Your parrot bites you and you are fed up? Would you like to be able to take it close to you without having to suffer its bites?
Don’t panic, we’re passionate about these amazing tropical birds and know exactly how to help!
Your parrot can bite you for different reasons. This can be related to stress, a lack of attention or simply to defend his territory when he feels threatened.
In this article you will discover:
- Why your parrot bites you
- How to get him to stop
Once you read this article, then, you will know why your feathered friend is biting you. As well as how to stop those incessant pinches.
Let’s get to the heart of the matter right away!
Why Your Parrot Bites & How to Stop It
SOURCE:wingsNpaws
Reasons Your Parrot Bites
There are specific reasons your parrot will bite you. Lucky for you, these aren’t bear bites!
What is good to know is that it is often the same reasons. It is then easy to identify the problem in order to provide the appropriate solution. We will give you the 4 main reasons which are the cause of this behavior. In 97% of cases, your parrot is affected by one of these problems. You will therefore be able to easily help him.
A) It bites before you put it in its cage
If he bites you before you put him in his cage, it’s probably because he doesn’t want to go back. Which is not normal. A parrot shouldn’t be afraid to go to its cage. If he’s scared it’s because he really doesn’t like it. If you suspect this concerns your bird, the first thing to do is try to understand the reason for the problem by asking yourself these questions :
- Is he locked up too often?
- Does he find his cage boring?
- Is he often there as a punishment?
If you can identify the problem (a problem which is often one of the questions we asked above), you will be able to find the solution. Only you know your parrot, only you know its ailments, and only you can cure them!
B) He bites when you clean his cage
Parrots are creatures very attached to their territory. They take it as an assault that you come to encroach on their area of life. And this is easily explained. In the wild, they cannot tolerate someone touching their food. It is simply a gesture of survival.
To reduce this feeling of territoriality, it is good to move the contents of your cage from time to time. This will allow him to get used to the movement. To prevent him from biting you when you care for his cage, all you need to do is start the process when he is not around.
C) Bites when in public
There may be times when your parrot is under stress when in public. When you confront your bird with the outside world, he is on his guard. For him, anything that is far from his comfort zone is hostile. In an unfamiliar situation, he thinks he is in danger and will do everything he can to feel safe (bite for example).
To avoid putting him in this state, it is important to avoid sudden movements, to avoid laughing at him, taunting him, touching him, etc. Parrots are deeply empathetic creatures. They can very easily feel that someone is not being kind to them. If everyone is benevolent then they will know it. And he will be calm and relaxed. 😉
To avoid stressing your animal as much as possible when traveling, we offer our parrot transport cages.
Discover our collection of transport cages by clicking on the image below.
D) He bites to get your attention
Sometimes your parrot may be bored or lonely. When that happens, he will do everything in his power to get your attention. In this type of situation, biting you is a way for him to show you that he exists. He’s waiting for a reaction from you. A laugh, a howl, it doesn’t matter to him, he wants to arouse emotion in you.
If your parrot does this, it is important to make sure that nothing is missing (food, water, and toys). It is also advisable to devote part of your time to him so that he does not feel alone. We must not forget that birds are social creatures.
African Grey Cody Attempts to Bite and Eats Almonds | PARROT TALK
SOURCE:MARLENE MC’COHEN
How do you get him to stop biting?
There are exercises that can remove bad behavior from your parrot. We are going to give you 3. All birds are different, so there is surely one exercise that will be more effective for you. For this reason, we recommend that you try them all. Try, observe, then conclude!
A) Positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement involves making him aware of his bad behavior. In order for him to know that biting you is wrong, you have to make him understand. It could not be easier. When it bites you, push it away. Put it away from you and don’t look at it anymore. So as not to pay him any attention.
If he comes back to you and starts biting you again, repeat the operation. Do this until he doesn’t. It is when he no longer attacks you that you must send him your congratulations. It is important to reward him at this time. Give him his favorite treats for example. This is how your parakeet will understand what is right and wrong.
B) The extinction of the behavior
For a bird, all behavior has a function. If he bites you, he knows he will get something in return. Attention in this case. Starting from this idea, the strategy is quite simple, it suffices that the action of the bite is no longer useful to him. So when it comes to pinching your skin with its beak, ignore it completely. Do not look at it and consider that it does not exist.
It is important to know that the Behavior Extinguishing exercise combines perfectly with positive reinforcement. It works best when the parrot knows what behavior you are not expecting from it.
C) Appeasement
The appeasement exercise is based on anticipation. When your parrot is about to bite you, it lets out certain signs:
- Dilation of the pupils.
- Look with one eye.
- Staring at your hand.
- Growls.
- Plumage swollen around the neck.
- Beak snap.
If you see any of these signs, then go away, and let your bird calm down. So when you come back, your parrot will understand that you respect them. You don’t bore him with behaviors or requests that he doesn’t want. This technique will allow you to strengthen the bond you have with your parrot.
Stop Parrot Biting – Guaranteed Way to Prevent Bites!
SOURCE:Parrot Wizard
Keep Your Feathered Friend Relaxed
As you can see, when your parrot bites you, there is bound to be a reason. But there is also always a solution!
Thanks to this article, you are now able to identify the reasons and fix the problem.
In order for your parrot to feel good and relaxed, it is important that he has enough toys at his disposal. That’s why we offer you ours.
Discover our collection of toys for parrots by clicking on the image below.
