Question:
I have a 7-year-old dusky conure parrot who has suddenly taken to biting me. The biting is constant. It's like he's attacking me. He has bitten me so much lately that my fingers look like they went through a meat grinder. I am unable to go into his cage to change his food and water -- he starts attacking as soon as I go in. I have spoken to various people at pet shops and tried everything they told me, but nothing worked. I don't want to be afraid of my bird!This all started when I came home from the hospital in May 2003. I was in and out from November 2002 until May. At first, I thought he was just angry with me and that this would stop. As of today, it's only gotten worse.I used to take him out most of the day and play with him. I don't do this anymore because he attacks and it hurts a lot. I'm diabetic so each bite is a severe cut that gets infected immediately. I'm at my wit's end and just don't know what to do. I would appreciate whatever you can tell me that will stop this biting. I love this parrot an
R.N., Staten Island, NY Aug 22, 2004
Answer:
Consider the life of a bird forced to live in a cage most of the time, with no contact with his own kind, and then not having his only source of social contact (you) absent for periods of time, presumably being cared for by a stranger whom he did not know or trust.You have to win him over, and your fear of him isn't going to help. So buy a pair of work gloves from your hardware store and allow him to bite away. The more time he spends out of his cage the better. Handling him more often (gently but firmly) so that he submits and learns to trust you, with the protection of the gloves, should bring him around. Coax him with a gentle voice and offer him his favorite treats in the palm of you gloved hand. Adopt another dusky conure from a parrot rescue and rehab shelter, and gradually socialize him so he can enjoy contact with his own kind.
Subscribe