How to Stop a Budgie From Biting

Though budgies are small birds, they can pack a formidable bite if they are afraid or aggressive. If you have a budgie that bites you, curb this behavior immediately. Budgies can be taught not to bite through a series of consistent actions and training. Never strike your bird or shout at it when it bite, as this simply makes the behavior worse. Instead, take the time to figure out why the bird is biting and to calmly counteract this bad behavior.

Things You'll Need

  • Towel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wrap your hand in a towel before handling your budgie if you are worried it is going to bite. This allows you to handle your budgie easily and it will prevent you from being jumpy while handling it.

    • 2

      Move the cage regularly. Some budgies bite when your hand enters their cage because they are feeling territorial. Moving the cage from room to room or even rearranging their toys on a regular basis helps quell this territorial instinct.

    • 3

      Shake the finger that the budgie is resting on gently after it bites. While you should not shake the finger violently, this very small "earthquake" is unpleasant to the bird and causes it to fight to regain its balance. This negative consequence helps the bird realize that biting is bad behavior.

    • 4

      Blow in the budgie's face after it bites. A quick light burst of air startles the budgie but does not hurt it.

    • 5

      Put your budgie back in the cage after it bites you. While this does not work with birds who are afraid or aggressive, it works well with birds who are very attached to you.