|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 4, 2020 22:45:12 GMT
I have been treating Buddy by holding a bauble of millet while he perches on my finger. After he ate it, he would wander up my arm, play on my arm or shoulder for a bit and then fly off. Sometimes he'd fly up to my reading glasses and preen my eyebrows or hair. Lately things have changed. After eating his millet, he has been biting my hand. I'd put him off my hand right away. He also perched on my reading glasses and reached down to preen my eyelashes. He then nipped my eyelid. I instinctively shook my head and he flew off. I must say that stung a bit. He did it again yesterday while I was feeding Tweetie Pie some millet. Today I took off my eyeglasses and he flew on my head, grabbed some hair, slid down and bit my eyelid again. While I like him sitting on me I really don't like him biting my eyelid or hand. I've read others saying their budgie went through a biting phase. What do you think? Is it a phase that I need to wait out or should I do something?
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Sept 5, 2020 0:23:30 GMT
You don't just wait it out. Yes it is a period in their maturation, but like you wouldn't not tell a puppy "NO" for biting/jumping as it is unacceptable behaviour, you on't just leave a pet bird to bite at will. If you left things to sort themselves he will more than likely continue to do so. Definitely tell him off, a sharp "NO", no biting, or whatever works for you, put him off you immediately whether it be by the "earthquake" or simply putting him down but do it immediately. Taking the time to walk back to the cage doesn't work - he'll have move on and not understand what he has done by then.
If there is often a bite at the end of the millet session, be proactive and remove him before he has a chance to bite, even if it means cutting the millet session a bit short - the more bites you avoid the better for both of you. For now don't allow him on your head, shoulder, face until he has behaved himself at least a little. If, when he does bite again around the face, shake him off and the next time he tries sitting with you again immediately get in with a "no biting" or whatever you choose to use. Let him know that you are cross with him - they can read body language and facial expressions.
The only time a bird's bite should be ignored is from one who hasn't bonded, is afraid and will mostly be biting to get you to leave them alone.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 5, 2020 1:34:53 GMT
Ok - thanks Hezz. I think I will put him off my when there are a couple seeds left. A light shake of the head works to get him off. This biting of the eyelids is also new. Just like he used to sit and play on my arm, he used to sit on my eyeglasses and pick at my eyebrow or hair. I miss that and it makes me sad. I hope we can get back to that.
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Sept 5, 2020 7:08:21 GMT
It would be very unusual for him not to go back to his loving self, but for now he is trying it on, seeing what he can get away with, generally being a brat. What you don't want to do is take it personally. If you could ask him why he was doing it and he could answer, he'd probably give you that early teen's moody shrug and a "dunno".
|
|
|
Post by samwiseg on Sept 5, 2020 9:16:52 GMT
He may be asking you for another bobble of millet, as mine do this but I decide what they have and when! But agree with what Hezz has said, no means no and try to pre-empt the bite as you do not want him to get used to this behaviour. Budgies do go through a phase of this like a puppy "trying it on". Also, I have found sometimes they get like this when they are in moult too. But never reward bad behaviour and put him back if he misbehaves. He will soon learn that he only gets attention/millet if he behaves himself
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 5, 2020 14:57:07 GMT
The dynamics of my two has recently changed. Buddy used to boss my timid Tweetie Pie around and Tweetie Pie would allow it and not argue. I would hold a bauble of millet and Tweetie Pie would fly to my hand to eat. Buddy would be right behind him on my hand. He'd make that chipmunk sound and Tweetie Pie would fly off. Like a good mom, I'd make sure Tweetie Pie would get his treat. Now Tweetie Pie flies to my hand. When Buddy comes, Tweetie Pie stands tall and opens his beak at Buddy and Buddy flies off. Buddy used to play on my arm while Tweetie ate or on my eyeglasses and then I'd give Buddy his millet. Now Buddy flies off. When Tweetie Pie has finished, I give Buddy some millet making sure Tweetie Pie can't chase him away. Sometimes I'm in a position where Tweetie Pie can't get to the millet so Buddy gets it first. Its just recently that the biting has started. Maybe the biting is part of the shift in dominance? Anyway, I'll make sure uddy doesn't bite me. Thanks, all.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 7, 2020 1:46:18 GMT
I have been successful putting Buddy off my hand before he starts biting. He lands on my glasses and will sit for a few seconds and then bites my eyebrow. I say "No, Buddy" shake my head and he flies off. Today he flew and sat on the top of my head and I left him there until he decided to fly off. I hope he gets the connection that I let him sit on me when he doesn't bite and put him off/shake him off when he bites. He does seem to be fairly smart. When I sat on the side of the cage holding millet, he figured out that he needs to come out, go around the corner and sit on my hand to eat it. Poor little Tweetie Pie would jump to the side of the cage looking through the bars watching Buddy eat. He was looking through the bars like "how do I get through these?" He eventually figured it out by watching what Buddy did.
