Parula100
Registered
I have 2 Caiques, both of which I got when they were babies. My male is about to turn 19, and my female 18. They are a mated pair, and have been together 24/7 for 18 years. My male has never bitten me, but my female has bitten me twice in the past when she was near me and I was talking to someone on the phone and ignoring her. So, I've learned that if I pet her or include her in the conversation when I'm talking on the phone she won't bite. Which was true until 2 weeks ago. Earlier in the day, my Senegal (who does have a history of biting) attacked and bit me when I was attaching a toy to the top of his cage. I admit that I yelled at him after he bit me, and I'm guessing that my female Caique found that exciting. Anyhow, several hours later I was talking to someone on the phone, and both Caiques were on me. My female was actually sitting on my lap and I was scratching her head (which she had solicited), and all of a sudden she attacked and bit me on my lower lip. I had to pry her beak off of me. Of course I screamed with pain, which probably was a reward for her. After I peeled her off my lip and flung her away, she flew back up and took a chunk out of the back of my hand. At that point I grabbed her with a towel and put her into her night cage in my bedroom.
She did not try to bite me again until this morning, when both Caiques were walking down my hallway. I walked by them and as I did my female flew up and attacked my arm. Fortunately, I was wearing a thick sweatshirt, so even though I have a nasty bruise she barely broke the skin. I grabbed her with a towel, said "No bite!" and gave her a 20-minute time-out in her night cage. Unfortunately, I couldn't leave her in there any longer because my male was getting upset and wanted to be with her.
I should mention that I keep both birds' wings clipped, but she was still able to leap up and bite my arm.
I know it's breeding season for them now, so maybe her hormones are going wild. Nevertheless, I am very upset about this and don't know what to do to stop her from biting. I know I have to not react to her bites in order to minimize her excitement, but is there anything else I can do? I could keep her caged all the time, but that would be hard on my male, who loves to be out running around the house and following me around. Anyone have any advice?
She did not try to bite me again until this morning, when both Caiques were walking down my hallway. I walked by them and as I did my female flew up and attacked my arm. Fortunately, I was wearing a thick sweatshirt, so even though I have a nasty bruise she barely broke the skin. I grabbed her with a towel, said "No bite!" and gave her a 20-minute time-out in her night cage. Unfortunately, I couldn't leave her in there any longer because my male was getting upset and wanted to be with her.
I should mention that I keep both birds' wings clipped, but she was still able to leap up and bite my arm.
I know it's breeding season for them now, so maybe her hormones are going wild. Nevertheless, I am very upset about this and don't know what to do to stop her from biting. I know I have to not react to her bites in order to minimize her excitement, but is there anything else I can do? I could keep her caged all the time, but that would be hard on my male, who loves to be out running around the house and following me around. Anyone have any advice?