My parrot is out of control. I don't know what to do.

How are you 'training' her for the colors and things? Clicker training? Or some other method? Because she doesn't really sound trained, or rather, it sounds like you may have given up on training. You can train parrots to say, poop in certain locations, or to call and come to you. If she's learning tricks (like learning to fly to you previously) but just isn't doing it reliably, it's probably something to do with you as a trainer or how you're training her.

I've never heard of laddering before, but I really don't see how that works. I used to do that kind of thing (repeatedly asking him to step up) to my parent's Nanday as a kid, and he'd do it until he got pissed off at me and bit me, which I totally expected, because repeatedly asking him to step up is super annoying. Time outs don't really work either, because it's just training them to return to their cage, and they don't have the memory capacity to understand that 5-10 minutes in the cage is because of something they did 5-10 minutes ago. I generally just completely ignore my fids when they bite - if I'm on a desk, I take my hand/arm away if they're leaning on it or cuddling with it, or set them down about a foot away. But I typically avoid interacting with them if I know it's going to cause a bite, unless it's something that has to be done (i.e. they don't want to step up to come out of the cage, but I've got to get them in the carrier to go to the vet).

I can't imagine glaring at her works or is effective. Parrots like clowning around. They like reactions. They feed on that kind of stuff. They'll do it just for the funnies of watching you react.

If her nails are too sharp for you to handle her, then she needs her nails trimmed, especially if you've had her a year and it hasn't been done. Some people get special perches that help grind nails some, but I've always been afraid of them getting foot problems and don't use them. If you can't trim her nails, then you should take her to a vet or pet store that provides the service. While you're there, you should really think about getting her wings partially clipped. Not in a "drops like a rock" way, but in a "can fly across the room but can't fly in circles around my head so that she can strategically shit in my hair sort of way". Keep her like this until you've got a handle on her training and can train her safely, then let them grow out in the next molt. She's still got the freedom of flight, but it's controlled for your and her safety until she's tamed.

Someone that's trained isn't going to break any feathers doing either of those things and it's a safety hazard if you're not able to get her in an emergency, which you don't seem to be now if you're thinking it's going to be World War III to catch her to do those things. If she's clipped, she'll be safer/easier to towel in an emergency until he's better trained and properly hand tame.

Long untrimmed nails can cause perching issues, foot problems, get caught in fabrics/toys, etc. If you're not skilled at nail trimming, you can cut too far and cause bleeding, which you'll need a styptic stick to stop so it won't clot. So it may be better to have it professionally done.

When does she typically bite? Do you have a good read on parrot body language? i.e. Do you know she's going to bite before she does, but continue doing whatever it is that's going to lead to the bite?

/r/parrots Thread