Hi all. New bird mom here. I have had my budgie, Andromeda, for about a month now. She is a funny bird.

 

We have been getting along pretty well. She just doesn't seem to like coming out of her cage. I will leave the door open all day & she won't come out unless I get her on my finger or in my hands. I don't grab, I just cup my hands around her. She will climb up on one, and then I will put my other hand on her back so she won't fly away & hurt herself. Then I'll put her on the ground so she can run around. Sometimes she makes an angry chirp when I take her out, but after some grooming we are totally agreeable with eachother.

 

I had her out last night & she kept INSISTING on being within an inch of my face. This was fine with me, I love to cuddle her. But what was not okay is when she would start CHOMPING on me. I don't mean bite or nibble, but CHOMP. I was just sitting there with her next to my cheek, watching TV, and she just randomly chomps. Was she trying to get my attention? She has been going for my nose & lips a lot. Is she trying to regurgitate? I have been giving her kisses. Maybe she is trying to kiss back?

She is very gentle when she grooms me, so I can tell you this was a chomp, not grooming.

 

Anyway, that's the strangest thing she's done so far. It's nice having her so close. She likes to nest under my hair on the back of my neck, nestled down in the hood of my sweatshirt.

 

When she bites hard, repeatedly, I make her do ladders with my fingers (step up, step up, step up, really really fast). I've read that this will get the bird's mind off of biting for a little bit. And it works with mine. I tell her she is naughty when she bites and to be a good bird. She will usually calm down. Sometimes I wonder if she thinks her name is Naughty Bird rather than Andromeda, :hap:

 

Anyway, I'm rambling now. But I'd love to know what she was doing or trying to do last night with the random biting & absolutely having to be right against me. If it's bonding, I'll be thrilled.

Edited August 27, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Hi and Welcome to the forums

your budgie is beautiful.

 

with the biting issue , l'm not sure really why she would be doing that , but l'm sure that someone with a bit more knowledge on that will help you with it

Edited January 6, 200718 yr by birdluv

Welcome Dr. Bork Bork. You have a cutie and seem to have done a lot of work on the taming side of things this last month. The cuddling is a bonding act, budgies that are partnered up will spend time wing to wing :bluebudgie:

 

The biting could be all sort of things, she is unsure when your lips move and so attacks them, a lot of budgies seem to like to bite or chew on mouth and noses. It's best to keep them away from your mouth due to transferring of germs (both ways).

Welcome !!!