Biting Behavior in Blue and Gold Macaw

Dear Phoebe, My question relates to my Blue and Gold Macaw, Lulu, and her biting behavior. She is about 13 years old and was hand raised by my husband. He died January 23,2009 from cancer. He had intentionally backed off from handling Lulu in July of 2008 so that I could begin to develop a relationship with her.

We live in a warm climate so she was outside for the summer. She and I began to get along a bit better when we moved her inside in October 2008. We began to have breakfast together every day - “Breakfast with Lulu”. Our breakfasts dropped off for a time during the latter stages of my husband’s illness. It was one of his dying wishes that I keep her. I really want to try to do that for him, but every time she bites me it reduces me to tears. I’ve resumed “Breakfast with Lulu” and most of the time she’s ready and willing. She steps up for me to remove her from her cage. She easily goes from my hand/arm to a perch. She sometimes wants to eat or drink juice and sometimes doesn’t. I try to go with the flow. I’ve also recently begun trying to have “Bathtime with Lulu”. We’re still experimenting with that and she easily goes with me to the bathroom and easily goes back to her cage. The times that she’s bitten me (drawn blood or left a noticeable bruise) happen while she is on her cage.

This is a very emotional issue for me. I want to honor my husband’s wishes, but I’m still afraid of Lulu and not adept at reading her body language. If I decide to give her up I want to make sure she goes to a conservation group not a breeder or individual home. I’m afraid for her future. Please help us.

Anne Kiper

Hello Anne,

First, please accept my heartfelt condolences for the recent loss of your husband. You are in a season of profound feelings.

I can tell from your letter that you care deeply about Lulu and her legacy, so it's important to get this relationship, and decisions about it, right. Thank you so much for asking for my comments; I'm honored to help you and Lulu honor the memory of your husband and Lulu's great friend.

You and Lulu have been through a lot with each other, in sickness and in health, as it's said. Your shared history will deepen your relationship, and, as long as you're willing to keep investing in it, you and Lulu can develop a great companionship.

I could be wrong, but something tells me your husband's two favorites can make a go of it. Let's consider how you and Lulu are already compatible: she already goes on your arm readily, you have some nice routines established, and it seems like you enjoy being together, so you have a lot to work with. You've been through rough times, but you're ready to learn, and you want to stay together.

My 13 yr old Blue and Gold macaw, Georgia, says "Go for it!" I agree -- let's get started! We are going to approach your situation using both behavioral analysis and emotional intelligence.

Kick Back, Watch a DVD
First, please order PollyVision I and II and watch the DVD's yourself first, then with Lulu. Note the behaviors of the wild parrots and note which ones she already does. Have her watch it, too, if and when you are both ready to watch. When we see those wild macaws doing what they do, it makes us stop and think, and it makes us want to get active, too, to change, enhance, and build habitats that encourage parrots to act more and more like real birds. I think it's really important that our parrots are first parrots, meaning that they flap, climb, swing, talk, preen, interact, hang out and goof off; then, together, we are companions.

What Does Lulu Want?
So, consider some new enhancements for Lulu -- check her favorite toy and see if it's time to order more; be sure the places you put her are designed for her comfort, and with her values, in mind, not ours. Our macaws really like their get-a-grips from WPT supporter Star Bird; they also love the bamboolies from this same line. Between those two enrichments, hours of enjoyment. Giving Lulu a new place to hang out -- especially if it's a place she really, really likes, will signal the beginning of a new relationship. http://www.parrots.org/estore/catalogue/Page8-9_Natural%20Toys.pdf.

Make a list of treats Lulu likes, such as walnut, almond, wheat toast with a smudge of peanut butter, warm corn bread, cracker and withhold these except for as a reward for going into the cage. No more free treats! To start, use pieces that are about 1/2" x 1/2", but keep experimenting with size so that you give the most appropriate amount.

One really great "fact" is that when Lulu does "parrot stuff" (which looks a lot like showing off, being pretty, preening/posing, having a fluff head, etc.,) she's automatically reinforced. Humans like these behaviors, too. Remember, Lulu is happy to be beautiful and your admiration of her can be genuine, gentle, appropriate and meaningful. When we like and encourage the behaviors she already wants to perform, then we're working like a team. Or better, like a flock. Lulu will like your praise and as you notice her more and more, you'll appreciate her more and more.

