by jparrothead » Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:54 pm
This is an important thread and one very relevant to my 4 month old Green Cheeked Conure. Darwin, like the Quakers, both seem to enjoy this 'chewing'--I would distinguish it, like Pajarita, from a bite, as it does not seem in anger at all, and mine is affectionate, steps up, and bonded (or bonding).
The chewing--or beaking, rather--is a problem though. I have read that this is so from GCC's (and Pajarita and others have confirmed this!!) and can happen again in the 'terrible two's' stage (somewhere between 1 and 2 years old).
The biggest issue is that Darwin 'bit' my friend--actually, beaked, but to her, it was a bite that left a black and blue mark and some raised skin. She is not me and obviously not the parrot's bonded person, and it was NOT in anger, but it hurt her enough to not want to try it again any time soon. That is sad to me, but I understand.
I want to do the right thing, and use the right techniques. I have seen first hand how a parrot can dominate in a relationship and turn from 'beaking' to biting, and then all seems lost.
But there is so much conflicting advice. Don't react, React. Don't say anything, Say something softly. Put it in the cage, Dont put in the cage. Touch the Beak, Don't touch the Beak.
A whole thread could probably be written on the subject of 'conflicting advice' alone! That tells me that there are likely many ways to deal with this--and other issues, too.
Right now, when the chew/chomp beaking happens--several times a day, I out my other hand's fingers on the gap between the lower and upper portions of the beak and very gently un-chomp them. That stops it, at least immediately. Sometimes it won't happen again for an hour. Sometimes it will happen in a just a few minutes.
If this is truly a stage, I can deal with it, and then regain confidence for a few close friends with target training and the usual methods. But I want to deal with this right. I see this as the first major challenge, 10 days in to having Darwin home. Any advice or thoughts are welcome!