Temporary DistractionsIf cooperative patterns have not yet been established, a biting bird may be temporarily distracted in order to begin patterning. This will require some special planning and focus, because it is difficult for most humans to ignore pain. Part of the charm of companion parrots is their tendency to interact differently with different people. That is, a companion parrot might be nice as pie to some of the people in the home and might routinely nip or bite others who try to handle it with different techniques. Ideally, all humans interacting with the bird should be trained in use of the same techniques, as companion parrots will respond to the same stimuli with the same behavior and to different stimuli with different behaviors. The primary distraction devices I usually recommend for biting during step-up interactions are the wobble correction and good hand/bad hand. The Wobble Correction This is a distraction device (not a punishment!) commonly used when the nipping or biting bird is sitting on a hand or on a hand-held perch. It is best employed just before the bird nips or bites; it may also be used just as the nip occurs. The hand or perch that the bird is sitting on (not the one being nipped) is gently and quickly wobbled so that the bird must momentarily pay attention in order to regain balance. This is usually best accomplished by quickly tipping the outside end of the hand or hand-held perch first down and then back up. The bird will have to discontinue whatever it was doing to retain grip and balance. Be sure to maintain eye contact and remind the bird either to "Be a good bird" or to "Be careful." A behavior that is not reinforced does not become a permanent fixture. As the bird tests the use of the beak on flesh, it might become necessary to respond a little more Directly to test nips occurring during step-up practice. First, be sure that the hand is being offered properly, coming from below and just over the loot near the place where the leg joins the belly rather than approach- from the front toward the breast Or beak. Then, if the bird nips the hand being offered, quickly dip the fingers of the hand the bird is sitting on (not the hand being offered and nipped) then return the hand to its (miner position. This must be accomplished carefully so that the I UK! does not fall or become fearful during the process. The bird will have to discontinue a nip in order to regain balance. It will soon understand that nips during step ups cause "earthquakes." This correction must be done quickly, gently, and sensitively so that the bird is not overly affected either physically or emotionally. |
