Teaching your bird to behave can be one of the most frustrating parts of owning a bird. Birds can act out in a variety of ways. They may nip, scream incessantly, throw food, and so on.
Your bird’s behavior is not because she is a “bad egg,” but probably due to loneliness, over-stimulation, or health issues.
Here are some things you can do to extinguish bad behaviors and promote health and good behavior in your pet bird.
Teaching Your Bird How to Engage
Do not isolate your pet. It’s not fun to deal with a bird who is nippy and unengaging, but avoiding her may only worsen the problem.
A lonely bird is moody bird. Being around her on regular basis may help this.
If you cannot devote the time necessary, at the very least move the bird’s cage to where she will be able to see you more often.
Birds are social creatures and can become attuned to their owner’s eating and sleeping habits, so being around her when you do these daily activities will make for a more content bird.
This will also help build a healthy relationship between the two of you.
How to Make Your Bird Comfortable
Keep her away from overstimulation. Noise, light, temperature, and other environmental concerns may bother your bird just as they might a small child.
Just as a child would scream, so too will a bird.
This is true especially when your pet is tired and trying to sleep.
To keep her comfy, make sure her cage is out of direct sun and is kept at a good distance from radios, television sets, etc.
Another way to prevent your pet from being bothered by these things is to cover the cage temporarily.
Some birds can acclimate to stress and will behave fine, but a better option is to not to put her in that stressful position in the first place.
Think About Their Health
Make sure she is healthy. Health issues may also cause a bird to behave unkindly.
Sick or tired pets will not want to play nice. Make sure she gets adequate rest, always has water and a variety of bird-safe foods, and has exercise time.
Remember that many birds need more sleep than us, and you must change their food regularly to prevent bugs or rotting.
If your pet is flightless, let her be active when you take her out. You can do this by teaching her tricks and letting her, while under careful watch, walk around the floor.
Pay attention to the condition of her feathers, eyes, and beak. When in doubt, see a professional to assess your bird’s health. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Teaching Your Bird With Rewards
Check if you are rewarding bad behavior. Her health, stimulation, and socialization are at a good level, but she’s still screaming, biting, or nipping.
Ask yourself if there is anything you are doing that might be antagonizing her to do this.
Often times, owners do not realize that they are rewarding their pet’s bad behavior. If your bird is screaming, and you scream back at her, she will think screaming is a good thing. Why would she?
Your bird will be happy to have your attention. She might even consider the screaming match to be some sort of game.
The best thing to do in that particular situation is just to ignore your pet. When she realizes you won’t do anything, she will eventually take the hint.
However if you’re bird has a string of good behavior, it is good to reward them. The reward will enforce them to continue this behavior.
You can reward them with a food they do not consume on a normal basis.
Conclusion
Overall, make sure your behavior with her is clear and consistent. Keep in mind that before you received your bird, she may not have had careful training or socialization.
A word of fair warning: this can drastically affect her behavior, and may take years to reverse.
Changing a bird’s behavior may take some time, effort, and patience.
Even though birds may scream, nip, and bite. Never, under any circumstance, physically harm your bird in return.
