Really? Someone forgot to tell my TAG this she has yet to bite me. lol
She well grab my hand and push me away and I well respect her request and leave her be. She is not a morning bird and rarely wants out in the mornings. She wants my attention in the evenings.
Guess every bird is different.

Beatriz Cazeneuve,

Thank you. I think there have been times when she has tried to "attack" me...she would be on my hand just as normal as can be and she'd start biting, let go real fast and go in again...I made her lose her footing because she did so much damage. She doesn't do that anymore. Now, it does seem to be around her cage or her perch in the living room. I will definately try your advice...thanks!!

I forgot to add...she is very loving too. Like in the mornings when I first go in, she takes my hand in her "hand" and rubs her face all over it...she does this for a while then lets go...and that's coming right out of her cage. At bed time, same thing...'course she never wants to go to bed so anything to prolong it, the better I suppose. Then there's the time in between...many times when I'm putting her back on her perch in the living room, she again will take my hand in hers and not let go...I take it as she wants to be with me...then there are the times when I'm out of the room and she flies to me...I take it as she wants to be with me. I am doing everything left handed because I have her in my right hand. It seems like it's during the quiet down times that she almost wants to spice things up by biting me. My finger looks mangled because she bit it twice in the same spot. Anyway, I just wanted to say that so she didn't sound allll bad, just partly bad...

Biting hurts both our body and emotions, with our birds, if they lunge like they are going to bite, it is normally hormonal, protection of their cage or area, or they are scared. Biting isn't normal for parrots in the wild. If hormonal is the reason, I think that leaving them alone for that short period of time will help prevent you from harming your future relationship which is so important. Quiet time in their cage and letting her out when she wants to without biting will likely assist with that. Protecting their cage and area is normal. We move ours around to other cages and playstands so they don't become too protective of any one. We have never experienced our birds biting when we return home from work, they want to get out and get loving and play and they don't get mad at us for being away. That could be due to them having their buddy to socialize with during the day while we are gone. All birds have different personalities and reasons why they act as they do which is difficult for us parronts. I would figure out what she likes to do and replace it with what she normally does and see if that works and see if it is temporary.

My 7 year old TAG hen, Ernie has gone through a biting stage recently also. She never wants to go back in her cage so that's when I usually get bit. She'll grab on to the perch in her cage with one foot, hold on to my finger with the other foot and turn around and get me. So I got a T perch from Chirp and Squawk. It has a half of coconut on the handle end so the bird can't get to your hand. She took to it quite readily. Ernie can, and does, bite the perch all she wants and I can handle the bird in a much more relaxed fashion which defuses the situation a whole lot. Also I find it helps to let her leave her cage on her own and then have her step-up from the top of the cage. Another trick my daughter came up with is the simultaneously give her your hand to step-up on and put your other hand over the the birds head and rub your fingers together. I find with the distraction of the other hand above her, Ernie forgets about the bite.**Hope this helps.**

Hi there - I'm always interested in the Greys & Harrison is so well cared for it is a shame you have to go thru this. But I think you can get thru it & out the other end.

You mentioned that she flies to you - do you have a time[s] in the day when you encourage her to fly? - a training time? When Bunny was here I let her out as much as possible & of course since she wasn't my bird & I know so little about Greys I was hesitant to be physical with her. But I really believe in exercise & a young animal has tons of energy. The energy can get bottled up. Being worn out from flying would be a good thing - a bit humbling maybe - I'm not saying fly her into exhaustion. When my Budgies are crabby & not suffering from molt I encourage more flying.

When my Budgie [please don't laugh too much at the comparison] was cage territorial I made him come to the cage door to step up. I too used the perch - a piece of wood he knew - maybe you could keep a piece of wood in her cage or by the door & it could become the step-up perch? - then anyone could handle her. If she's anything like Susan's birds tho it may take forever before she likes the perch.

When they say socialise Greys I think they really mean it. Does Harrison get to interact with anyone outside of the home?

I thought I'd give you guys a 24 hour update. I've been less "hands-on" with Harrison...I'll still play with her but I won't touch her while we play. She really enjoys it when I'd kinda rub her beak..kinda the way they do in the wild...but sometimes, she'd bite after a bit of doing this. I just stopped doing that all together. I already miss her...lol...but I haven't been bitten in 24 hours...Thank you all for your wonderful advice...I truly appreciate it.

That's great news! - maybe with the change in behavior from you - Harrison can stop biting permanently. I'm sure you both will come up with some other way to be close.

Harley is going through a similar phase right now. Nippy. Just here and there, not all the time. (She has to give a make up kiss too hehe..she's good at that...even says I'm sorry)....

...BUT....Bea is right. It does work. Ignore her and make her initiate the first contact....nice = praise, treats, kisses..whatever. Mean/Biting = back to cage (door open here) and ignore until she initiates contact once more.

Hang in there!

I have this kind of love/hate reaction to giving the kind of advise that forces a bird to change a natural behavior in order to 'adjust' to living with humans. I deeply believe that I am been unfair to the bird but, unfortunately, there is no help for it because if the bird doesn't change, it might end up in a rescue or in a worse situation. Personally, I think that all companion birds should be in a well appointed birdroom, cage-free and interacting with other birds instead of living a very unnatural semi-human life but I try to be realistic and, as most of them don't have this kind of set-up, I make do and give the kind of advice that will help the guardian without been so onerous on the bird.

Parrots are highly, highly intelligent and extremely loving but they also have their own physiological needs and wild hearts. Birds need mates. Parents cannot be mates. This creates an unfulfilled need in them that breeds frustration, thus the behavioral problems. I have found that allowing them to make their own choice, to set the pace and take the first step is the key to a lasting, good relationship. It works with the young and the old, with the extremely timid as well as with the highly aggressive one. It endows them with dignity, builds their sense of self, and creates a relationship of trust between the bird and the guardian. And, personally, I would much rather have their unconditional trust than all the kisses in the world.

And, nutzybirdlady, when the bird is on your hand and you want/need to put her down, just give the command (I tell them the name and then the word 'go' like: 'Sophie, go!') and pointing the bird in the direction of the perch or the cage, make a sudden movement as if to throw a ball at it so she flies toward it. Start doing this when you are close a few feet away from the perch or cage and, once she gets the idea, you can start doing it from further and further. Eventually, all you will have to do is give the command and she will obey, even if the perch or cage is in another room. This is a very useful command to teach them and for now, it will prevent her from biting you when you put her down.