Clarence is a 1½- year-old male Blue and gold macaw who often bites
hands that reach for him. As a baby he was nippy, but those nips
progressed into hurtful bites as he has aged, and daily cage care has
turned into an ordeal for his family.
Normally sweet and unaggressive, Lilly, a 9-month-old African grey hen
has started biting when her owner’s friends try to handle her. She is
especially aggressive with her person’s new boyfriend, striking quickly
and biting hard.
Perky is a 6-year-old male Maximilian pionus who absolutely adores his
owner. Nevertheless, as the days lengthen in early spring, Perky gets
extremely excitable. When his person gets home from work, he flares his
tail, struts around, and will bite her badly if she reaches for him right
away.
Lucy is an extremely well behaved 8-year-old female Yellow crowned
amazon who has never been aggressive. Recently she has started nipping at
her family, and actively biting when they insist she step onto their
hands.
Each of these parrots is biting for different reasons. To be dealt with
successfully, each should be handled differently, which is why generic
responses to biting often don’t help. Biting is a symptom of a
problem, not the problem in itself - and nothing will be resolved
until more is understood in each situation.
When a parrot bites, the first and most important question is not how
to stop it, but why is it happening? From my experience, the reason
parrots bite fall into the categories of survival and control.
In the previous examples, three of the psittacines are biting for survival
reasons, and one for control reasons.
Clarence the blue and gold exemplifies the Control aspect of biting.
Never properly trained as a baby, he learned that nipping gave him the
power that he sought. As time passed without the problem being corrected,
the nipping grew into biting as the macaw matured.
Lilly the grey is biting from fear, which naturally falls into the
category of Survival. Frightened by non-flock members, she needs to be
better socialized. When not recognized and handled properly, a shy parrot
like Lilly can blossom into a determined fear biter.
Perky the Maximilian is sexually mature and the lengthening days have
rendered him tremendously hormonal. Reproduction is associated with
Survival, so sexual behavior falls into that category. Adoring his owner
as he does, he gets tremendously excited when she returns. Consequently,
he slips instantly into a hyper-excited state and cannot behave with his
usual good manners. Biting results.
Lucy the Amazon is also a Survival case. She is biting because she is
ill and doesn’t want to be handled. She told her human flock with body
language first, but they didn’t get the message. Her refusals advanced
from nipping to biting when her people still didn’t understand. My
husband David follows this pattern. He wants no interaction when he is
sick. I want to pamper him, but he dislikes that. When his polite refusals
to my questions (Something to eat, drink, or pillow thumping?) are ignored
long enough, he finally yells that he wants to be left alone. This is
exactly what Lucy was doing, parrot-style.
DEALING WITH THE CONTROL BITER
The main thing that Clarence’s caretakers need to do is to
benevolently but decisively teach him limits on his behavior, since all
parrots need gentle, loving controls established. By so doing, caring
guardians are teaching their parrots the dos and don’ts of living in a
human flock, therefore giving the birds the tools to enable successful
cohabitation with people for the remainder of their long lives.
With a biting parrot, it is especially important for training to take
place in neutral territory. This means utilizing an area that is out of
sight of anything the bird considers to be his, such as his cage or
his playgym or his sofa. Truly neutral territory will put
Clarence very slightly on the defensive, since the setting is unfamiliar.
Parrots are intelligent and in unfamiliar territory, it is sensible to
avoid making enemies of the only familiar person there. Consequently,
parrots are less likely to bite there, enabling the training to be a
positive experience for all involved. (Note: the magic of neutral
territory is responsible when a normally aggressive parrot is suddenly
friendly with owners when at a veterinary clinic.)
In short daily lessons, Clarence’s family members should pattern him
to step willingly on and off their hands when requested. In addition to
working with a neutral perch (i.e., the back of a chair), caretakers
should also teach their parrots to step from one hand to the other in an
exercise called laddering. Throughout the lesson, the parrot is lavishly
rewarded.
Like nursery school, lessons with a parrot should not be somber and
formal. Instead, singing and dancing make lessons fun for all, and smiles
and petting are encouraged. Storytelling can also make the schooling fun.
As one does when telling stories to a small child, familiar names said
with animation seem to make the stories fascinating to the parrots, who
respond positively to the attention, the animation in the flock member’s
voice, and the ready smiles and praise. Going to school is fun!
Reprimanding The Biter
Once the commands are firmly in place, Clarence’s human flock members
will find him more responsive to their wishes. When he acts up in the
future, often a quick frown will be all that is necessary to express the
person’s displeasure, enabling his people to clearly establish the
behaviors that are acceptable.
For seriously headstrong birds that are not responsive to a quick frown
from their humans, I have found the technique called laddering to be
extremely effective. Laddering used as a reprimand has two differences:
instead of smiling, the owner is frowning, and the owner’s voice is
quiet but displeased.