To Build Compatibility, Note What's Incompatible
Let's think for a moment about behaviors that are incompatible with biting. Meaning, if Lulu is doing xyz she is in no position to bite. Behaviors that are incompatible with biting include preening, waving, turning around, turning around and fanning the tail, scratching the head with one foot, then with the other, doing an arabesque and fluff and puff, to name some. When Lulu does any one of these behaviors, it's physically impossible for her to also be biting. So, you want to catch her doing these behaviors and give her a treat or praise so that these behaviors increase and biting falls away. There are so many things Lulu probably already does that have nothing to do with biting! It's your great assignment, Anne, to note these and find the reinforcement she wants that leads to more performances of behaviors incompatible with biting.

Approach Lulu and see what she wants to do, if anything, with you at a particular time. She might want breakfast with you, maybe not. Some other time, then. No biggie. If she doesn't want juice now, maybe later. It's not a big deal to you (except you know how yummy juice is. . . ) and she'll probably want it tomorrow, anyway. Maybe she wants to flip her wings, fan her tail, scratch her head or whistle: those are all cool parrot behaviors, so praise her for what she's doing that's right.

The Cage as a Treat Delivery Station
Because you've isolated the "problem area" to be Lulu's cage, you've given us a terrific tool with which to work. Sounds like Lulu has started to view "going back into the cage time" as an arbitrary decision based on human convenience. One that makes her march to orders and then get jailed as a result. Who wouldn't rebel?

Instead, let's construct circumstances in which Lulu goes from out of her cage to inside her cage and back out again, then in again, etc., according to a mutual agreement between you. It's important for Lulu to be her own agent and participate in decisions. When possible, let her come right back out of the cage after she's decided to go in it, or after you've asked her to go in and she does.

Once she knows that every trip into the cage does not result in solitary confinement, she'll be more willing to go there and happier to go on her own.

Here's what you can do: If Lulu is hanging out on her cage, see what she wants to do like puff or whistle or look cute. Select behaviors incompatible with biting, watch for those, and get ready. Tell her what she's doing that you love and put a tiny bit of walnut or corn bread or toast in her food dish inside the cage. If she doesn't go down right away and eat it, you know she will later because a) she hasn't had any treats for a while and b) because she's a macaw. If she goes down right away and eats it, that's a good bird, too. Then she can come right back out of the cage if she wants to. That's one session. Everybody should be happy -- she's gotten a treat, you've seen her go into her cage, she's practiced a very good skill.

In the next session, check the treat cup. If there's still a treat in the cup, you'll know it's not reinforcing enough for her either because she's not hungry, or because she values something else. If she's just not hungry right now, don't worry -- she'll get there, especially for nuts. Now, talk quietly together and wait for her to do something praiseworthy. Immediately put another treat in the cup (not too big, not too small -- she needs to be motivated for the treat). Let her practice going into the cage for a treat, then coming out (or not) on her own. Then going back in later for more treats.

My parrots have different treat preferences which they change according to a secret schedule, so they inspire me to be creative. One day it's cracker, the next it's black berries, then again, maybe it's rice.

Also, build some leeway into your schedule and the training situations. For instance, if you have to leave the house at 5:00 PM and she's still out at 4:59, that's a planning problem. Instead, at 2 or 3 PM, give her a treat in her cup, have her either go get it on her own right away, or wait for a while. Perhaps she'll want you to put her in the cage after all (whichever she decides). Then gently close the cage door with a compliment to her manners and put a bunch of walnut pieces in the cage, just because. Set up the cage situation so that Lulu wants to go back into it; comes and goes from the cage as is reasonable and safe; and views the cage as a treat-delivery station.

Random Acts of Cuteness
Additionally, you'll want to keep noting behaviors that are incompatible with biting, like, say, scratching the head, and be sure you're either dropping a treat in her cup, or giving her something else she values (like a head ruff) in response to random acts of cuteness.

Anne, I know you want to keep Lulu. And just as important, you want her to be happy. I'm sure that a few skills will help you develop a relationship with Lulu that goes beyond just living together. Please keep writing me, OK? I think it will be interesting for WPT members to read an ongoing discussion rather than just a one-time Q & A. so if that's something that appeals to you, let's try it!

All best,
Phoebe Greene Linden
Santa Barbara Bird Farm