her routine. My husband went back on the road to work after being home with us since we brought her home at about 8-10 weeks of age. Please know that she has/had always been a sweet, loving and affectionate bird. There was never any question but that she had bonded to us and adored us as well. That being said... I followed the advice given: put a blanket over the back of her cage so she didn't feel so exposed, didn't jump or freak or cry out when she bit me, calmly said "no bite" and if she continued to bite me, I put her back in her cage. Then tried again about 30 min. later. Also went to neutral territory to handle her. This all worked great for a few days. We made a lot of progress so I took her out into the back yard for some sun (in her cage of course) when a girlfriend and I were out there getting some sun ourselves. I made sure to leave the blanket, put her cage right next to me and after she got used to it, it was great. I was able to take her out and hold her and she seemed to LOVE being outside. So much so, in fact, that I took her out there again 2 days ago when I was planting my deck container garden and again she was loving and affectionate and seems to love it. But for the past 36-48 hours, every time I go to the cage to let her out she bites me. My fingers are swollen and hurting and I'm exhausted from the stress of trying to figure out, and fix, what's going on. It seems as if she may be enraged by the fact that she's in the cage so much but she's there because she's biting me and it's just a vicious circle. I'm wearing suede gloves to handle her now and am thinking of getting some leather gardening gloves for roses (I have roses all over my yard and get a certain type of glove every few years to tend them in) as the suede ones are actually a pair of fairly nice gloves I use in the winter... but I am worried about the message this is sending her. On the other hand; I'm becoming less and less willing to let her damage my fingers and hands any more than she already has. I'm sure the fact that I'm sad, frustrated and occasionally angry translates to her but I don't know what to do. I don't want her to have to spend her life in her cage and don't want to spend her time out of the cage trying to anticipate when/why/what she'll get set off over and start attacking me again because of.........
: And now I must go because my husband started his own company and I'm the bookkeeper and must get payroll done. I will check back with you all later today......
: Sunivah (Suni, pronounced Soonee for short) and I appreciate any help you can give us. This hasn't been going on long and she has always been sweet and loving so I know it's not her nature to be this way. I am sure the behavior can be changed, I just don't want to let it go on and feel like I've hit a wall on how to proceed.
: Thanks guys~
You sound as though you really need a hug. {{{{{{{Janine}}}}}}. I know how you are feeling. Patience is key. My GCC, Ariel, was vicious for months after I brought him home and I went through boxes of bandaids. At one point I was sooo desperate, I made a wooden perch, took a clear plasic quart take-out container, inserted a hole in the bottom, and slid the perch through the plastic to make a perfect hand protector. IT WORKED. Ariel would step up onto the perch, then lunge at the hand he could see, but, could get no satisfaction out of a beak sinking into flesh. He was foiled. To this day (years later) I do not try to fetch Ariel from his cage or any other territorial area with my hand. I always offer a wooden perch, (or invite him to climb out on his own) and then once he's out of the cage, transfer him to a finger or other site. Usually my shoulder. It seems to me as if much of what you are dealing with is territorial biting behavior. People advise to change the interior decoration of the cage to minimize this, but I've found it to be not very helpful in my situation. I've come to terms with it by EXPECTING to be bitten when I put my hand in or near the cage, for any reason. Sometimes if I request Ariel step away and be gentle he will go to a corner of the cage and not bother my hand when I repace a dish or cup. But I don't rely on his cooperation.
I've found it always takes a little longer than I want for behaviors to come under better control. Don't give up. Other things you might consider are: is your bird getting a good 12 hours of sleep? Exposure to full spectrum lighting during the day? (I use an OTT light) Other outlets for aggression, like chew toys and bells? Highly varied diet? Regular nail trims? If he seems frustrated with the amount of lock-up time, have you considered having more than one cage, with different items in each? I keep a small cage in my study where he can stay with me when I'm working, usually not locked up, but if I need to I can shut the door. It doubles as a travel cage for car trips(which he loves) Also, I take him outside almost daily on walks in a pet back pack carrier I adapted for him. Do you include him in your AM bathroom routine with a perch in the bathroom? It doesn't take any extra time for me to do this with Ariel and it's another chance for him to be OUT of the cage.
This is long, so, better bring it to an end. Best of luck and keep trying.
Margaret