How can I teach my conure to stop biting?

How do I teach a Conure to stop biting?

• Hey there! So we have a Green Cheek Conure that we got from a friend who passed away. Thing is he was always in his cage and hardly got out, and was never handled from what I've been told. He's sociable and likes to talk, chirp, sometimes give a little whistle here and there, sometimes he'll bob his head up and down and do a little dance if he feels like it but I can't hold him, without him trying to gnaw my finger off, I've already got 5 scars from him. He does get out though, we open up his cage doors and he climbs all over it, and its a pretty big cage too so he gets his exercise. His wings are not clipped (something we're against) but he doesn't fly, and he knows how. Just a little background for you. So what can I do? I have gloves but I don't want to use them because he is afraid of them, something I think is because of the previous owner or from the store he came from, I'm not sure. I put jackets on and pick him up that way so he can't bite my skin or use a stick but those only work for so long. So if someone could give me some tips or advice or instructions on how I can just pick him up without adding another scar to the collection that would be great! I want to be able to let him out without fearing him climbing up my little brothers back and biting his neck again.

• Answer:

  It is hard for a parrot to understand just how fragile our skin is, and that what to another parrot would simply be a “message” hurts us. Be aware that when this happens, they simply want to be left alone, but don't put em back in the back, that's not how they learn thier lesson. They will learn instead that by pinching or biting you, they can immediately be put back in the cage, and will never learn to socialize with humans! So whatever you do, dont put him/her back in the cage when he bites you. When the Conure is on your finger, punish a bite with a wobble...that's your response. This is a back-and-forth motion of your hand gently, one or two inches ,that is enough to challenge the bird’s balance, but not enough to make her fall off or fly away. If done just right, the bird will have to let go with its beak .put its head and maybe wings up for balancing, but cling for dear life to the moving finger. The bird will absolutely hate having to do this, and will change its behavior to avoid it. Don't use thick gloves, like animal handler gloves, but non-toxic cleaning gloves that fits to your hand so the bird does not see a difference but still minimizes the pressure youll recieve from a bird bite if he happens to bite your hand. Once he quits biting your fingers, he will also quit biting your brother's neck too. Parrots/Conures tend to explore things including people by grabbing with their beak and running their tongue over the item to sense it, as would a reptile, seems reasonable because birds are supposed to be descended from reptiles. DO NOT jerk away your hand or finger he's holding onto while he's trying to sense what he's clinging onto, be steady, your his foundation for stability. Raising your voice to a clear 'NO!' command in combination with wobbling your hand right after he bit you can usually do the trick. I've tried macaws and conure to be handled easier in the dark.