Parrots are wonderful companions and they are very popular among pet owners due to their friendly and loyal nature. However, parrots can also display negative behaviors. They can get easily irritated, and aggressive and can start biting.
This is not a pleasant experience because most people don’t know how to react when their parrot starts biting. Anyone interested in owning a pet should be aware that biting is far more common than you may think.
Why Do Parrots Bite?
There are a number of reasons why parrots can bite. What you need to remember is that sometimes parrots can bite and this does not instantly mean that they are aggressive. It also doesn’t mean that you are not close anymore with your feathered friend.
Parrots are birds that use their beaks for eating, climbing, preening and playing. They also use beaks to grab certain things such as food, toys or the hand of their owner. Because parrots use their beaks for a variety of reasons sometimes you may confuse biting with just a normal parrot way of using their beak. If your parrot is in general good-natured they might bite you because they want to show you affection and spend more time with you.
Fear
Parrots usually bite because they feel fear. They may feel threatened by the environment and this can make them act irritated. Parrots can develop fear of humans. This usually happens because they are not properly socialized or because they have experienced some traumatic experience in the past.
If your bird is young, they are still learning the ways in which it can communicate with humans. But this can happen to adult birds as well. Parrots can become frightened out of nowhere and bite their owners. This means that when they feel fear they can act out of impulse.
One thing you can do is to try to earn your parrot’s trust and develop a strong bond with them. This will be beneficial for both of you and the bird. Plus, it will give you the ease of mind and save you a few sore fingertips.
Aggression
If your parrot starts biting you should determine why are they doing that. They may feel frightened or they just want to play or try to climb on you. But if your parrot is simply aggressive then you would need to that something about it.
Aggression can cause serious problems for a bird but for the pet owner as well. Parrots usually bite out of fear, not malice. This is a defensive mechanism ingrained in parrots. There are a number of things that cause aggression in parrots, and one of them is lack of socialization.
If the parrot perceives humans as threats it will lash out in self-protection. Sometimes a parrot may link traumatic events in their past with their owner.
Parrots can also become aggressive due to hormonal fluxes during adolescence or breeding season. Other things that may make your parrot aggressive are stress, lack of mental stimulation, territoriality, and dominance issues.
If your bird is aggressive take some steps to determine what contributes to this condition. The first thing you want to do is to check your bird’s environment and see if they are some objects or things that are causing discomfort.
Maybe your cage is near a window and there is an outside noise or movement that may frighten your bird. There may be some other birds or animal with which they have a communication problem with.
Make sure that you clean your bird’s cage regularly. Remember, the birdcage is the home to your parrot. It’s important that their home stays clean and comfortable because a messy space can irritate your bird. If you have some other pets make sure that they develop a friendly relationship with each other.
Otherwise, this will be a constant stress for all your pets. Make changes at your place and watch how your bird responds. It’s not easy to identify what makes your bird aggressive so you will have to be patient. You may also schedule an appointment with an avian veterinarian so they can determine what is contributing to your parrot’s undesirable behavior.
How To Stop The Biting
If your parrot is constantly aggressive and acts out of fear, this can be a difficult and stressful situation. Additionally, bites can be physically dangerous for the owner because parrots have a strong beak. This also means that the bird is unhappy and this can lead to health issues.
If your parrot starts biting is important to solve the problem before long-term patterns of these behaviors set in. There are some methods that you can use to calm your parrot and create a better relationship with them. You can try to tame your parrot by bribing them. Everyone can do this with a little patience and effort. Create a relaxed atmosphere, be gentle, focus on repetition, and always encourage your parrot with treats.
Remember that correcting behaviors in birds is not an easy task. You’ll have to be patient and gentle with your bird. Birds tend to interpret our actions and sometimes a miscommunication can occur between them and the owner. You may want to learn a thing or a few about avian psychology so you can know how to better approach your parrot. Birds communicate primarily with sounds. So make sure you communicate with your bird with a calm and consistent voice that provides clear messaging.
Next Steps
If you own a parrot at some point you’ll have to deal with biting. But you can solve this problem if you consistently monitor your bird and learn what’s the cause behind the aggression. Fix the cause of irritation for your bird and you’ll be able to fix their biting too.
Train your parrot regularly and spend time with them so you can disrupt their pattern of behavior. The most important thing you need to do is to make sure biting doesn’t become their a constant pattern of behavior. If your parrot is aggressive for long periods this can cost your relationship with your bird.
Take Caution
Remember that while you’re managing your bird’s biting, you need to care for yourself first. They can leave sore spots on you and the pain can get severe. There are situations where parrot owners lost eyes, fingers, and toes.
In some cases, parrots can cause traumatic injuries, so it’s important that you solve this situation as soon as possible. Parrots have strong beaks and this is the case with small birds too. A small parrot can cause severe injuries if they get upset or frightened. Make sure to protect your kids if your parrot gets aggressive.
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