Pet Forum / Birds / Birds / July 2008

Perhaps the breeder sold you a vampire bat instead of a parrotlet ;-)

Actually some parrots are vampires  I've seen films of wild conures
feeding on cattle by biting their backs and licking the blood.

It may be your parrot doesn't realize your neck is part of you.  It's
not unusually for a bird to only consider a human's head as the part
they bond to.   They can think of hands as separate creatures (not
unlike serpents) which are independent of the head.  They may also think
of the rest of your torso (including shoulders and neck ) as just a soft
tree to perch on and nibble at.   My advice would be that when your bird
bites your neck to immediately move your head rapidly to brush him off
your neck and simultaneously give a sharp scream of pain.  You need to
make your bird aware that you (your head) doesn't like him biting your
neck.  Removing the bird with your hands won't  have the same effect.
He'll just think is those pesky serpents that stuff him in his cage
doing their usual thing and not realize that his biting your neck caused
it.

I have a "rescue" blue crown conure which when I got him was terrorized
of human hands, but was immediately willing to sit  on my shoulder and
cuddle my neck and head like I was a long lost friend. He's never bitten
my face or neck.  After living with me for six years and sleeping nearly
 every night cuddled against my head he still screams if move my hand
rapidly near him, but if I move slowly he'll "step up" onto the back of
my hand or finger without protest.  If I wrap my palm around him even
lightly he still attacks my fingers aggressively.  I suspect he was
handled roughly when he was young and I doubt he'll ever get over it,
but if I keep my hands away he's my most cuddly and affectionate bird.

In most cases you don't "train" a bird to do anything.  It's usually
more successful to modify your own behavior so the unpleasant situations
don't occur.   Most birds have a strong desire for companionship but
they have an even stronger instinct to prevent themselves from being
injured.  Parrots bite for two reason.  One is to protect them selves
from a perceived danger.  It seem unlikely to me that  your bird would
find your neck to be a threat.   The other is if they mistake an object
as potential food rather than part of a friend.    I expect that is the
case you have with your parrotlet. Parrots chew on just about anything
to "test" it as potential food and in the case of harder objects to keep
their beaks sharp and in the proper shape.

Reality is that your neck is edible for a parrot.  Offer your parrot a
little piece of raw steak and watch what happens.  All of my parrots
enjoy tidbits of meat occasionally.

Not hard, do not put him away rather do some ladder work with him,
distraction and education.  Take you index fingers, move him from one to the
other in a "step up" routine, praising him as he steps up onto the other
finger (not much more than two or three minutes at a time).  Then you can
place him on a play stand near you.  Minimize the shoulder time until he
learns that this behavior is not acceptable.  DO NOT over dramatize the
reaction to the nipping as these birds do love drama and you can reinforce
the negative behavior, always calm, never negative, always reinforcing
positive behaviors.

We have raised one or two Parroltets over the years and this worked best for
us!

Bob Wheeler
onemorebird.com

I do identify with the problem about your wife's bird bonding with
you.  When that happened to me, my response, initially, was to laugh,
snicker, and make humorous comments about pets liking me better.  I
RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT DO THIS.  I was unhappy with how this worked
out for me.  Just keep buying more birds until one bonds with her.

On the other issue, if a bird bit me when on my shoulder, I'd keep him
off my shoulder.  That may not be the solution that most folks here
would endorse, but it's what I'd do.

Thanks.

He is getting better.  He's learning not to bite.

and we handle him together so he's becoming equally fond of both of
us.