Hello i hope someone can help me i have had my male budgie for two weeks now and when i bought him home he liked to be fussed over we trainned him to sit on our finger and now we don't need to grab him to catch him he flies out of his cage on his own and goes back when we put him back but he seems to have become bad tempered and now bites us and chatters in an angry way when we try to stroke his back and today when i tried to kiss his chest he bit me.

Please help

a common reason for irritable budgies is lack of sleep, they need 8-12 hours of sleep every day, it is very unhealthy for them to sleep less than 8 hours every night.

Two weeks is not long enough for your budgie to become used to you. He may not want to be stroked-some birds don't like it. Most of mine don't. When he fusses at you he is saying "leave me alone right now". I would try to only work on the finger taming for right now and give him some time to get used to his new home. If he does bite again, don't respond to the bite by jerking your finger away. Just try to ignore it and distract him with something else like having him step up onto a different finger or perch or put him down. I think by giving him a little more time he will settle down and become sweet again.

Thankyou for your replies. He has calmed down a lot now and i have started to cover him with a blanket to help him sleep for longer. He chatters away softly to me sometimes and likes to rest his head and beak on my nose when i talk to him and fluffs his feathers up. I have started to make sure he keeps below my head height and take him off lights and curtain rails when he lands on them. He seems better but he does not seem to like us even trying to groom him on the back of his neck will this come in time?

it might or it might not, some like to be scratched and others don't. my bird absolutely loves me but she doesn't like to be touched on her head, you might want to try scratching under the wings, its "less threatening"

:bluebudgie: I have tried that but every time i put my finger to his wing he climbs on to it. He lets me kiss him now though and sits on my shoulder clicking and chattering softly. He cleans my teeth and comes to me if i put my finger up to him so i will be happy with that for now and if he lets me stroke him later then it will be good. I was most concerend because i have children one 16 one 14 one 11 and i did not want him to hurt them my eldest is already a bit scared of him so now i am making headway with him i am hoping that she can get her confidence back.

it sounds like he's coming along great now! with my budgie, teapot, i always cover his cage completely around 9 in the evening so that he does get that much needed rest and sleep :bluebudgie: try and keep his sleep patterns regular, it will help him settle, and if he's settled, he will become a much calmer, happier little bird

:bluebudgie: Thanks for all your advice peeps he is much happier now and comes to me when i call him. I will keep you posted.

Edited June 17, 200420 yr by angel121