Stepping a very obstinate parrot from hand to hand 3-4 times is
sufficient to settle it down immediately, from my experience. It is
important to understand that once laddered, a parrot has done what it was
told and it is no longer a “bad” bird. The bird has followed the
person’s commands, so it is now a good bird and deserves praise, even if
the owner is still in physical (and/or psychological) pain from a bite. To
continue the negative feedback by relegating the bird to isolation in its
cage is equivalent to punishing the parrot for its correct behavior.
When dealing with a parrot, it is critical for caretakers to have a
feel for that individual animal’s own personality and possible response
to a reprimand. Several years ago, I had two dogs that were totally
different. Michael, an 80-pound Doberman, rarely even noticed if I was
displeased with his behavior. Eloise, a 20-pound poodle-schnauzer mutt,
was highly responsive to my expectations, and just raising my voice
slightly was enough to send her creeping away in shame. I therefore needed
to tailor my responses to the individual dog. This is even truer of
parrots, empathic and responsive as they are. Caretakers should use only
the minimum negative response - and this will suffice with many
parrots.
Caretaker must understand that being angry is never
justification for a stronger response. For example, if someone was to
discover that her baby parrot had chewed on her favorite priceless
antique, her response must be based on the sensitivity of the bird, not
the value of the object damaged. Otherwise, the potential is excellent
that she will badly frighten her parrot and possibly do permanent damage
to its trust in her.
Justified Bites
There are some circumstances in which a parrot should not be
reprimanded for biting. At times I push the envelop with parrots I have
just met, to see how comfortable they are with my handling. I might
attempt to pet a bird that is not comfortable with me, and that bird might
respond with a warning bite. As far as I am concerned, a parrot has a
perfect right to rebuff my advances, and should not be reprimanded.
Strangers barging into a parrot’s space without permission deserve a
bite, in my opinion. New people should ask permission of the owner prior
to approaching a parrot, and be properly introduced to the bird.
Overbearing people who stick fingers in a parrot’s cage are being rude,
and deserve to receive rudeness in return. I would not be gracious towards
someone who tried to force entry into my home, nor I would not expect a
parrot to be.
Caretakers also need to pay attention to psittacine body language as
they approach. Parrots have their own attitudes and agendas, and these may
not include interaction when their people wish. A person who expects a
companion animal to always be receptive to their wishes should stick with
dogs, not parrots. Forcing the issue with a parrot is likely to get the
person bitten, and in that situation, the parrot does not deserve a
reprimand. Its body language clearly stated its feelings and it isn’t
the bird’s fault the human didn’t understand. As with an obtuse suitor
who doesn’t comprehend the word No unless a slap accompanies it, some
people need to be bitten to get their attention.
I liked Chris Davis’ approach in her column in BIRD TALK. She asks
her parrots if they wish to come out of their cages, and if their body
language indicates they would, she reaches in and steps them onto her hand
with the up command. If they are not receptive, she withdraws. This is
ideal, since the parrots are allowed their own opinions and are not forced
to interact when they don’t wish.
DEALING WITH THE FEAR BITER
For obvious reasons, caretakers should not deal with a frightened
parrot in the same manner as with a headstrong, obstinate parrot. If Lilly’s
owners responded to her fear-based aggression with frowns and laddering,
they would only frighten her more, and possibly seriously damage their
relationship.
Humans can be quite obtuse regarding communication that doesn’t
include words, often missing important body language in our own kind. Body
language of different parrot species is quite complex, and understanding
it - even to a limited degree - is a daunting task that none of us have
fully overcome, experienced or not. This is a difficult component of
parrot ownership, and there is no shortcut; at times, parrots are not easy
companions. However, parrot people can learn a great deal if they pay
attention.
With many psittacine species, a frightened bird tends to get
exceptionally skinny, with all feathers slicked down tight to the body. A
parrot that responds to that fear with aggression might blow out its
feathers to make it look much bigger than it actually is. In both cases,
the parrot’s eyes will show its fear.
Lilly’s person needs to reassure her that she is safe. Introducing
her to other people in neutral territory with patience and love, could
teach Lilly that new people are fun and interesting. Initially, she should
only expect Lilly to step onto the outsider’s hand politely, and then
step right back onto her trusted caretaker’s hand. Lilly’s good
manners are then rewarded lavishly with smiles and praise. Each time that
Lilly does this successfully, she is learning that positive things happen
when she is compliant with new people.
Food treats can be useful in this situation. Owners need first identify
if a parrot has a particular food that it adores, then withhold that treat
from her food bowl. When Lilly responds positively to handling by new
people, then the new person might offer that treat. If she is hesitant to
take food from this new person (a reasonable response for a shy bird), the
owner can reward with this special treat.
