I've had my male budgie for a little over a month now- he's used to me and my hand, as well as stepping up onto a perch, but whenever I try to get him to step up onto my finger, he bites. ALOT. I try to ignore it, but it's not working... He also nibbles the perch when he's standing on it. Any tips?

Did you read the article on this website about finger training? If he steps up onto the perch fine but attacks your finger then you're moving too fast. Try holding the perch with your index finger stretched out (but at the END of the perch) and when he is use to that, move your finger up along the perch...do this slowly until your finger runs along the perch where he steps up onto....Once he's doing this fine and not noticing your finger, you can move the perch and try with just the finger. If he's just nibbling your finger it's different. Marley still nibbles me when he's on my finger, it's not hard at all, I think he likes to clean my nails lol. But if he's biting hard in an aggressive way, I'd say he's still got some fear issues that you need to work on

there is this thing with young keets...called beaking...what some call biting...they are just using one of their ways to explore when doing this...seeing whats safe what isnt ...its testing all the water for them so to speak...whats good whats bad whats to be trusted or not...

be patient your bird is a baby and still has a loooong way to go with you ...for many years...how you handle it all NOW..is how you will reap in the future.

Future825 -

Welcome to the forums! We are happy to have you join us.

Here's the direct link to the hand training instructions, so you can find them more easily -

http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/articles/bird_hand.html

Let us know if working on the perch step some more helps out!

My budgie is now much more trusting and doesn't bite my finger anymore.... success! Thx for the advice- they were a huge help.

your very welcome...continued success on perch training now as thats very important also should you ever need to reach higher than you normally can to retrieve the bird it will recognize a long perch to step to...

When hand training a parakeet they bite a bit at first. They think if they bite you will back away and leave them be. If you repeatedly flinch or pull back they won't stop because your doing what they expect you to do. My Parakeet used to do this all the time until I stopped flinching and let him bite me until he knew biting wouldn't get him anywhere. SO I KNOW it HURTS but let him bite you until he gives up and get on your finger. He will stop eventually. GOOD LUCK!

I realy need help.with this im.new to this site it looks very good lisa realy know whats shes talking about. so please please help my bird pheonix is a keet boy I had him for 2 weeks I trained him prety good he takes showers with me runs in a tube for a treat hangs on my shoulder almost Alll day sleeps out of his cage next to me. I want him to learn to fly to me and to kiss me how do I do this . I have one more problem I recently got a nother keet a girl one.. Now he cant stand to be with out her! Or if not he just runs to his cage and wont let me grab him as much as befor what should I do guys

separate them to different cages as they should of been when she first came home for quarantine for 90days and then even different rooms and why did u get another keet when you were doing so well...of course they are going to be much more interested in each other now than you...and training is always more difficult with two...if you can id bring the female back...you had such a good thing going with the other bird especially for having him only two weeks...

welcome to the forum

I totally agree with Illusive if you can return the bird. You had such a good thing going and now it will never be the same again. Birds of a feather stick ....you know how that goes. Neither bird needs you anymore.

The biggest mistake people make is thinking 2 or more is better when in reality it is the opposite. Your first bird had you and did not need a companion. They do not get lonely when they are the only bird, in fact, I think they rather like having us all to themselves.

Just think it over and maybe consider taking the new bird back.