Why Does My Parrot Bite Me?

Having a parrot at home is common because parrots are very preferred pets by many. Birds or more specifically parrots have a habit of biting. They don’t bite intentionally but they are prone to breaking and biting in specific situations.

You might wonder, “why does my parrot bite me”, but it’s a usual behavior that you need to analyze and correct. It’s natural for birds to use their beak to do daily tasks like eating and grabbing.

As a pet owner, you need to understand the difference between normal beaking and biting. Parrots’ biting is strong and can cause a painful dent and bloody hand. However, a biting parrot should not be considered as bad because it’s their instinctive trait.

Reasons & Tips To Make Parrot Stop Biting!

In this article, we have tried to answer in detail the question that every parrot owner wonders, “why does my parrot bite me?.” It will help you to understand their usual behavior and the reasons behind their sudden biting. So, without further ado let’s get started.

What does it mean when your parrot bites u?

Parrots have a natural habit of biting which they are not bred out of. They are wild animals and have an intuitive trait of biting and beaking. Pet owners should try to understand the reason behind their biting. Analyzing some usual behaviors might help in their protection and avoid getting bitten. 

The most common reason for a bird biting is fear. They bite in self-defense when they feel any danger around them. Any outsider trying to touch or hold the bird can cause fear within them because they are comfortable with few people and don’t allow everybody to handle them. Other reasons for bird biting are tiredness, injury, or illness.

When a bird is not well-rested and tired it gets irritated easily and that can lead to biting. When a bird is injured it becomes cautious of the pain, so when you try to hold them they start to bite in response.

When a bird is sick it shows cold and aggressive behavior towards everyone. So during the interaction, they may bite the owner. Most birds bite when they are excited and playful or when they are feeling territorial about something or someone. Analyze your bird’s body language to avoid getting bitten. 

6 reasons why parrots bite

A parrot bites because of many valid reasons. It’s their natural reflex to bite during specific situations. Below are a few reasons stated for parrot biting: 

• When they are scared

It’s a simple behavior to protect yourself when you are scared of something or someone, be it a human or a bird. When parrots get scared they bite in self-defense to protect themselves. 

• When they are frustrated

Most of the time the parrots get frustrated when they are tired. Tiredness can be felt due to not getting proper sleep or illness. The frustration may cause them to bite everyone who tries to touch or hold them. 

• They are playing

Parrots get excited and energized when they are in a playful mood. They may get violent when they are playing. It’s also a natural reflex to bite to show appreciation when they are playing. 

• When they need attention

Parrots are known for being attention seeker birds. They desire attention and passion from their owners. They may bite as a hint to their owner that they need attention. 

• If it is not bonded with you

When you bring a parrot home it takes time and effort to make a bond with them. A parrot requires constant attention and affection to get comfortable around you. In the initial days when trying to create a bond, they may bite the owner because they feel uncomfortable and strange. This can happen to any new person who tries to make a bond with them. 

• Aggression

They also bite when they are in an aggressive mood. A parrot may get angry if they are not getting proper attention, they are tired, they are ill-treated, or when they are hungry. This anger can cause them to bite. 

How do you stop your parrot from biting?

The best way to stop parrot biting is to understand their body language. Learning the body movements will help you to know the exact moment when they come to bite. Knowing the reasons behind their biting will help you to avoid the bite. You can now simply distract them during those situations.

By interpreting the root cause of their biting, you can plan proper training for them. Whenever your bird bites you or comes to bite you, always frown at them and put them in your cage. By doing this every time the bird will get to know it is wrong behavior and try to lessen it with time.

Should you let your bird bite you?

Sometimes we feel it is normal for birds to bite, so we let them do it. Letting them continue this activity will encourage them to do it frequently. They will bite everyone who comes around them either in affection or in aggression. This leads to the bad behavior of your pet.

So as a parrot owner you should never encourage your bird to bite. Always try to stop them from biting by training or distracting them. There are various methods you can use to stop your bird’s biting habit. 

4 training tips for biting parrots

To prevent your parrots from biting, you need to understand their behavior and train them accordingly. Training will help them to lessen their biting reflex. Below are a few methods to stop your parrot from biting: 

• Understand your parrot’s body language

Parrot owners should try to learn their body language. Parrots can’t express themselves through their words but they can show us how they feel through their body movements. Knowing their body language will help you to avoid biting by distracting them. Some common body languages are eye pinning, head bobbing, and feathers ruffling. 

• Buy them chewable toys

Purchasing chewable toys for them can help with biting. Whenever the parrot feels frustrated or angry it can bite the toys. These will stop them from biting the owner and other people.

• Provide training

There are various types of training to stop your bird from biting. It helps to develop their behavior and be well-mannered. Learn the basic training methods and train the parrots.

• Distract

You can stop your bird from biting by distracting them. Analyze when your bird usually bites. So during that situation, you simply avoid the biting by distracting them in some different activities or by giving them their favorite food or toy. 

Conclusion 

Parrots are affectionate birds to keep at home. They keep the house cheerful with their constant chitter-chatter. But sometimes the parrot’s biting habit becomes a stress for the owners. However, it is their natural reflex to bite and can be stopped by using a few simple methods.

Always handle your parrot gently even if they bite you and you are in pain. They don’t do it intentionally and can be taught better with good efforts.  

We hope this article helped you to get a proper answer to the question, “why does my parrot bite me?.” Now, it will be easier for you to handle your parrot when they develop a biting habit.