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Does Your Budgie Bite?


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I thought I would make this an actual topic as I have come across so many people who have this problem and no matter what they do they can't fix it.

 

When your budgie bites you how do you react? If you don't react and don't do anything AT ALL and you have been doing this for as long as you have had him and he still bites, I may have a solution for you.

You have to be careful though as it may work with some budgies and not for others, it may even encourage biting, but this solution worked for my budgie, who continuosly bit me even though I had been ignoring her bites for years and she is 4 years old too.

 

okay what you do is, when they bite you, you don't pull away, instead you push into their bite. You push their beak (lightly so as not to hurt them). The budgie doesn't like this, because it means that they could fall and it is also very uncomfortable for them. It means for them that when they bite they get pushed back and so they learn not to do it and because you are pushing their beak while they are biting you they learn to associate the two actions together. This worked almost instantly (within 3 days) for my Saffron and nowadays she hardly bites at all. And when she does all I have to do is remind her and she stops.

So I don't know if it works for all budgies (as I have only tested it on one budgieand ), it could even make their biting worse, but it worked for me and could be used as your last resort.

 

Another member has tried this method and has had positive results

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I can testify to this method, the results were instantaneous! I was so despaired about Bobby's biting habit, where he was constantly biting my hands, attacking me and drawing blood. Bobby hardly ever bites me anymore. One session of this and he learnt straight away that biting wasn't going to be tolerated anymore, and he stopped.

The one other thing, when Sailorwolf told me about this method, that I did was I forced him to bite me - I aggravated him so I knew that I was in control of the situation. This may seem cruel but all I actually did was try to pat him, he went to bite and I pushed him back. He was myffed, I tried again and the same thing until he flew away. About an hour later I tried to pat him and he just ran away, and it's been like this ever since, and my hands have healed completely!! :)

I owe so much to Sailorwolf - Bobby and I now have the best bond ever possible, and it's all because of this!

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i will keep this in mind, my new addition (snowdrop) is taking a chunk out of me each time i try to put his eyedrops in :) and it hurts (Laughing out loud), i have also heard blowing in their face helps??

ATD

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Guest karma-k

I wouldn't suggest blowing in their face. I heard it's not good as it can make them sick. Just like when you kiss them you shouldn't have just licked your lips or anything. Can anyone attest to this statement? I would hate to give false information.

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Guest eterri

I wouldn't think that your breath can do anything unless you accidentally spit on them but I don't like the idea of blowing in my budgie's faces. Not to mention, I've seen people do it and it never seems to work.

 

Our saliva contains bacteria not normally present in the budgie's body, so it can make them very ill. This is why we shouldn't kiss our budgies, especially with wet lips. I've given my birds kisses but I always make sure my lips are dry. I've heard that's not good either so I don't do it often.

 

I posted this part earlier but obviously it didn't go through:

 

Pushing your finger towards their beak may stop the biting but make sure you're also taking the time to figure out WHY your bird is biting. A solution to the biting doesn't help much if it's not solving the problem at its root. This could cause more damage than good.

 

For instance, if your bird is biting out of fear (such as when you are giving it medication or catching it) and you push your finger toward the beak when it bites, you're only adding to that fear. Ultimately, while this may keep you from getting bitten in the future, it also damages your relationship with your budgie. The last thing you want to do is make it handshy. You can't "punish" parrots the way you could a dog or even a cat. They respond much better to positive reinforcement. Being prey animals, punishment only teaches them to fear something, be it you or just the object you're using in punishing.

Edited by eterri
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It makes that process a bit difficult when they are biting you on the back of your neck, or worse still when they are sitting on your glasses and tryingto pluck you eyebrows and pull the skin with it :budgiedance:

Now THAT does hurt

How do you stop that? Other than giving her a smack around the chops (just kidding with that comment)

Cindy

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Guest Mandie

great advice as always Sailorwolf :ausb: but I can't figure out what to do when Stitch bites me on the finger that he's sitting on (Laughing out loud)

 

I think the main reason he does it though is an attention thing. It's often when I'm sitting at the computer with him on one hand and I get distracted .. it's a 'Look at me! Entertain me!" thing.

 

Something I've found that occassionally sort of works is putting my other finger just in front of his beak so the tip is slightly higher than his beak, I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do or not but everytime I do that he stops whatever he's doing and puts on his 'listen' face. Stands up straight, feathers all tucked in, very still. He does the same thing right before take off if he's actually listening to me calling him to 'step up'.

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I had told you that I passed this information onto another forum, and I received this reply today, (Just so you know I'm not taking the credit for your great idea!! :) )

 

Thank that wolf person for me too!

 

:(Laughing out loud): :(Laughing out loud): :(Laughing out loud):

 

I did mention Sailorwolf!!!

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Thanks Riebie. That's awesome.

 

Yeah, about biting out of fear, this method is not a good one to use in that instance, as, like Terri said, it would probably make them more scared. It is good for a budgie that has bitten for years, and does it to establish dominance, or for fun and usually you can tell when they are doing this. If you are holding them and they bite, like eye drop time, then they are scared and doing it wouldn't help.

