# So..do you have the answer?



## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Why does Dooby bite my hands?

This is a video I made today, please excuse the state of me.....just watch Dooby. LOL.


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

To me it looks like he is showing you who is the dominant one being HIM, he did not want to be removed and he is letting you know by biting, the only thing I can say is and don't bite my head off because I know he bites hard do not pull your hand back like that when he goes to bite you he has learned that when he does that you will pull away and not make him do it, I suspect thats why he does it, it all boils down to behavior he is learning he can get his own way by biting and its becoming a nasty habit now, I bite and she won't remove me I would get out a perch and when you want to remove him use it so that he knows when you say its time to come off it happens and hopefully once he realizes that you will follow through you can re introduce your hands. Don't know if its going to be helpful for you but those are just my opinions


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Well, that sounds logical.......I was soft with my kids as well. LOL!! Look where that got me, still stuck here in the UK whilst they are having a great time in Italy and USA. Sheesh. Anyway, back to Dooby, yeah, you could well be right, the only thing is, when I try to get him on a perch, he freaks out, he really doesn't like that, but I WILL carry on, I WILL get him to do what he's told. He's so snuggley at the moment though, I can't be mad at him.


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

When I first got Georgie being my first I was a little nervous, she would hiss and fake bit at me all the time when I went to get her to step up, she would purposely fly to my head so that I wouldn't reach her and when I would put my hand up to get her she would flip right out and bite me so I know what your saying about freaking out, I just kept at it and used a perch to get her down to save my hands, now thankfully she doesn't do it anymore she learned that it was not going to work on me, she still to this day fake bites at me when I tell her to step up but the difference is she knows my hand is not leaving so she does it.


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

So really then, I have made him like that myself haven't I, just by moving my hand.....right, tomorrow is a new day for the Doobster, he is going to learn. I really don't want him to be like that any more, don't want him teaching Daisy bad habits either, so I'm going to stick at it. I'll get a perch and use that. Thanks Laura, I know that describing what he was doing was ok, but to actually being able to see what he was doing and how I was responding, that is a whole lot better to see what's wrong.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

For me I would not do anymore tickle tickles after he tries to bite. Also Iam not sure if you did it just for the video but I would not talk to him after he bites asking why ect. It may act as a drama reward for him. I think biting is the way he gets what he wants because HE is the flock leader after all  I read about cockatoos that you must play games with them and not just cuddle. Iam sure this may be true for cockatiels as well, since they are cousins to the cockatoos. They said to much cuddles can lead to biting  I know I use to just give Spike lots of cuddles when he was out. I still do but now we also dance and play peekaboo. Sounds silly but he loves it. Hope this helps


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

i agree with the not pulling away part (even know i know how much it hurts, to get bit) but they know they're intimidating you , and in return they "win" (my quaker does it all the time) to them intimidating people is a big game. and they more or less "get their jollies" off by intimidating you (and others)

I know with my quaker he does, If i(or guests, or my kids) walk by he'll lung at us like he's going to bite, and then sits there and Laughs his behind of (and he'll get into it big time with his laughing) Lately I've just been ignoring it all together, if he lunges at me I just keep walking by like I didn't even notice he did anything (my b/f will tell him NO that's bad if he's on his leg, shoulder, arm etc.) I told my b/f Don't say nothing to him and just ignore it all together he'll get "bored" when he realizes it doesn't bother any one any more (but to get my b/f to listen is like talking to a brick wall lol)

I know i can't get billy to step up on a hand held perch he freaks out and takes off flying frantically (same happens if you get a box near him plus he growls at it)

The only thing i can suggest (and this is going to hurt allot no doubt) is when you want him to step up off of you and he bites or trys to bite Tell him NO firmly and Remove him (gently but forcefully) if that makes sense 
no "mrs. nice mom" just pick him up and place him some where else, even if it's on a portable perch or on a chair back, or even on top of his cage and then Ignore him for a few mins. - it's more or less a Birdy Time Out 
of course it won't work over night - my b.f has been doing this with Billy for several months, when he's bieng really mean he'll sit him on the floor or the couch and just ignore him, Billy will climb up the couch up my b/fs leg on to his leg or shoulder and start giving him kisses and saying "aww, kiss kiss" but my b/f holds his grounds and ignores it - normally no more then 2 mins at the most then Trys again and if he's still being mean and nasty it's done all over again 

I hope soon Dooby straightens up and flies right 
but it must truly be something in the air, Roxy hit 6 months old and became a terror with high hormones I had to separate her and Puglsey because every time I turned my back (or even if i was looking right at them) they were trying to mate


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Well, thanks for all the advice, I think it all boils down to the same thing. I've been too soft with him. Sheesh. 

Jaime: Yes, I did just do that for the camera, just to let you see what happens. Normally, I will make him get off me, by standing up and putting him next to his cage, when he will jump off. I then ignore him for a few minutes. Today, though, I thought I would just show you all what he does. 

Atvchick: Tomorrow, I'm going to be starting with him, I might have left it a bit late, but better late than never and as I said before, I don't want him making Daisy think she can do it as well.


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## huskymom (Jan 17, 2008)

I hadn´t replied as when I saw it I had no audio so I waited till now so I could hear also..

I too see what others see.. about taking your hand off and then praisin ghim with more scritches.. but I see it was just for the video purpose... but in any other time don´t do that as he´ll think it´s good what he has done...

other thing I noticed... when you ask him to get off...and you approach your hand again... you seem to do it without confidence and imight dare to say a lil with fear (because you know what his reactin will be: bite) and he sees that change in the approach and reachs towards it... because when you approach your hand for scritches you do it fast and confident .... take a look at the video and see the difference among both approaches....maybe that´s also what´s making him react that way...


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

I noticed the difference in approach too. I'll tell you now that when Bailee's being a feral little *beep* i have to pluck up some courage and push my hand towards him really fast so that he is unbalanced and steps up onto my hand to regain his balance. It works, i usually get a ticked off Bailee nip for being smart, but the end result is he's where i wanted him to be. And i have to say, Dooby looks an awful lot more cuddly than Bailee is these days.


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Wow, yes you are right!!! I do approach him differently......oh my goodness! Well, this has really worked, putting the video up is brilliant because no matter how many words are typed, there is nothing to compare with actually "seeing" what is going on. So thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Today is the first day that me and the Doobster are going to work on me being boss.


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Oh now, obviously very early days, but I went for it. Dooby didn't know what hit him (not literally of course) I just stuck my hand in the cage and made him get up. He flapped and fussed, lunged and bit, but I just stuck it out. I guess it must have taken about five minutes of me pushing my hand at him and making him step up, before he did it without a fuss! I gritted my teeth when he bit and didn't give in. I can see it's going to work, I can also see how wrong I was being scared of his bites. Yes, they hurt and yes he has drawn blood, but now it seems that he doesn't really want to bite that hard and if I just "go for it" he is respecting that. So, I'll definitely keep it up. I really don't want Daisy to go the same way, so that's why now I am so determined to do this. Thank you all for your advice. I'll keep you posted on the progress.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

I'm sure it will work out now that we've worked out what the problem seems to be!


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Tut.......the problem seems to have been me!!


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

Plukie said:


> Oh now, obviously very early days, but I went for it. Dooby didn't know what hit him (not literally of course) I just stuck my hand in the cage and made him get up. He flapped and fussed, lunged and bit, but I just stuck it out. I guess it must have taken about five minutes of me pushing my hand at him and making him step up, before he did it without a fuss! I gritted my teeth when he bit and didn't give in. I can see it's going to work, I can also see how wrong I was being scared of his bites. Yes, they hurt and yes he has drawn blood, but now it seems that he doesn't really want to bite that hard and if I just "go for it" he is respecting that. So, I'll definitely keep it up. I really don't want Daisy to go the same way, so that's why now I am so determined to do this. Thank you all for your advice. I'll keep you posted on the progress.


Good for you :clap: I am so proud of you for taking the bull by the horns and sticking it out  I find to they don't "really" want to bite its just a way for them to try and show YOU who is the boss he will learn very quickly who the boss is now and won't feel the need to bite as much once he knows your confident and not going away.


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks Laura...it doesn't hurt at all now, the hospital said it would soon heal up with the stitches and that once that has healed I shouldn't miss a finger or two at all. So there's a bit of luck!!


Nah, just kidding, he's been lovely, they have both been on the Playgym today, in fact they have been out of the cage most of the day and when it was time to go back in, Dooby stepped up!!!!!!! With no biting!!! Yeeeeha! I'm not going to relent now, I've almost got an old Dooby back!! Woohoo. I love my babies.


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## Kfontan (Oct 10, 2007)

That's great!!!

A new girl, a new you, it's a perfect time to make a change.

So it seems to be a "Dominence" thing? Good to know.

As for the missing fingers, well maybe having ten is over-rated. 

Hang in there. :thumbu:


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Thats great  Sounds like the old Dooby with be back in no time


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