# I med your advice on how to handle a older baby that bites!



## mtnbossmare (Aug 20, 2014)

I sold a baby female Lutino that hatched on April 27th of this year to a "friend" of mine and she just confessed to me that she's having a problem with this baby biting her, sometimes to the point that she's drawing blood! It's not all the time, nor for any particular reason, so she says, but I've caught this particular "friend" in the middle of a huge whopper before, so I only lend her so much credence when she says she's not doing anything to the bird to cause her to bite her. I do NOT think she's abusing the bird, she's not that type of person, but I think she may be aggrevating the bird, perhaps out of ignorance, in her attempts to show the bird love and affection, but I don't know that for sure! I sold her the bird because she had done alot of research on bird care and so forth and I thought she was ready. Lord knows, the bird is spoiled! So, in my long winded way, how should I advise her on getting this baby bird to stop biting her! The baby never offered to bite over here and she didn't take her home until she was about 3 months old! I'm not sure how to advise her as I have always believed that you ignore the bad, lest you turn it into something bigger, and you reward the good, but I'd like to hear ya'lls ideas on how to stop this before it gets out of hand and its my bird that suffers in the end! Thanks!


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

The easiest thing I can think of is to suggest that she have the bird step up onto a perch, rather than using her hand.

Other than that, perhaps ask her to keep track of what happened just before the bird bit for a day or two and then help her analyze the data. Then, perhaps you can help her to see that she needs to stop whatever is happening just before the bird bites.

What I am thinking is that the way the question is put to her may have an affect on how much she will be honest about what is going on.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Food bribery and lots of it. It sounds like there has been a loss of trust between the two and food bribery will help build that back up. Tell her to go slowly and not push the bird to do something it doesn't want to do.


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## Carrie444 (Oct 8, 2014)

I am glad I found this thread. I have a new little male, Petey. He is 11 months old and we brought him home about 10 days ago. We have two hens who live in another cage in my sons room. The hens were sweet as could be from the moment they came home. My little Petey pecks at me and hisses. I realize this is because it's a brand new home, new cage, new smells, new people, etc. He will let me pick him up, so I take him out 3 times a day for about 30 minutes and let him sit on my shoulder or my chest. Sometimes he lets his guard down and lets me pet him, but usually he hisses at me and tries to bite.
My intuition is that this will pass as long as I can be patient. The GOOD NEWS (I think) is that this morning when I got up, I said my usual "Good morning sweet Petey" etc., then went in to take a shower. Out of nowhere he started chattering and let out a few whistles, even a wolf call and I have NO IDEA where he might have learned that. I assume this is a good sign.
I cannot whistle to save my life. I realize I've crammed a lot of info here, but can anyone explain to me what might be going on with him and what I can do to help him feel happier and to help us bond? ALSO, what is best for "food bribery?"
I just adore him. THANKS!


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

With regard to food bribery, millet or sunflower seeds often works.


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