What To Do If Your Conure is a Biter

Have a problem with your parrot biting you? You are not the only one. I have had three different parrots who enjoyed biting the crap out of me. Learn to look for what kind of mood they are in before handling your bird.

If their irises are mere pinpoints, if their wings are jerking a bit, if their head and neck feathers are puffed out, or if they are chatting angrily to themselves, stay away. I have avoided many bites just from watching their mannerisms before handling them.

There are a number of reasons that parrots will bite you. I highly recommend you view the video playlist below from YouTube and read the articles provided about this problem behavior in parrots so that you can prevent bites and regain your parrot's trust.

• Burgess, Alyson. "Why Does My Bird Bite Me So Much?" About.com.
• "Correcting Bird Biting Behavior," drsfostersmith.com.
• "Exotic Bird FAQ: Why Does My Bird Bite?" thetrueparrot.homestead.com.
• F., Ann. "Success With A Biting Pet Bird!" Winged Wisdom (Feb. 1998).
• Hallendar, Jane."To Bite or Not to Bite - That Is the Question," Pet Bird Report.
• Hines, Ron. "How To Tame a Wild or Aggressive Parrot," 2ndchance.info. 
• Johnson, Anne. "Once Bitten...... Twice Shy," Winged Wisdom (June 1997).
• Mandis, Kathleen. "The Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde Syndrome."
• Margison, Becky. "Why Does My Bird Bite?" Petfinder.com.
• Nash, Holly. "Bird Biting: Why They Do It and How to Correct It." Peteducation.com.
• "Pet Tips: Stop Biting Birds," essortment.com.
• "The Biting Bird," Quakerville.com.
• Tucker, Kelly. "Ouch!! Bird Bites," Winged Wisdom (March 2000).
• YouTube videos to watch.
• "How To STOP Green Cheek Conure Biting and Make Them Listen To You."
• Wilson, Liz. "Biting Parrots: Why They Do It and How To Control It," UpAtSix.
• Wilson, Liz. "Don't Take It Personally," UpAtSix.
• Wilson, Liz. "Facial Bites, Nozzle Nuzzling, & Tummy Kisses," UpAtSix.
• Wilson, Liz. "Biting: The Great Power Game," The Grey Play Round Table.

Print Resources (try requesting via interlibrary loan):

• Athan, Mattie Sue. "Beyond Biting," Bird Talk, 16 (Sept. 1998): 62-71.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Biting: Getting Past the Fear," Pet Bird Report, 9 v. 2 (Feb. 2000): 6-10.
• Blanchard, Sally. "No More Biting Birds," Bird Talk, 9 (Oct. 1991): 109-115.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Parrot Psychology: Cheeky Grey Cheek," Bird Talk, 6 (Mar. 1988): 26.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Parrot Psychology: Minimize Biting Behavior," Bird Talk, 17 (June 1999): 68-69.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Stop That Screaming!, Nippy Fits, Do You Dislike Your Bird?" Bird Talk, 12 (Apr. 1994): 118-123.
• Blanchard, Sally. "Why Birds Bite," Bird Talk, 11 (Mar. 1993): 68-72.
• Chamberlain, Susan. "The Big, Bad Bite," Bird Talk, 23 (Jan. 2005): 26-35.
• Davis, Chris. "The Biting Bird," Bird Talk, 12 (Jun. 1994): 32-38.
• Davis, Chris. "Heart to Heart: Why Does My New Bird Bite," Bird Talk, 20 (May 2002): 22-23.
• Doss, Joanie. "Biting the Hand That Feeds Them," Bird Talk, 13 (Oct. 1995): 106-109.
• Dorge, Ray. "10 Ways to Avoid Bird Bites," Bird Talk, 15 (May 1997): 80-83.
• Micco, T. & M. "Why do Birds Scream and Bite?" Bird Talk, 4 (Apr. 1986): 25.
• Moustaki, Nikki. "Turn Down the Volume," Bird Talk, 20 (Apr. 2002): 50-59.
• Thornton, J. "Taking the Bite Out of the Bird," Bird Talk, 6 (May 1988): 16.
• Wilson, Liz. "Take the Bite Out of Biting," Bird Talk, 19 (July 2001): p. 30-39.