I think I trained Sadye to eat my clothes....

I thought I was being so clever when she first destroyed my bathrobe while sitting on my shoulder. I made a little cape with toys on it that were "allowed" for chewing. Well now 3 capes later I realize I actually have trained her to chew clothing and to want to be on me- her human tree- all the time.

How do I undo? What a dope.

Jody

lol thats funny....good luck

dusty

Um... I think your best bet is to try to substitute something for the behavior you don't want -- like hang something cape-like on her playgym and reinforce her regularly for chewing on that. It's a lot harder to extinguish an unwanted behavior than to train a new one as far as I can tell!

I agree with SnS , It's easier to "replace" or substitute a bad habit with a good one. Just abolishing a bad habit is tough.

I agree, try to move her onto something new that she may like better. Sometimes the chewing is a phase too. Merlin destroyed several of my shirts when I first got him, now two years later he seems to have stopped on his own.

Chewing is just a fact of life with a conure. That you may never be able to change.

The needing to be on you constantly can more easily be changed with some tough love.

http://staringatbirdsandgoats.blogspot.com/2011/05/bird-tip-more-independence.html

http://staringatbirdsandgoats.blogspot.com/2011/01/bird-tip-teach-independence-to-reduce.html

She is actually pretty good at being independent. I have always(with my lovebird) allowed some shoulder time- which I know is controversial. As you know a bird's gotta chew- so when Sayde is on my shoulder- how do you get her to not chew the clothes?

Jody

JodyL wrote:

As you know a bird's gotta chew- so when Sayde is on my shoulder- how do you get her to not chew the clothes?

Try to find something else she can chew on there. Scotty sometimes sits with Bill and chews on a wooden clothespin. Maybe a small piece of balsa or something like that would give her an alternative chewy thing?

Shoot. Maybe put a towel on your shoulder for her to sit on that she's allowed to chew?

As for the shoulder thing. I don't think it's a big deal - so long as they're well behaved and it's on your terms.

Has the clothes eating issue gotten any better?

Yes, I got one of those birdie necklace toys- plastic chain with toys attached. She seems interested in that when she is not chewing on my ear. Very gently though. Ha Ha.

What a great idea!

I'm in the middle of trying to break the "conure on the head" habit. I've never let Micky up there, so he's not so bad, but Allie? She used to ride around up there for hours! I appreciate the pain of trying to unteach a bad habit!!!! It's painful!!

It reminds me how my bf let both cockatiels to chew his chain. Now he's on the phrase: Noo! It's not your toy!