Sally Blanchard’s warm potato game is extremely useful for
introducing new people to a parrot and maintaining a friendly relationship
over time. Involving all of the people that wish to interact with the
parrot, they gather with the bird in neutral territory. Sitting in
a circle, the bird is passed slowly from one person to the next with the
up command. On his/her turn, each person interacts positively with the
bird (i.e., praising enthusiastically, playing, talking with animation,
etc.), and then passes it to the next circle member. The process is
repeated several times. Through this exercise, parrots learn that each
person in the circle is to be accorded the proper respect. If repeated
every couple of weeks for the rest of the parrot’s life, such positive
relationships can be maintained.
With a shy bird like Lilly, the owner should start with one other
person and get her comfortable with that. Other people can be added
gradually, as Lilly learns that new people are not a threat. Needless to
say, those wishing interaction with a parrot need instruction in handling
protocols, so consistency is maintained. All people involved should
maintain the same rules of handling the owner has established and not, for
example, allow a parrot to shoulder if the owner does not wish it. When
working with a shy parrot, new people must also understand to talk quietly
and move slowly and smoothly.
DEALING WITH THE HORMONAL PARROT
When living with a sexually intact animal, hormonal behaviors are a
fact of life. Once sexually mature, most parrots go through hormonal or
nesting behaviors at least once a year. Also called spring behavior,
nesting behaviors do not always occur during the spring season. My 40+
year old Blue and gold macaw hen still cycles with her wild counterparts,
coming into nesting season November-January, which is the summer season
south of the equator. Nesting behaviors are a normal rhythm of nature, and
there is nothing you or your parrot can do except wait it out. You can be
aware, understanding, and alert to the possible changes, in hopes of
minimizing the negative side effects wherever possible.
An abrupt behavior change in a mature parrot (that is not evidence of a
medical problem) can generally be classed as hormonal behavior.
Hormone levels are not under voluntary control in any animal, so parrots
cannot keep it in check, any more than humans can. Since parrots are
genetically wild animals, rising hormone levels start dictating what they
should be doing in the savannahs of Africa or the rainforests of South
America … not what they should be doing in our living rooms. Instincts
tell them to find a mate and establish territory. If they think they
already have a mate in their favorite person, they might begin to defend
that mate from any competition, thereby attacking their favorite person’s
significant other. They may start trying to make a nest by finding a dark
corner in which to shred various materials, which is what my macaw does in
the cereal cabinet if I am not vigilant.
All these responses are normal and natural, but can create serious
problems for companion parrots and their people. Inexperienced caretakers
are upset at how differently their hormonal parrot might act. In worse
case scenarios, they might interpret their parrots’ sudden aggression as
being proof their psittacine no longer loves them, or that they must give
their bird to a breeder since it obviously wants to raise young.
This is communication breakdown is tremendously sad, especially for the
parrots. They are the ones who end up losing their homes. Nesting behavior
is a fact of life when people share their homes with parrots, and it is
not the end of the world. Most parrots show an obvious change in body
language when they become hormonal, and experienced caretakers know to
leave them alone during those times. This is what my husband has learned
to do with me when I’m hormonal, and that technique works nicely with
other species as well.
When Perky the Maximilian is hormonal, he flares his tail like a
peacock. His neck feathers rise and he holds his wings a little bit away
from his body. His eyes flash wildly and he stomps back and forth. Pionus
display behavior looks very similar to the displays of many other species
of male psittacine. His caretaker understands this body language means
that her loving little parrot is awash in testosterone, and wisely does
not pick him up on her hand until he settles down. In addition to “up”
training, Perky is also trained to step onto a handheld perch so she can
move him as needed without getting bitten. Perch training is an old
technique that all parrot people should do with their birds, aggressive or
not.
Parrots in the throes of hormones are not always aggressive. I have
known several psittacines who become more loving while in nesting season,
some of whom are not into cuddling the rest of the year. One of my clients
has an Orange-winged Amazon that is so adorable when she is hormonal that
her doting owners refuse to go out of town during this time.
DEALING WITH THE SICK PARROT
Obviously, the sick parrot is biting because it feels bad, and this is
a separate issue from the “normal” problem behavior of biting. As
previously mentioned, abrupt personality changes can be a hallmark of a
parrot becoming sick, and any such change necessitates a visit to the
avian veterinarian. When feeling ill, aggressive parrots may also get more
loving than usual. Consequently, the concerned owner should invest in
diagnostic testing.
Lucy’s anxious owners had her checked by her avian veterinarian, and
testing reveled a bacterial infection. Shortly after treatment was begun,
Lucy began to feel better and returned to her normal gentle and amiable
self.
Consequently, when a parrot is biting, caretakers must identify why,
before deciding how to deal with the problem. Will the techniques
explained in this article resolve the problems with every companion
parrot? Absolutely not. However, if parrot people think through what their
biting parrots are trying to tell them, they might find that the problem
is easily resolved.