Quaker parrot and biting?

Question

I have a question for Zawni2004. I went into the catagory of "birds" hoping I could find an answer as to why I can't get my Quaker Parrot to stop biting. I have raised, cockatiels, parakeets, and bred them of course. A friend of mine found this parrot in her backyard, After putting an ad in the lost and found, no one claimed it and she asked me if I would take it, but warned that he bit. I bought books on this bird, asked the vet and not one seems to know how to stop this bird from biting. I have a sign on the bottom of his cage that says "I Bite". so people won't stick their fingers near him. I love him, he talks, laughs, he is so funny. When he tries to bite me, I yell "no bites" he walks away, but still repeats this behavior. So Zawni, did your Quaker bite? If so, did you get him to stop or what. Thanks to anyone who can help

All answers are great, but let me clarify a little more. He has a huge cage, not above me, he's let out every day and I put him back at night. I've had him for 2yrs now. I never laugh at his biting and I have also tapped his beak when he tries. He knows I am not afraid of him because I still put my bare hand in his cage to feed and water. Toys? I'm always buying him toys. I just love him so much regarless of his misbehaving. I also thought someone let him go because of that biting. We live in the North where we get a lot of snow. I think it's cruel to set a bird like that free in our type of weather. Thanks for your answers.

Answer 1

Tiff is right, the "earthquake" methods works great. I have also found that rearranging the cage often helps since the bird starts to claim territory after nothing has been moved for awhile. Stay above him, and move your hand in fast--they can sense fear and if they see you easing your hand near they know you're scared! Keep your hand flat to it doesn't think you're going to poke him. Keep it flat and give firm commands like "hop up", and if it bites say "NO!" and try again. If you do happen to stick in your finger and he bites it, push your finger even further towards it's mouth, as if sticking it into his moth. They hate that and almost always let go. Also make sure you are introducing new toys appropriately, because your parrot may get aggressive if it's bored. Anyway, good luck!

Answer 2

You're very kind to take this little guy in to your flock. Did it occur to you that maybe you didn't get an answer to your lost bird ad because someone released this bird in to the wild because he bites? Sometimes people buy a bird on a whim and then when the bird doesn't live up to their expectations, they release them. Perhaps they don't know that there are organizations that will take and adopt out birds.

Please stop yelling at the bird. Some birds bite for a reaction and every time you yell, you're giving him that reaction.

Birds bite. If someone took you out of the wild where you spent your day soaring in the sky, only to be cooped up in a cage, you might think about biting too.

Love your little friend for who he is, which, from you description, doesn't sound like a bad bird.

Silver2sea

Answer 3

I'm not the person you aimed this question too, but I have had Quakers my whole life. The best advice I can give you is that if you are holding him and he begins to bite, use what they call the 'earthquake method'. This is where as soon as the bite(or begin too) drop the hand they are on quickly and say "Be a good bird" *or whatever phrase you choose*. This is very effective after the first couple times.

However, the way I understand your case...You're not holding the bird, he's still in a cage. If that is the case, make sure he isn't higher than you. This gives a bird 'power' and he thinks he's the dominate one. Also, try not to laugh if he is being silly while biting you. Believe it or not, they love it when we laugh....And he will continue 'making you laugh'.

Never hit the cage...or make loud noises, this incourages it[biting] in most birds, mainly Quakers...seeing as to how in their eyes, loud noises are 'attention rewards'.

Good luck!

(a/n: And they are very funny! Mine keep me entertained. Funniest pet you can have...Haha. And they talk more than me!)

Answer 4

I found my quaker in my moms backyard and my boyfriend caught him in a hat for me the quaker bit him but after I took the quaker in he was tame he would give kisses and would make loud noises when people tried to talk over him but I did have some cocatiels that would try to bite when they did I would either tap or flick their beak lightly not so hard it would send them flying.

Answer 5

I have a quaker parrot..
He bites all the time so the way i get him to stop biting me is if he snapps at me or grabs my shin a point my finger at him and say do not bit me! and i flick is beak and he stops...
Also some quakers do that if there not 100% used to there owner...