Budgie Bites while training

[waterlily117]

I got two budgies several months ago and I've been slowly training them. I've been using millet to try to train them to come on my hand. So far one is nervous but will eventually step up to get millet after some time but the second is easier to work with. She'll usually hop up quickly to get the millet or whatever treat I'm training them with. Recently the second has been starting to bite all around my hand even while I'm holding food. The first one will calmly eat and the second's biting wasn't painful before but they're starting to really hurt. I'm not sure why she's biting me or how to get her to stop. I do my best not to make too much noise, shake her off, or anything negative... what should I do? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Hezz]

Since she isn't bonded with you, there is no point in telling her off for biting, or putting her off you. You will need to be proactive, not reactive and move your hand before she gets a chance to bite. Since you are the only one who knows exactly how this is panning out, you are going to have to come up with a way to offer her millet without her getting into biting. Most budgies, though, will have a bit of a nibble around the fingers if you present your hand to them. It is in no way unusual - just their way of checking you out. If she is biting after having some millet, stop feeding her before she gets to bite. If it is beforehand, make sure the millet is the first thing she can get to. If she goes to bite your hand, move the millet to being in her way.

[blue48]

I was doing very well with BertieB's biting, then yesterday he was sitting on my chest playing with my necklace, he walked up to my face and bit me hard on the lip. No provocation, he wasn't nervous or stressed, just being a git! He's in disgrace now.

[waterlily117]

Thank you! I'll definitely try this! She's usually on my hand when she's biting, often times she'll climb all over my hand while biting it. Once she starts biting it's hard to distract her or stop her because she's already on my hand. Do you have any advice for this?

[Hezz]

Is she eager to climb onto your hand? If she is, you may have to move to telling her no biting before she hops on and continue praising her while she doesn't bite, immediately set her down if she does bit, and remove any millet. Repeat as many times as it takes. Let her back on immediately but put her down immediately she bites. You can flip your hand slightly to make her stop as she will need to regain her balance and tell her firmly no!

If she is hesitant to go onto your hand, the above won't work. It only makes sense if being on your hand is what she wants.

[cricketandbella]

My budgie sometimes has biting fits, where he will bite over and over again, and he actually makes happy sounds when he does that, so I kinda use my finger to "wrestle' with him.