baby bird biting...

[mudmonkey]

Our most outgoing bird (fleck) has started to bite my hands. I read somewhere (impossible to remember where now) that one way to get our birds to be less afraid of us was to hold some food in our hand and let them come to the hand in their own time as they become curious about the food. So, i have held a bit of millet spray in my hand. This worked well with Fleck. Until now. Recently Fleck started to explore the world by biting everything. S/He's still very young and his bites don't break the skin, but he'll grab my hand and start to work on it -becoming more and more forceful with the bottom half of his/her beak. Eventually it begins to hurt. At first Fleck will eat the millet, but then seems to get bored...that's when the hand biting starts.

I guess i have two questions...was it a bad idea to feed the bird with my hands and should i stop this?

Second...what can i do to use this time when the bites don't hurt very much to support a healthy non-biting relationship with my bird? I read the article about biting. It helped me understand why Fleck bites (s/he bites everything right now).

thanks,
simon

[LauraO]

Simon: It's not a bad thing to feed Fleck from your hands and what you are experiencing is very normal for young lovies. The best thing to do is to keep something near to give Fleck when he begins to nibble on your hands such as a piece of vegeteable tanned leather, an acrylic toy, buttons or whatever else may interest him. At this age, it's all about exploring their lovie world and they do it with their beaks. Some birds also have problems understanding how much beak pressure to use.

Good Luck and I hope this helps:D

[sdgilley]

Simon,
I agree with Laura. Your baby is just exploring the world. Give that he has no hands, guess what he's going to use? Yep, his beak! :lol They go through a bitey phase and usually will learn from you what to bite and not to bite, especially if they bite harder.

Even though you'll entertain him with other things to chew on, you bird will probably test you (your hands, arms, face). If he becomes persistant, tell him gently "no bite". Aside from testing and exploring, biting is a form of communicating. Be aware of the situations where your baby is biting more or harder. My hen bites me when I handle her seed dish, as it excites her to have the fresh food. She also bites me hard when she's tired of playing and wants to go back to her cage.

Sometimes birds will bite and get their owners to squeal. Lovebirds love drama, so it's best to simply return them from their cage for a little while. Your bird is young, so it's most likely just exploration. BUT, as he gets older establishing some good awareness and reaction on your part will hopefully prevent serious biting later.

[Janie]

Yes, me, too! I also agree with Laura and went through several months (and I do mean several) of one of mine biting me a lot. He was never angry or mad, just exploring and using his beak with too much pressure. Of my three lovies I do think he is the sweetest all around. I never took it personally when he bit me but it sure did hurt. I always told him (firmly) "no bite, Big Boi" and then I'd gently rub his head and beak. I have no idea if he finally got the hint or if he matured to the point of lightening up on that beak pressure. He still goes after a freckle, mole or an old scab (:lol) in a heart beat so I am careful about those things.

[Z28Taxman]

Simon,
Sometimes birds will bite and get their owners to squeal. Lovebirds love drama, so it's best to simply return them from their cage for a little while. Your bird is young, so it's most likely just exploration. BUT, as he gets older establishing some good awareness and reaction on your part will hopefully prevent serious biting later.

That's the truth. When Ditto belonged to my ex-girlfriend, he'd bite her fingers, ears, nose and she'd squeal and make a big production of it. Of course that would just encourage him. He tried it with me and as hard as it was I didn't react. After a week or 2 he gave up biting me and just took it out on her. :rofl: I did have to deal with letting him chomp away on my fingers but now he just licks and nibbles.

Now he gets his drama fix by flying at visitors faces and laughing at them when the duck! Then of course doing it again and again. :rofl:

[MOBoy]

I'm not sure if anyone else had said this, but, what I do when Martha bites me, (Which is all the time) is I blow (very lightly) on her face. So it's almost like a light gust of wind. The lighter you blow, the more irritating is gets. I wouldn't do it to a baby, baby bird, but it may work for your's. It always does for Martha. He/she's a horrible, constant biter. Keep us posted!
Taylor