Biting is not common in birds because they are generally not known to be mean or aggressive pets. Even in the wild birds don’t tend to bite. They will only bite when they feel threatened or are scared of something. Birds are also not known for biting to dominate other birds. If they are biting you, there is usually something wrong.
When kept in captivity there can be several reasons that can cause your bird to suddenly bite you. Their bites will be quick and usually accompanied by the ruffling of their feathers. They will do this if they feel cornered or have been punished. Loud noises, fear, and feeling that their territory is being invaded are some of the biggest reasons.
How to Stop Your Birds From Biting?
Before trying to stop their biting it is important to understand what is causing them to want to bite you. Someone coming into the room or your birds hearing loud noises can sometimes trigger their biting. In this case moving your bird to a quiet room should help put a stop to their biting.
Once the source of the biting has been identified it can become easier to train your bird to not bite. It may take some time and you’ll need to be persistent. A few minutes should be set aside every day to correct their biting.
Move Them to a Neutral Location
If you are training your birds, try moving them to a neutral location. Removing your bird from a place that they are familiar with should keep them from becoming territorial. Your birds will cooperate better when there is nothing around to distract them.
Avoid Punishing Them
Yelling at your bird or punishing them will not help your bird understand that they have done something wrong. Yelling at your bird can actually cause them to do whatever it was that you didn’t like. Yelling at them can cause them to become afraid of you and get defensive and try to bite you again.
Prevent Sudden Movements
Sometimes while eating food or sitting on your hand, your bird may nip or bite you. If they do nip or bite you, try to avoid making sudden movements like jerking your hand away. In most cases they will do this accidentally. Instead it is better to move your hand slowly so that it doesn’t startle them. Slow and steady movements keep them from becoming nervous or scared.
While feeding or playing with them, don’t ever force them to sit on your hand or behave in a specified way. Allow them to get comfortable and have them enjoy being with you.
Use Stick Training
Birds can sometimes perceive your hand as something that is invading their territory. Using stick training can help reduce this. Stick training refers to getting a bird to sit on a stick or perch. It is less invasive for birds that are afraid of human interaction. The stick will keep a little distance between you and your bird, yet allow you to feed them or play with them.
Improve Their Confidence
Birds tend to form strong bonds with a single family member. They can become jealous of your interactions with your other family members or other pets. In this scenario it becomes important to socialize them with other family members. Socialization helps them get comfortable with others and realize that your family or other pets are not a threat to you and your bird’s bonding.
Exercise Your Birds
Physical activities like playing, chewing toys and interacting with their companions are important to keep a bird mentally stimulated. If your bird is not getting the exercise they need, try spending more time playing and interacting with them. Every day, small play sessions can help your birds get the exercise they need and reduce any desire to act out or bite.
When training your birds, try to keep a flexible schedule because some birds may not enjoy a rigid schedule. Your birds will let you know when they don’t want to play anymore.
What to Do if My Bird Bites Me?
Avoid yelling or punishing your bird because it can cause them to do it again. It can make them feel that biting is helping them get your attention and may cause them to bite you again. The correct approach is to put your bird down and walk away. This is like giving a “time-out” to a child who acts out.
Allow your bird to calm down and observe their body language to see when they are ready to calmly interact again. Doing this a few times will help your bird realize there is no fun in biting and they should eventually stop.