>This morning, I coated my hands with Bitter Apple and held her in my lap
>again, but the smell of the Bitter Apple really seemed to agitate her,
>and she didn't want me to hold her.  She kept trying to get away.  I want
>her to realize that being held and petted is a pleasant thing, but it's
>kind of a catch-22 -- I don't want to get bitten, and she doesn't want
>me to hold her when I've got Bitter Apple on my hands.  And actually, I
>don't know if the Bitter Apple would have stopped her last night -- she
>was just going totally ballistic and had only one thought in her little
>mind: ATTACK!
>
>...I want this to work out, and I am willing to train them not to bite,
>but since there's no warning when they do it, and no discernable
>provocation, I'm not sure how to proceed.
 
Hi Staci ~
 
My little Jazzy girl was a biter when I got her.  She was 8 weeks old,
and had been in a cage in the pet store for about 4 weeks.  The first
couple of times I was alarmed.  But I figured with being away from her
mommie, in a pet store, and now here on the farm, she was just protecting
herself.  Plus she was still a baby to me.  So, I kept my hands away from
her by limiting picking her up until she came to me, and just was very
watchful.  I did not use bitter apple, because I handle other animals.  I
did a lot of talking to her.  I know animals may not react to words, but
they do react to tones of voice.  It's been 9 months and she is a little
love.  She needed that time to come to me on her own.  I did use 2 flower
essences on her: snapdragon (for biting), and mariposa lily to assist her
bonding with me.  Now her biting is just a play holding of my finger in
her mouth with no pressure.
 
Calvin who is a shelter adopt, would come up to me at first and literally
bite my ankle.  It took me awhile to figure it was his way of saying
'hi."  So we had a discussion on how that hurt.  I would say loudly
"owwww" and he would release.  He has figured I like a hi much better
if he jumps in my lap or gives me kisses.
 
Warmly ~
Mary
 
Herbalist
The Conley Farm - organic herbs
Online Classes ~ [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 3969]