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Well, I'm really not sure what's going on with Jones lately. He is about 8 months old now, and is possibly testing boundaries or showing "terrible two's" type behavior maybe?
For about the last two weeks he will scurry up onto my shoulder and nip the skin of my neck! It seems like he's just too wound up or something, so I will give him a stern "No", and put him back EVERY TIME, but he keeps doing it. Almost every time he has access to my neck, he nips me and flips around and scurries, and when I say no, and pick him up to put him back, I get the angry growl.

He's always been very chewy with the skin of our hands, which I guess we've made the mistake of allowing, and now it's transmitting to my neck. The strange thing is he does NOT do this to my boyfriend. I am the disciplinarian, and I seem to get all of the negative behavior as well. My boyfriend feels he's just a baby and this will all settle on it's own, but I can't assume that.
Is it normal for caiques to go through a period of seemingly "testing" their owners? He will repeatedly get into things he's not allowed, and no matter how many times I remove him from grabbing cords, dvd shelves, anything he shouldn't have, he is persistent and will just go straight back to it.

I wonder if it's that I'm disciplining him properly and my boyfriend doesn't, and that conflict is confusing Jones? My boyfriend gives him "warnings" and then after the 4th or 5th time, will put him back. (I'm trying to train them both)
Also, I seem to be having a HECK of a time teaching him to step up. I give him my other finger when he's in my hands but he flops around like a toddler, and rolls around on my hand, and just plays instead of getting up. He's all party, and it's starting to scare me a little as far as- I feel like I need to correct these things now or I'm going to have a real problem that just gets worse and worse. He even seems to be screaming lately, which he's never done before.

Is it springtime, terrible two's-ness, or me missteaching him?
Any advice you all have, I always appreciate.

Hey Niki

I read your post and I had to smile Cisco and Jones are cut out of the same cloth !!!!! One of Cisco's fav things is to goad me in to play by nipping my neck. Just imagine how fun this is for them They go and nip you and your immediate reaction is to put your hand up there and push him away - what a great game !!!!!!!!!!! With Cisco after the third or fourth time I just put him in his cage for a few minutes I take him back out and always have one of foot toys to play with,l or i just take him to another location (usually the bathroom) and we distract him with a diff game - Running water is one of his fav things in the world.

Plying with your hands WILL NOT go away. A caique lives to play and we are his flock to play with. Our hands are are wonderful wriggly things that just demand attention. We have developed many games to play with Cisco that leave our hands as secondary objects. He will lay on his back and be spun in circles (break dance style ) We will put good loud music on and play bounce, bounce, bounce, or hop hop hop. or also when he is laying on his back we just give him a Bic pen to hold and chew. He will literally lay on his back for 5 minutes at a time and play. If he is really would up we will toss him toward his house on the other side of the room and he will land and then fly back. This is repeated 5-6 times and it takes some of the steam out of him as well as getting great exercise.

I like your expression "he is all party" That would describe these young boys perfectly. Jones will get more rambunctious as he gets more self confidence and his hormones start to kick in about a year or so down the road. Your job is to keep teaching him what is ecceptable behavior and what is not. Ive found that when I give Cisco a sound out of the ordinary - like a quick stern "ah ah" will stop any behavior that I dont like - but only for a brief time. He has to be distracted with something else or put in to his house. As far as "UP" goes they are very stubborn birds - Cisco ups when he wants to. If we have to remove him and he is not wanting to, I just distract him with a play gesture and then up him quickly - works every time.

And yes once again they are VERY stubborn and will repeatedly go back to what has their attention. Your job at this point is to distract them him something else or put him back in his house By now you should have a good feel for what Jones like to play with and what gets his motor running If Cisco is at that point I usually always resort to music and a time out in his house.

As far as the screaming goes - is this at certain times of the day or is he screaming for attention, Cisco is normally pretty quiet but two or three time a day he will let loose with good jungle calls and screams. We do not encourage or discourage this and he usually stops after a few minutes I think this is perfectly normal and somewhat entertaining. Just good natural jungle noises. Just make sure you are still using your contact call with him. I also tell Cisco " see you later" when we are going down stairs or leaving he seems to understand that we are not going to be around for a bit and he plays quietly by himself.

Being owned by a Caique comes with its own special challenges and you are experiencing all of them Just keep patient and persistent and find ways to teach him and distract him. Develop games to play Cisco loves to plat "gonna get you" and "get your beak". We have dedicated play time every day, They are also very smart birds and from what I understand they take to clicker training very well also Do some research on this Maybe it will help your relationship.

Freddy

Hi:

My caique "Jessie B", has become more excitable lately. More screamy and a little more biting of the hands or any thing else she can get at, my neck and ears included. She will be 4 years old this April 29th, and I know that spring is in the air and she is feeling her oats. I have noticed from past years that this is normal behavior and that she will calm down in a few weeks. If she bites to hard I tell her, ouch that hurts, go easy, she now says the word ouch and she will usually ease up on the pressure of her beak. If she continues to pinch me I will hold her firmly in my hand and look her in the eye and tell her NO in a firm voice, she will ususlly stop at this point and play nicely again. If not she will go on her T-stand for a few minutes. They usually will get it and don't forget you are probably the most favorite toy of all the toys. Best of luck to you...
Karen

Well, thankfully things have been much better. I think the screaming was due to a few days where he wasn't getting let out as much as he would like. And except for that everyday vocal time that he has, there hasn't been any attention screaming. It was almost like he was just trying it out, and noticed it didn't work.

The neck nipping too- I think now that it's when he's REALLY wound up, because he's been playing much nicer around my neck. I've totally accepted that I will have gnawed-on hands for the rest of my life Overall, he is SO enjoyable and sweet all the minor issues are easily forgivable, and it's not so hard to be patient with him.

Thanks SO much for your replies! I really enjoyed your letter, Freddy! Do you have any Cisco videos online? He sounds like a superstar. That's exactly how stepping up seems to be going- if he feels like it, then sure. Otherwise, time to chew and swivel around and be cute

Also, do caiques ever nap? In general? I have a lovebird who takes about 3 or 4 half hour naps during the day, but I have yet to see Jones get sleepy during the day. He slows down, (and will sit quietly in his cage when Bud is sleeping, and everything is sort of relaxed in the house) but never actually naps.