Baby budgie behaviour

[Miss_sj]

Hi it's me with more beginner questions!

I just wonder whats the best way to handle this budgie behaviour. Flynn is about 11 weeks and a male, super friendly and happy. When he comes out of his cage he usually flies to me and sings and chats. What he's started doing when he wants to go back in his cage is he suddenly gets angry, starts making his angry noise and then starts biting, very angrily. The first time he did it, I didn't work it out for a minute and he just got angrier until I took him back to the cage. One minute, he's chirping happily then he suddenly gets angry. What is really strange is if I'm not there and he's with my boyfriend, he will fly to his cage and put himself in if he wants to. I put his play gym right near the door to his cage today, so he could jump straight in, and he flew back to me and went to bite again- it seemed like he wants me to put him in. The bites don't hurt but they are angry bites and I don't want to encourage this behaviour.

Second question: he is friendly out of the cage and only bites when he has this angry "I want to go to my cage" thing. In his cage, if I put my hand near him he bites unless I have food. Do I just leave him when he's in his cage and talk to him only? He is happy for his cage to be cleaned, its only if you put your hand up to him.

Third thing: he insists on being on shoulders and even tries to climb into jackets at the collar. Should we allow this?

 

[Gribouille]

I would put him down near you when he bites. So that he can't bite you but doesn't get what he wants from biting. You could also train him by using the same word when you put him in his cage, like "go in" or "go home" and say this when he bites you/you put him down, so that he ends up flying back home by himself?
For the second question, maybe you go too fast and could give him some time, like put your hand at the door first, then wait before you go further inside?
As for the third one, as long as you are OK with having him there I don't see why not.

 

[Miss_sj]

Thank you! I will try!!!

He is pretty strong willed and persistent to be honest. If I put him down, he comes straight back to me. He'll do it 10 times. Sometimes I HAVE to put him down to go do something. Its the same in reverse- if he's decided he wants to be on his play gym or in his cage, there is no persuading him. He's not like this with my bf who is the only other person who he's around so it's strange. He wants to be in charge thats for sure!

I am super slow whenever I put my hand in his cage and he seems so happy to see it, until it gets too close. He was like this from the beginning, but now he is more than happy to step up or be on us OUT of the cage.

Yes I'm ok with the budgie snuggles, just wanted to make sure it won't affect him bonding with a new budgie as we are planning on introducing one!

 

[Gribouille]

Thank you! I will try!!!
He is pretty strong willed and persistent to be honest. If I put him down, he comes straight back to me. He'll do it 10 times. Sometimes I HAVE to put him down to go do something. Its the same in reverse- if he's decided he wants to be on his play gym or in his cage, there is no persuading him. He's not like this with my bf who is the only other person who he's around so it's strange. He wants to be in charge thats for sure!

I take it you don't have kids?! My son was the same, he did everything I told him and we were done in 5 minutes, while he kept rebelling when his father wanted him to do the exact same thing. He wanted our son to agree with everything and never having to face him being angry, crying, whinning, being frustrated so he tried to explain and argument and often gave up in the end, while I never did, no matter how much time it took. In the end our son knew there was no point in arguing with me so he didn't try, while he knew he could win with his father and gave him a hard time. That is until his father took my advice and didn't give him a choice anymore. Then the struggle stopped.
Animals are the same You have to be the boss and never letting him win. If he learns that you give up after 10 min, he will continue until you do and it will be harder the next time..

I am super slow whenever I put my hand in his cage and he seems so happy to see it, until it gets too close. He was like this from the beginning, but now he is more than happy to step up or be on us OUT of the cage.

Then stop just befoe it gets too close, he probably feels you invade his space. Have him step up from where your hand is.

Yes I'm ok with the budgie snuggles, just wanted to make sure it won't affect him bonding with a new budgie as we are planning on introducing one!

Shouldn't be an issue

 

[Miss_sj]

Thank you!!! I'll keep working with him. Now that he seems comfortable we are really getting to know him. Such a big personality for a tiny body!

 

[Lady Jane]

Cant he get back in his cage by himself?

 

[Miss_sj]

Yes! He can! He knows the way. If my boyfriend is with Flynn (and I'm not there), Flynn goes back into the cage by himself when he wants to. He videoed it to prove it. If I'm with him, he wants me to put him in by hand and just bites and gets angry when he wants in. He actually resists me from putting him down/asking him to step up- he always chooses where he wants to be. So, if he decided he wants to sit on my shoulder/hand he flies there and if I try to put him on the play gym, he just repeatedly flies back. Same if he is on play gym and I ask him to step up- he won't, or at the very least makes it clear he is very annoyed. He started this just a few days ago, and isn't this persistent with my boyfriend.

 

[Miss_sj]

Only 3 weeks ago I had just bought him home and it felt like I'd never earn his trust! He just had a nap perched on my finger. A little awkward in the position I was sitting but I would never disturb my little boy ha ha

I've tried putting him directly near his cage regularly before he gets so angry and he's been popping back in! No biting!

 

[Dona]

He just had a nap perched on my finger. A little awkward in the position I was sitting but I would never disturb my little boy ha ha

LOL, I've definitely frozen in a terrible position for many babies and birds.

 

[Miss_sj]

LOL, I've definitely frozen in a terrible position for many babies and birds.

The things we do!! Our birds live like royalty!

