In Reply to: Re: HELP !!! Lovely glider turns vicious posted by David Weinreb on April 10, 1999 at 13:45:42:

: Yes, it may very well be time for splitting them up and giving each a female -- one female between the both could prove deadly for ozzie, since taz is becoming an alpha male. Or if you would prefer to keep the two together, get one or both fixed

: What mistake did you make? So that I don't repeat it.
****I often antagonized or goaded Busy into "attacking" my hand when he was a younster -- I thought it was cute when and it didnt really hurt. But as an adult it does, and it seems to send him over the edge -- he gets REAL mean and wont stop until after he's had time to sleep it off.

I have also used my hands for negative reinforcement (flicking him when he would bite) now he takes that as provocation to be mean and fight back. Pulling away has shown him he has the upper hand. But I couldnt help it, those attacks REALLY REALLY hurt. My own instinct to protect myself

I had resorted to gloves when after the tendon damage, then he just thought it was okay to be terrible any time he wanted (without provocation)

We now try to redirecting his attention with a treat or lightly pop him with a handtowel when he starts acting up, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt, just depends on how far "over the edge" he's gone.

Busy is very smart he now knows how much and how hard he needs to bit in order to get us to leave him alone. But like I said, we still continue to handle him every day, we just take precautions to avoid injury and discomfort.

Follow Ups:

• Re: HELP !!! Lovely glider turns vicious David Weinreb 21:15:56 4/10/99 (0)