|
|
Apr 5, 2019 23:14:31 GMT
reenie
Normal Green
Posts: 300
|
Post by reenie on Sept 10, 2020 17:23:38 GMT
My young Kevin has been bitey ever since I got him. He bites Stuart as well. I've always flicked or shaken him off me, and tried to avoid the bite by cutting short the interaction before he gets a chance. The other day I decided to see what would happen if I didn't shake him off when he was moving towards my finger (he only steps up on a twig). He opened his beak and nibbled my finger... Not the nippy bites he had been doing. It seemed almost affectionate. I'm hoping that means he's learning that a sore bite isn't acceptable... Hoping 🤣
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 10, 2020 17:45:25 GMT
I hope so reenie, its so nice when they perch and play on you. I'm thinking Buddy's biting may be connected to the millet feeding. When I hold the millet, Buddy is the first on my finger. Then Tweetie Pie comes over and Buddy flies away. Buddy then will come back and perch on my arm. He'll sit a couple of seconds and then start nibbling and then bite. Or, he'll land on my glasses and bite my eyebrow. I wonder if he knows I'm not like his wood perch that he can chew on? In the past couple of days, he's been perching on my head which is fine.
|
|
Apr 5, 2019 23:14:31 GMT
reenie
Normal Green
Posts: 300
|
Post by reenie on Sept 11, 2020 10:39:01 GMT
I hope so reenie, its so nice when they perch and play on you. I'm thinking Buddy's biting may be connected to the millet feeding. When I hold the millet, Buddy is the first on my finger. Then Tweetie Pie comes over and Buddy flies away. Buddy then will come back and perch on my arm. He'll sit a couple of seconds and then start nibbling and then bite. Or, he'll land on my glasses and bite my eyebrow. I wonder if he knows I'm not like his wood perch that he can chew on? In the past couple of days, he's been perching on my head which is fine. I know what you mean by not knowing if he knows the difference between biting a perch and biting your finger. I wondered the same about Kev, but they are very intelligent, and I think that they do know. I base this on the fact that Kevin also bites Stuart, and he DEFINITELY knows that he's not a perch!
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 11, 2020 14:58:49 GMT
Maybe Buddy's getting the message or some message? Yesterday I held a bauble of millet and Buddy came and ate. When Tweetie Pie saw, he came over and Buddy left. In the past Buddy would come back to my arm or eyeglasses, sit and then bite and I'd get him off. Yesterday he didn't come back. When Tweetie Pie finished his millet, I gave Buddy his "portion". Tweetie Pie was very sweet and let Buddy have his. No bites yesterday.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 22, 2020 22:07:38 GMT
Are we regressing? Today Buddy came and ate a bauble of millet on my hand. Then he attacked my hand! He was biting with his wings up, truly attacking my hand. I said NO and looked angry. I had to put him off on a perch to make him stop. Why can't he play nice? Am I doing something wrong to cause him to do this?
|
|
|
Post by Morgan on Sept 23, 2020 0:21:31 GMT
tweetiepiesmom - no, it’s probably not you! I would guess hormones, or maybe he’s crabby for some other reason? Is he molting? Or maybe when he’s done with his millet he’s upset because it’s gone and he can’t tell you in words he wants more! I’m not entirely sure, maybe Hezz can help better, but I highly doubt it’s anything you’re doing! My Monkey does this exact thing on occasion, and I just put her off and stop interacting with her when she does it. I think it has become more infrequent, but I also know she might do it again at any point if she feels like it - it’s just her personality. I know boy budgies are stereotypically less bitey than girls, and though this does usually seem to hold true, they really are all individuals! I only have two females to compare all my boys to, but the differences between the girls couldn’t be farther apart! Pig has never even attempted to bite me except when I had to catch her for meds - and it did take her a while to forgive me too. But eventually she did When comparing my boys, Soul is definitely the biggest screecher, even compared to the girls! He’s also the most touchy about his personal space and food rights (except maybe less than Monkey still with food, and he loves cuddling up to Xephy sometimes still, who was his original companion). In relation to me, they all will nibble my fingers, and so far none of them really biting too hard, mostly all gentle, but even Goat has bitten me fairly hard - as if to see what I was made of lol.
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Sept 23, 2020 0:48:06 GMT
Don't take time out to "put him off on a perch". Too long. Also, from now on give him only a very small amount of millet. Let him have a few nibbles then put him down. Don't wait for all the millet to be finished. Praise him heaps when you get that all done with no biting. If he bites, flip him off, jerk your hand, whatever but it must be immediate. He is flighted so he can't hurt himself, he'll fly off. If he comes back immediately tell him "No bites", give him a nibble or two and put him back down, then lots of praise. All the time he is with you not biting tell him he is a good boy.
Keep this routine going for as long as it takes. Once you haven't had to reprimand him for a few days start making the times slightly longer. Read his body language, if he seems to be getting ready for attack, get in first, put him down before he can and praise him. Watching his body language will help you understand where he is at but you do have to be vigilant. I said this to someone recently - be proactive, not reactive.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 23, 2020 1:29:43 GMT
Thanks Hezz and Morgan. I'll take your advice and just give him a little and put him down. He is just finishing a molt. He might be hormonal. He's never attacked like that, just bit.
|
|