 

For when he is biting the finger he is sitting on, just slide your other finger between your hand and him. This has the same effect as the previous method. :bluebudgie:

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What he was doing was sitting on my keyboard and biting my fingers and really attacking them as I typed. So I deliberately moved my fingers toward him as if to pat him. I wasn't holding him at all, he was just sitting on my keyboard. So when I went to pat him I knew he was going to bite me, and I pushed up at his beak then. It was never a frightening experience for him, it just bought him down a couple of notches and he realised that biting wasn't fun anymore.

 

Bobby and I have an amazing bond now, I haven't been attacked since you gave me this advice. He does have the occasional nip, but it is never as it was. I can also at times hold him in my cupped hands, rarely but he has never ever liked this since I first got him, so I don't think I have done any harm to him at all. I do appreciate your concern and thank you :bluebudgie: I would NEVER do anything to hurt my little baby!

Edited by Riebie
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That is good to hear :bluebudgie:

 

Hey I was wondering if this topic could be pinned because I have come across so many people with this problem

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That would be a good idea! PM a mod and see what they think!

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  • 11 months later...

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Hi

I tried this method on Sammi and all it does is make him more aggravated.

I dont know why. If anyone could give me some advice I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

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How long did you try it for?

Why do you think he is biting? (it doesn't work with all budgies).

If he is clipped you could try putting him on the ground when he bites. Wait for 10 seconds pick him up and if he is not biting, give him a treat, like millet. As soon as he starts biting put him on the ground.

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  • 2 years later...

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our new budgie (had him 6 days) has started to go for my hand for a nip when i move it close to him in the cage, which he didn't do before.... maybe hes crankier than usual today! as he is new i am assuming he is maybe nipping out of fear so i shouldn't try the method talked about above? thanks

How long did you try it for?Why do you think he is biting? (it doesn't work with all budgies).If he is clipped you could try putting him on the ground when he bites. Wait for 10 seconds pick him up and if he is not biting, give him a treat, like millet. As soon as he starts biting put him on the ground.
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He is doing it out of fear budgies can bit for different reasons, once you get your budgies trust it could be flirting etc...

Everytime you introduce your hand you should have some millet or a fav food or toy of his so he can associate your hand with good things. Right now all he remembers is the hand that grabbed him to put him in the cage and so he believe you are a predator not to be trusted.

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thanks for that - now if only he would eat millet or play with a toy so i could use those!! only eats his seed so far, i will put some of that on my fingers next time

thanks

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it defenatly works act like it dosent hurt and they will stop ..

 

cameron

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I thought I would make this an actual topic as I have come across so many people who have this problem and no matter what they do they can't fix it.

 

When your budgie bites you how do you react? If you don't react and don't do anything AT ALL and you have been doing this for as long as you have had him and he still bites, I may have a solution for you.

You have to be careful though as it may work with some budgies and not for others, it may even encourage biting, but this solution worked for my budgie, who continuosly bit me even though I had been ignoring her bites for years and she is 4 years old too.

 

okay what you do is, when they bite you, you don't pull away, instead you push into their bite. You push their beak (lightly so as not to hurt them). The budgie doesn't like this, because it means that they could fall and it is also very uncomfortable for them. It means for them that when they bite they get pushed back and so they learn not to do it and because you are pushing their beak while they are biting you they learn to associate the two actions together. This worked almost instantly (within 3 days) for my Saffron and nowadays she hardly bites at all. And when she does all I have to do is remind her and she stops.

So I don't know if it works for all budgies (as I have only tested it on one budgieand ), it could even make their biting worse, but it worked for me and could be used as your last resort.

 

Another member has tried this method and has had positive results

 

I have tried this method with my budgie and it just seems to make him bite harder! i dont know what else to try, does anyone have any ideas?

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I really hesitate to suggest this; it makes me look mean :D

 

I have a hen who will jump onto my finger, and then start biting like mad. I sometimes will position my hand beneath a perch, and then as soon as she bites, I'll raise my hand so the perch bumps her head. The idea is to get her to think the biting is causing the bumps, not my hand, as I don't want her to distrust me and my hand.

 

It only seems to work short term. The reason she jumps onto my finger is to get millet. If she bites me, she gets bumped, if she bites the millet, she gets a treat- it only takes a few bumps before she just bites at the millet instead of me. But a day or two, or a week later, she's back to biting me again.

 

I don't know if this would help you or not, but this hen bites me a lot softer now, and I haven't had to do this in a long time. :blink: (Also, keep in mind that the bump is only meant to annoy, not cause pain or injury! :laughter: )

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  • 10 months later...

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I am having a problem with my 5 year old budgie. He bites me when I try to take him off my boyfriends shoulder but never acts aggressive when it is just me home. I tried pushing on his beak when he bites but he runs away before I can do anything.

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  • 1 month later...

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I advise since this post is so old and you have a question of your own to post your questions as a NEW TOPIC, (you may have done that already :)) but if not you will get more replies this. way.

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