May 4, 2024 8:24:57 GMT
Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2020 6:22:03 GMT
That's how Munchy would look when I picked him up when he was in a bad mood. He could've opted to leave my hand when I let go, but no, he had to stay and tell me off. Like Hezz said, Buddy's flighted, so don't be afraid to do something like flip or drop your hand suddenly. And it needs to be sudden or else he'll maintain his grip by fluttering. Pretty sure I practically 'yote' (down with them modern kids and their modern kid language) Munchy across the room once. He caught himself and flew to a perch. It took me 4 years to stop Munchy randomly biting. Part of that was learning to call him to me rather than touching my finger to him to get him to step up. The other part appears to have been legitimately beating him in a dominance battle... You'll get there with Buddy. Just takes time, perseverence and consistency. Pretty sure Yuki will start biting me at some point during our playfights, so I'll be trying to figure out what to do too.
|
|
May 4, 2024 8:24:57 GMT
Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2020 11:43:45 GMT
Hi TPM, This might help you understand why Buddy's biting & how to deal with it beakcraze.com/why-your-budgie-is-suddenly-aggressive/I should add that I don't think "an avian behavioural specialist is the only person who can help you" is true. No-one knows Buddy like you do so I would suggest taking advice on ways to overcome the biting from the forum here rather than spending a fortune on a bird psychiatrist. Once you find the trigger, it'll probably be a case of trial and error to find the solution anyway.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 23, 2020 15:13:49 GMT
I am wondering if this is due in part because of the loss of Buddy being the dominant one of the pair. Whenever there was something to be had, both birds would come. Buddy would nip at Tweetie Pie and he would scuttle off. Then suddenly one day Tweetie Pie stood his ground, stood up tall and nipped in Buddy's direction and off Buddy went. I'm sure something more happened that I didn't see. Now, if I'm holding a treat, Buddy is usually the first there. If Tweetie Pie sees and flies over, Buddy immediately leaves. Sometimes Tweetie Pie doesn't see and Buddy gets it all. The same happens inside their cage. When I put food inside, Buddy watches Tweetie Pie to see if he'll go for it. If he does, Buddy waits for me to put the second dish in. Tweetie Pie doesn't always go for it so Buddy sometimes gets the dish for himself. Otherwise, they are still good friends, playing together and sitting together on the perches. I must say Tweetie Pie gets the idea of sharing. When I hold the bauble of millet, Tweetie Pie will eat only about half of it and fly away and Buddy will finish it off. If Buddy gets it first, he'll eat it all.
|
|
May 4, 2024 8:24:57 GMT
Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2020 15:47:50 GMT
That might be because if Tweetie Pie is the more dominant he feels confident that he can get more when he wants it, so only eats what he wants at the time. Whereas Buddy isn't sure if he'll get the chance again.
Yuki is more dominant here. Indie scoffs food whereas Yuki eats more slowly and deliberately.
In the wild the best times to eat are first thing in the morning to replenish lost fat overnight and towards dusk to put on weight for the night. You don't want to eat midday as the food and fat stores make you heavier so you're not as agile to escape predators. More dominant birds are confident that they can chase off the competition, but less dominant birds have to eat whenever they get the opportunity.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 23, 2020 16:08:02 GMT
Thanks @sillycat84, that makes sense.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 24, 2020 0:07:37 GMT
@cal Thanks I read the article. It was interesting, the author said to ignore the biting - not so easy when Buddy's biting my eyelid!
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 24, 2020 0:09:24 GMT
Its late afternoon here now and Buddy mostly behaved himself. This morning as I was putting the wheat grass in their cage, Buddy leaned towards my hand like he was going to bite. I told him, Buddy No, and he didn't bite. When they were out I held a bauble of millet for Buddy. He came and perched on my hand. He ate a couple seeds while I was telling him he was a good boy and I put him on his perch. He came back and I repeated. Then Tweetie Pie came to eat. Buddy sat on my arm and crawled up to my shoulder. He then flew to my eyeglasses and nipped a bit hard. I shook my head and said Buddy No. He flew off. A couple hours later I repeated this. The second time I put Buddy down he flew to the top of the cage. I called him, Buddy come and he came for some more millet. Then Tweetie Pie came and finished it. Later I was sitting in my chair beside the cage and Buddy came out. I held up my arm for him, he landed and then flew up to my eyeglasses. This time he didn't bite, just little kisses. He didn't stay long. I'll try it again tomorrow and hopefully he still behaves.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Oct 7, 2020 21:54:03 GMT
I followed what you suggested Hezz and I'm cautiously saying I think it worked. Its been three days now where Buddy has started perching for a few seconds on my arm or on my eyeglasses and he has not bitten me! Hopefully he'll come perch for longer times and won't bite. Thank you!!!
|
|
Apr 5, 2019 23:14:31 GMT
reenie
Normal Green
Posts: 300
|
Post by reenie on Oct 9, 2020 7:07:23 GMT
I followed what you suggested Hezz and I'm cautiously saying I think it worked. Its been three days now where Buddy has started perching for a few seconds on my arm or on my eyeglasses and he has not bitten me! Hopefully he'll come perch for longer times and won't bite. Thank you!!! I'm glad you've got there with Buddy! I'm still having bother with Kevin. He looks me in the eye as he slowly leans in for the bite. I say No BITING, and he stops moving his head towards to my finger for a moment, then starts moving again. He clearly knows biting is not allowed, and understands what 'no biting' means, he's just determined he's going to do it. I tend to flick him off before he gets to the actual bite. Fortunately it's only really my fingers, as I don't get my face near enough since he bit my top lip when I went in for kisses😘
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Oct 9, 2020 15:30:08 GMT
Ouch - biting a lip! That must have hurt reenie! I felt really bad about shaking Buddy off my head but those bites really hurt when they go for sensitive areas like my eyelid. I really want him (Tweetie Pie too) to perch on me but not bite bite. He has been coming to me for a few seconds but not biting. I say "Buddy, no" very sternly. I was putting their grass with seed heads in the cage yesterday. I was not moving fast enough for Buddy and he opened his beak and leaned in to bite my hand. I said "Buddy, no" and he stopped so I think he understands. I hope you get there soon with Kevin. They can be little devils can't they?
|
|
Apr 5, 2019 23:14:31 GMT
reenie
Normal Green
Posts: 300
|
Post by reenie on Oct 11, 2020 8:03:58 GMT
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Nov 2, 2020 1:02:14 GMT
I've continued to work with Buddy on his biting. He has stopped except when he gets excited. It seems that my eyelids are particularly sensitive. A couple days ago he hopped on my eyeglass frames (yes, the new ones), fluffed up, started chirping and kissing them. Then he put his head down and kissed and nipped my eyelid. Second nature now - I shook him off. Even though I love him being on me, I think I'll keep him off my glasses. Today he hopped on my arm and hand. He fluffed up and started kissing and beaking my thumbnail. He gave me those little kissing nips. I let him be. I was so pleased that he came to me when I held up my arm without offering him millet. Tweetie Pie came over and joined him after a few minutes but then he snapped at Buddy and both flew off.
|
|
|
Post by blue48 on Nov 2, 2020 6:18:39 GMT
Great news that Buddy has stopped biting. I'm very happy for you, it's not nice when they do that. I quite like those little nips. When Bertie hops on my finger he usually nips my thumb, I think of it as a kiss or a greeting and I know he's in a good mood when he does that. I love how they get excited and hop from foot to foot when you get near the cage and they are wanting attention
|
|
|
Post by mona on Nov 2, 2020 6:58:46 GMT
Once you get a bird, you are in love with him/her forever! 🥰
|
|