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Nippy GCCs?
- Thread starter hsmoscout
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hsmoscout
Rollerblading along the road
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- 10/16/09
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That's because I forgot to include a poll and when I went back to edit it it wouldn't let me add a poll
and I couldn't delete the thread...
I have a Cinnamon GCC. Yes, she is nippy. I reinforce (reward) her EVERY single time she makes good choices. Every single time. What are her rewards? I use verbal reinforcement (ohhhh, what a good girlie said in a very coo-ie tone) which seems to like and food, specifically safflower seeds. When she nips I will say "easy" if he does go easier then I say "good easy" and more praise and rewards. If she nips again after the "easy" warning cue, then I say "too bad" and put her on her play stand for a minute. I will sometimes put her in her cage, but it's easier to just have her get on her stand. I have also found since I started offering her foot toys she doesn't bite as much. She likes a little string with some beads on it and a few of those plastic links with a plastic animal on it. She LOVES the little plastic animals from CA Bird Nerds and is very fascinated by them. I think she just gets bored and is exploring and using her beak.
Okayy.. I'll answer the nippy question.. *sigh* lol
Other than during nail clipping time, Cookie has NEVER EVER been nippy with me. Except for when I'm clipping her nails, but i don't count that because i know she's scared and has a reason.. Other than that i'm happy to say I've never been bit or nipped at!
Now, she HAS nipped other people.. i beleive she's nipped my aunt twice and my mom a handful of times since we got her last christmas. And she tries to nip the dogs. To me, she's a love when she wants attention.
I think I'm just lucky and got a rare not nippy GCC, though! and she'll be three in 4 days, so i think she passed the nippy stage?
Other than during nail clipping time, Cookie has NEVER EVER been nippy with me. Except for when I'm clipping her nails, but i don't count that because i know she's scared and has a reason.. Other than that i'm happy to say I've never been bit or nipped at!
Now, she HAS nipped other people.. i beleive she's nipped my aunt twice and my mom a handful of times since we got her last christmas. And she tries to nip the dogs. To me, she's a love when she wants attention.
I think I'm just lucky and got a rare not nippy GCC, though! and she'll be three in 4 days, so i think she passed the nippy stage?
hey A.J., still no improvement with Apple. Zeke really did get nippy, first from inside his cage, but I was not at all the informed bird owner you are.
I think I started it because I would just open his cage door and allow him out then I was told to never do that and if he doesn't want to come out force him out -- big mistake. Now, I go to the cage, coo talking to him and ask if he wants out, if he does he will step up, if not I can just tell and I close the door. When he is out and I think there may be an issue I always have an almond piece to give him as he is stepping up. He will bite/beak unknown people at the step up because he doesn't trust the "perch" is steady but with me he knows it will not waver. When out of the cage I always have some sort of bead toy to almost give him as a teething ring. I've learned my best method is to avoid the bite at all costs, from little to big. It is hard to not reinforce that bite, birds like negative reinforcement too. And dang a GCC's bite hurts like the dickens.
When Zeke is on my back or somewhere he doesn't want to leave that can be an issue because I have to fight not getting too aggravated. If I have a jacket on I just remove it. But without someone around to help and he is being ill-mannered I can be in a pickle. Again, the treat can be the lifesaver. I used to express my aggravation and get frustrated, NOT the way to be with the birdies I have finally learned. None of my birds react as well to me taking a few breaths and centering myself like Zeke does. I can feel him relaxing, too.
Good luck, it does take some figuring out and a lot of trials and errors but it is worth it when you work through it. My daughter's feelings have been hurt by Zeke biting and she won't even try anymore.
Oh, Zeke loves cheerios, too. I save them as a treat, easy, handy (messy) treats.
I think I started it because I would just open his cage door and allow him out then I was told to never do that and if he doesn't want to come out force him out -- big mistake. Now, I go to the cage, coo talking to him and ask if he wants out, if he does he will step up, if not I can just tell and I close the door. When he is out and I think there may be an issue I always have an almond piece to give him as he is stepping up. He will bite/beak unknown people at the step up because he doesn't trust the "perch" is steady but with me he knows it will not waver. When out of the cage I always have some sort of bead toy to almost give him as a teething ring. I've learned my best method is to avoid the bite at all costs, from little to big. It is hard to not reinforce that bite, birds like negative reinforcement too. And dang a GCC's bite hurts like the dickens.
When Zeke is on my back or somewhere he doesn't want to leave that can be an issue because I have to fight not getting too aggravated. If I have a jacket on I just remove it. But without someone around to help and he is being ill-mannered I can be in a pickle. Again, the treat can be the lifesaver. I used to express my aggravation and get frustrated, NOT the way to be with the birdies I have finally learned. None of my birds react as well to me taking a few breaths and centering myself like Zeke does. I can feel him relaxing, too.
Good luck, it does take some figuring out and a lot of trials and errors but it is worth it when you work through it. My daughter's feelings have been hurt by Zeke biting and she won't even try anymore.
Oh, Zeke loves cheerios, too. I save them as a treat, easy, handy (messy) treats.
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