 

[JoJo&Loki]

This is so true! We just can’t predict what they’re going to do. It doesn’t matter how many different ways I imagine it’s going to go in my head beforehand... I always end up in some weird, twisted, uncomfortable position. And I hold it...and hold it some more... I just can’t break a “bonding” moment! I’ve been thinking to start practicing yoga to be better prepared for downward one leg bent arm budgie tree pose

 

[Fergus Mom]

Gosh @Miss_sj are you positive he's only 11 weeks old?
It almost sounds to me like hormonal behavior, as if he has picked you for his mate and doesn't wish to leave you. Would explain why your bf has no problem putting him back too.

He sounds like quite the character! I can't help but think of the three F muskateers now... Flynn, Fergus, Fiona... ha ha, I bet they would all get quite a kick out of each other.

 

[Miss_sj]

Gosh @Miss_sj are you positive he's only 11 weeks old?
It almost sounds to me like hormonal behavior, as if he has picked you for his mate and doesn't wish to leave you. Would explain why your bf has no problem putting him back too.

He sounds like quite the character! I can't help but think of the three F muskateers now... Flynn, Fergus, Fiona... ha ha, I bet they would all get quite a kick out of each other.

Well he hasn't molted yet and he still has all his little baby bars. The breeder I got him from seemed wonderful and there was only 1 other baby, the parents were both there so I think he knew the age. Maybe he could be slightly older but not much I don't think? Initially my boyfriend was a clear favourite but he seemed to switch.

He's such a character- every day he surprises me with a new thing! I can't wait to introduce him to a new budgie it will be interesting to see!

 

[Miss_sj]

This is so true! We just can’t predict what they’re going to do. It doesn’t matter how many different ways I imagine it’s going to go in my head beforehand... I always end up in some weird, twisted, uncomfortable position. And I hold it...and hold it some more... I just can’t break a “bonding” moment! I’ve been thinking to start practicing yoga to be better prepared for downward one leg bent arm budgie tree pose

I've been doing some home workouts while I can't go to the gym with my sore hand, squats and lunges. Flynn always watches and looks at me like I'm crazy with his head tilted- yesterday he flew to me and I did some of my workout with him perched on my shoulder

 

[Lori D Pert]

Sounds like he has bonded to you. That's great but don't put up with unacceptable behavior. A female budgie would not tolerate this. I wonder how hard his bites are? Do they actually cause you pain? A budgie who thinks of you as his friend will nibble on you and at times be a wee bit harsh with the beak. Does he truly bite down? If so then a firm "no" and set him down is the best answer. If he is looking for free transport to his cage then don't give him that. Set him down where he is.

 

[Miss_sj]

Sounds like he has bonded to you. That's great but don't put up with unacceptable behavior. A female budgie would not tolerate this. I wonder how hard his bites are? Do they actually cause you pain? A budgie who thinks of you as his friend will nibble on you and at times be a wee bit harsh with the beak. Does he truly bite down? If so then a firm "no" and set him down is the best answer. If he is looking for free transport to his cage then don't give him that. Set him down where he is.

His bites don't hurt, but they are definitely angry/snappy bites as opposed to when he is happy and playing, when he does nibble a lot. Should I leave the room when I set him down so he can't see me for a few minutes? Otherwise he just keeps flying back and it turns into a game for him. I went out for the day and left him home with my boyfriend today and he behaving much more reasonably! Maybe he has just worked out I'm a pushover

 

[Lori D Pert]

yes, leaving the room is worth a try. right now as I type this my budgie Sam is crawling under my hands. this is his new game...lol

 

[Miss_sj]

Also- I went into a pet shop yesterday just because I was wandering around. A lady saw me looking at bird toys and asked me if I had a bird, as she was going to get one, and I passed on lots of the info I've learned fron reading these forums just as well, because the staff were giving pretty crap advice (no, they don't need to come out of their cage, you should grab them each day and handle them as much as possible when they are babies so they will be tame..)

What was really sad though there was one lone cockatiel in a far too small cage, terrified, with lots of people around these shops should be regulated.

 

[Gribouille]

these shops should be regulated.

Exactly! Where I live they only have a few animals: fish, birds, hamster and rats are the most usual but it is more and more common that they have a room separated from the shop and only serious buyers are allowed to go in, so the animals don't have the stress of crazy children jumping and shrieking at them. Pet shops are (should be) mostly for buying pet food, housing and care, less and less people want to buy animals there, breeders are the thing, the animals are better cared for and they can give better advices too

 

[Fergus Mom]

His bites don't hurt, but they are definitely angry/snappy bites as opposed to when he is happy and playing, when he does nibble a lot. Should I leave the room when I set him down so he can't see me for a few minutes? Otherwise he just keeps flying back and it turns into a game for him. I went out for the day and left him home with my boyfriend today and he behaving much more reasonably! Maybe he has just worked out I'm a pushover

Your description of the biting reminds me of the phenomenon that I have heard about and actually witnessed, with dogs, that some refer to as 'corn-cob nibbling/biting'... it's like the dog gets so super excited the nibbling is an involuntary reaction, and in the case where I witnessed it with my own dog, he had just come back from being boarded, and was super excited to see me! Since I don't have the experience with birds that I do dogs, I have no clue what it might mean with a budgie, but it sounds reasonable to me to think it is excited baby love bites! Being that young, he is just super excited to be with "Mama" (you) and can't contain himself.