One of most commonly asked questions I receive in coaching and consulting with ELITE members is how to stop parrot biting. Whether the parrot is only slightly tame or hand fed and very tame, sometimes parrots do bite and it is important to learn how to stop this bad behavior.
Here are the steps to teach your parrot to stop biting:
Step 1: Relax Completely - Parrots can tell when someone is nervous or afraid of them. This makes them become nervous and can result in a bite. Before approaching your parrot, sit calmly and take a few deep breaths. Relax as completely as you possibly can. Think of a peaceful place that makes you happy and serene.
Step 2: Watch - You need to observe to determine exactly why your parrot is biting. Some parrots bite from fear but others have triggers that make them want to bite; such as when you put your hand inside “their territory” (the cage). Their body language will indicate when the parrot is about to bite in most cases. Watch carefully and think hard about what is going on when and just before the parrot bites you.
Step 3: Remove Yourself – If the parrot is tame and likes attention, immediately go into another room. Do not respond with drama in any way at all. Remember, parrots LOVE drama. They take any shouting, raised voices, or waving arms as a positive response from you. Do not let the parrot know that it hurt you. Take care of the bite and calmly return to the parrot so you can continue to figure out what is triggering the biting.
Step 4: Command - If you notice the parrot is becoming nervous around you, say “No Bite” or another command and touch the bird’s beak. Generally, this will tell a tame parrot that it shouldn’t react after you do this repeatedly and the bird gets the idea. When the parrot calms down a bit, provide lots of dramatic praise and a treat. This way your parrot will get the idea that biting = no attention at all while not biting = praise, drama, and treats. It won’t take long for your bird to learn this concept.
Step 5: Be Consistent - You MUST always be consistent with a parrot. Give the same command; perform the same behavior or quietly remove yourself when the bird bites. If you change things around the parrot may never learn to stop biting.
No matter how hard your parrot bites you, never respond by hitting the bird. This abusive behaviour will result in a parrot that is so fearful of people that it may never become tame. Never spray your parrot as punishment. Never throw anything at it. The ONLY discipline a parrot understands is removing yourself and your attention from it.
Now, if for any reason all this above does not work with your bird, then I honestly recommend that you learn a break-through technique called “perching” to stop your parrot from biting. It was developed by Chet Womach and is one of the best methods you can ever use to tame your parrot without ever being bitten! Here’s the DVD link:
http://www.eliteparrotsclub.com/recommends/birdtricks/b1/
Warmest Regards,
Nora Caterino
EliteParrotsClub.com
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About the Author: Nora Caterino, known as the Mississippi Bird Lady, has trained, raised, and lived with birds for over 30 years. If you want to receive unlimited one-on-one coaching from her for ONE full year… and while you learn how to teach your parrot to talk and stop annoying bird behaviours like parrot biting, screaming and feather plucking, via the audios, articles and videos published inside the Elite Parrots Club, then visit this page now: