# Help needed, Topaz has decided to start the biting technique!



## Emkins (Feb 24, 2010)

Hey guys, just a quick question, Im trying to tame my cockatiel Topaz, he's been fine over the past couple of days allowing me to bring my finger close to his chest but has not got the hang of stepping up yet. I keep talking to him gently, but from today, he has decided everytime I try put my finger close to him, he opens his beak threatening that he's going to bite me! I said no gently to him, closed the door on his cage and walked away. Obviously he's trying to be the dominant one, do I allow him to bite me next time without pulling my hand away so he knows I'm not putting up with biting, or do I leave him to it? I havn't felt a cockatiel bite before and to be quite honest I don't want to either haha, but if its to tell him I won't allow biting then I will do what I need too.. 

Thanks.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

You are teaching him that biting gets him what he wants. You told him no and then closed the door which is what he wanted. Here are some links with more info about biting http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-beh...-behavior/understanding-nippy-small-bird.aspx and http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-beh...-behavior-issues-biting/why-parrots-bite.aspx 
Me and Spike are very bonded but when he gets hormonal he will nip me and pinch my skin, when he is at his grumpiest, other times he just pecks at me. Luckily he has not really ever drawn blood. Just now he threated to bite me when I had my finger near him, so I kept my finger near him and moved it a bit closer and he backed away, so I backed away aswell. When Spike is grumpy I try and change his mind about being grumpy by telling him to fluff up (a thing I trained him to do on command) and telling him what a good boy he is for doing his trick  I hope this helps


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Depending on how long you have had your bird is he still a little nervous of you? also sometimes a finger can be intimidating have you tried using a flat hand, sometimes a bird might prefer a flat hand to step on, 

Also another thing I read and have found helped with my bird is respect his space don’t go in his cage to get him out, let him come out on his own, if he don’t want to come out he don’t want to come out, he will soon get fed up of being kept in trust me, lol, also another good pointer is when you clean his cage out never do it when your bird is actually in the cage, this to a bird is seen as a intruder in their territory so they should be fearing that intruder which is normally our hands, so if you can get your bird into a routine of coming out on their own and cleaning your birds cage out when he/she isn’t in the cage this will help your bond, it has with mine.

If your bird does take a nip it probably wont be very hard more of a warning really, which is what he is doing by opening his beak in the first place, in my opinion you are better of not trying to encourage the bird to bite and get it in the biting mode in the first place, after all it is the birds only way to communicate leave me alone, yes you could argue but he is getting away with it, but its no different to you saying I don’t want to come out tonight to a friend, that friend wouldn't come round and drag you out, or maybe they would,lol.

You could try bribing your bird to come out with a treat, hold the treat in one hand and try to draw him onto your hand that way, if he’s getting something for coming out it could just tempt him, lol

Also just thinking about my bird, if I try to put my hand to close I can startle her, usually keeping a little distance away and lowering my hand slowly for her, and then she will usually walk over to me, so it is her decision and hasn’t been forced, wich makes her feel calmer doing it that way, if your bird can be a little nervy, slow and distance I would say is key, and your bond will be so much stronger once you have that trust.

Good luck and be patient

Jenny


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## Emkins (Feb 24, 2010)

Hey guys, thankyou for your advice it has really helped alot. He is still very young as I was told he is only three months old and he's been with me for over two weeks now, and I now have officially found out his gender as he has started beak banging and brings his wings out in a heart shape, so obviously Topaz is a male gladly. I did put my hand in last night, and he went to bite and I kept my hand there and said 'No' firmly and he ran away haha, so obviously he's learnt 'No is No' The good news is that, I have done my 10-15 minutes training with him today and he has for the first time, come to my hand to nibble some Millet, which I'm so happy about, which left us both with a good end to the training, including he hasn't lunged at me today. I think the biting aswell was to do with moulting, as I looked at him last night to find that he's preening quite a bit, with some dandruff, with a few feathers on the bottom of the cage, so that can be a the reason that he's on his time of the month and wanted to be left alone which is understandable, a grumpy bum!  I take away all your advice from you both which is great, and yes patience is the key  Thankyou both for all your help. 

Kind regards.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Glad to here you are making progress with Topaz

Jenny


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## Emkins (Feb 24, 2010)

Hi guys, just to let you know the update on Topaz. After all the hard training over the past three-four weeks, he has finally learnt to step up onto my finger today, with the temptation of the millet! He was starting to step up a little last night, but suddenly today he stepped up both feet clutching my finger and stayed for approxiamately 5 minutes, so just thought to tell you all thats everythings going great! The patience has been worth it all ! Its my first time training a bird by myself, and so proud of myself and Topaz, so just had to share! Thanks for all the tips that you gave me, without it, I wouldn't of had a clue!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Yeah, thats great news  Keep up the good work


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