Budgies are very cute and no one can deny that!
But they have beaks and they know how to use it
That said,
Your budgie may bite you for various reasons
Question is – Does a budgie bite hurt?
Yes it can hurt!
But here’s the thing
There are different types of bites
Your budgie may be nibbling you (more on that later on)
But yes, if your budgie bites, it can hurt
It won’t cause a lot of damage but you’ll definitely feel it
Also, it could be painful for children
In this article we’re going to talk about why a budgie may bite and how you can stop this behavior too
So if you want your budgie to stop biting then you’re going to love this article
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
Why Does My Budgie Bite Me?
Budgies are cute little birds that are very social
So for a budgie to bite can be very surprising
But you’ll be surprised to know that budgies bite for various reasons
Here’s the good part
Once you understand the reason they bite you can stop this behavior from happening
Let’s look at the possible reasons your budgie is showing this biting behavior
New environment
If you have just recently adopted a budgie then moving into a new environment can become very overwhelming for a small bird
I mean, me personally, I would feel overwhelmed if I moved into a big house at first
So what you need to do is make your budgie feel comfortable
Allow your birdie to get used to their new environment
It takes time but they will eventually get used to it
You can help by talking to your budgie in a soft voice
Anxiety And Fear
A budgie may bite because they are anxious and scared
If your budgie has still not bonded with you then you trying to pet your bird or hold him can cause your budgie to become scared and bite at you
You should have a read of my article – How do I bond with my budgie?
Budgies may also bite if they are tired or just feeling bored too!
So make sure to keep your budgie entertained!
Okay so now that we know why budgies bite
Let’s look at how you can stop this biting
How To Stop Your Budgie From Biting
If your budgie bites you, it can be annoying
It could even be worrying why your little cute birdie is all of a sudden biting you
Here’s what you need to do
The first thing is to pay attention and determine what triggers this aggression and biting
Determine what triggers your budgie to bite you
Keep a track on when your budgie bites
Maybe your budgie lashes out when a stranger comes over and wants to hold your little birdie
Yes, budgies are very social but not all of them loves perching on their humans
Your budgie may feel comfortable with you but with a stranger they become a totally different bird!
Or maybe your bird sees another stranger as competition for your affection
If this is the case then you need to show your budgie that strangers are not to be afraid of
How do you teach them this?
By getting the stranger to offer them treats
Ignore The Bite
Did you know some budgie parents actually encourage their bird to bite even more
How?
By reacting in the wrong way
This can encourage your budgie to bite even more
Yes this is not done deliberately by the owners
So what should you do?
Ignore the bite
Don’t shout at your budgie because this could be something they want from you – a reaction
Maybe they are bored so they’re biting you to get your reaction
Just don’t react at all
It can be difficult of course especially if the biting hurts
By not reacting, this will not encourage to bite you and will hopefully stop this behavior!
Make Sure Your Budgie Has Plenty Of Rest
If your budgie does not get enough sleep this can cause them to become cranky
Now if they are cranky and you’re trying to pet your bird, chances are they’re going to bite!
I mean, if you were cranky and did not get enough sleep, you wouldn’t want to be irritated or anything
Same goes for your budgie
Make sure they get plenty of sleep
They need at least a good 12 hours!
Have a read of my article – My budgie gets grumpy at night
Have a Schedule
Creating a schedule will help keep your budgie calm and happy
If you notice your budgie biting out of the blue or when they are bored then you need to start spending more quality time with your bird
Keeping a schedule creates a certainty, your budgie will know at what time to expect to be fed, what time they will go sleep, when you will play with them
Try to stick to a routine
This will surely keep your budgie happy and healthy
Have Toys
Budgies need toys!
So you need to provide lots of it
Which is why a big cage is very important
A big cage will allow you to add a variety of toys
This will surely keep your budgie entertained and not bored
Hopefully this will stop your budgie biting out of boredom
Related articles you will find interesting
How many toys does my budgie need in it’s cage?
My budgies don’t play with their toys
Should I Let My Budgie Bite Me?
It’s not a good idea to let this biting behavior continue because it can lead to biting all the time
If you have children or you have family that have children, they could get hurt if your budgie has a habit of biting
It’s best you stop this behavior immediately and turn your budgies biting to another thing for example a toy
Otherwise your budgie will think biting is fun and will continue to do so at every opportunity!
Should I Punish My Budgie For Biting?
No way!
Punishing your budgie for biting is a very bad idea
You should never shout or even worse hit your bird
That’s just plain wrong
Rather, you should just ignore it as mentioned earlier
Punishing your budgie can lead to more biting
It could even lead to your budgie being scared of you and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that
A budgie will only bite if there’s something wrong
I guess it’s a way of your budgie trying to tell you something
Be calm and don’t react to the bite is the best thing to do
Whatever you do, don’t punish your budgie!
Wrapping Up
A budgies bite may hurt
It could cause pain and even break skin
It’s important to stop this behavior because although we could take the pain it’s a different story for a child
Besides, it’s a behavior that needs to be addressed
You see, a budgie will only bite if something is wrong
Maybe they are bored, they’re scared or they just want attention
You have to determine what is causing your budgie to bite and then act accordingly as mentioned in this article
Here’s some other budgie articles you may find interesting
Why does my budgie hide in my hair?
Why does my budgie nibble my finger?