My Indian Ringneck bites. Is it safe? How can I gain his trust?

I’m sorry this is happening. I know it can be pretty frustrating for you. The best this to do is work with him very slowly and have lots of patience. It will take time for him to begin to trust you. The best way to gain his trust is by working with him slowly and using small pieces of his favorite treat as a reward for interacting with you. First start by giving him a treat when you approach him/open the cage door, then, once he is comfortable with this, try to pet him with one finger, then continue increasing your interactions with him along these lines. It will take him time but with persistence he will get more used to you. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello, The best way to accustom a bird to handling is with slow, steady movements, patience, and lots of positive reinforcement over times. As her nails are very long now, I'd recommend taking her to a veterinarian for her nails to be trimmed, which may require sedation. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Ignore the screaming and initially sit by his cage for short periods of time. He may scream, flutter about or move to the far side of the cage, but simply sit. Move slowly and talk softly during these times. As he accepts your proximity, increase the amount of time you sit by him. Once he accepts you, begin again but this time, place your hand in the cage. Be prepared for more screaming and fluttering about. Make no attempt to touch or hold him. As he settles down, leave your hand inside for longer periods of time. Provide a treat and praise after each session. Eventually, you may be able to teach Peru to perch on your hand. Be patient and be consistent.

Coco might be a bit stressed out still since you just acquired him. Giving him a few days to relax and get used to his new surroundings before interacting too much may help him settle in without trying to bite you. From there, you can start to offer him some favorite treats every time you visit/interact to help gain his trust. If he becomes too nervous or bites, giving him a break to calm down and relax before trying again is best.

This is a lot going on! If she is getting scared near the cats, it is probably best to not bring her around them until she is more comfortable so that you don't get bitten and it doesn't stress her out even more. Making sure she is kept somewhere where the cats can't get to her cage and she can rest and relax is also a good idea. The nibbling or chewing sound could be a beak grinding sound, which can sometimes indicate the bird is attempting to rest and relax. If she's otherwise acting healthy and eating without bringing up food I wouldn't be worried unless it appears to be causing her stress or discomfort- in which case a vet visit is always best. If she's not yet comfortable with you, you can also start to gain trust by offering her a favorite treat every time you visit the cage. You may have to start with just tossing it in, then work up to handing it to her, and then petting and handling her from there. If she gets startled or is too nervous, take a break and try again later or go back to a previous step.

Thanks for reaching out about Sky. Despite what many people may think, birds are not supposed to bite readily. They come to learn to bite when the other forms of their body language are not seen/listened to by others, including owners (and veterinarians!). I would recommend looking at Sky's body language and your actions in situations - both before she tries to bite and when she is trying to bite. You may see that Sky tries to move away, or leans away, prior to trying to bite. It may be that Sky has not had any good or non-frightening experiences with humans yet so she doesn't know how friendly you are trying to be. I would recommend moving very slowly, and using food items that Sky likes to eat to help start to form a bond with her. When you start to move towards Sky, and there are no signs of avoidance (see above), then she gets a treat that she really likes. If she shows any signs of avoidance, then you just move away - you leaving may be her reward, and that is okay because you haven't pushed her so much that she feels like she needs to be desperate enough to bite. For training, you may want to start by asking her to step up using a stick or wooden dowel instead of your finger. This will be more safe for you, and may be more comfortable for Sky initially as well. There are videos online that give training tips as well - I would recommend searching for positive reinforcement videos as these tend to be very successful for birds. I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck with Sky!

He's likely curious and "exploring". Your hand and finger with his beak. Continue to train him to perch, rewarding him after each session. Keep sessions short to maintain his focus. Try for several sessions a day if you can.