My Sparrow Pecks Me

[Borb]

I'm not sure if this belongs here, so please let me know if it should be moved or removed.

I took in a nestling house sparrow a few weeks ago, I think he's (unsure of sex) around 4 weeks old now and appears healthy. Usually he's pretty calm, but sometimes he'll just run at my hand and start really having a go at my finger, even breaking the skin. I'm not sure if it's true aggression or why he would be doing this, nor how to stop it.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Feather]

@CallieCadmoor has a sparrow and can maybe offer some insight.

 

[Zara]

@iamwhoiam may know more also...

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Hi! I must admit, Loki never pecked when she was small. However, as she's gotten older, she will peck if she's over tired, overwhelmed (basically me being a pest and wanting cuddles), territorial or angyy. She almost clicks her beak before she bites and dang, do those pecks hurt like heck.

Whenever Loki goes into crazy pecking, I normally remove her from my body and put her somewhere else (never the same place because I don't want her to associate anything negatively). She'll come back to me once she's calmed.

Is there anything specific that occurs at the same time as your babies pecks? Loud noises, on your phone, doing something with your hand?

 

[Borb]

He's never pecked anything but my hand, and only when it's somewhat close to him. My hand may be resting on my lap or I may be trying to get him on my finger to move him or going in for a pet (do birds like to be pet?). Honestly it could be over handling. It especially happens when he's hungry but obviously that's fixed with food.

Thanks for your input, appreciated.

 

[Ephy]

Wow! Another person with a sparrow!
We are far and few between

My Kiwi is a 6yr old male and he was sweet as pie before he turned 1 year.
We rescued him before he had really any feather growth at all and he bonded to us quite quickly.

He bites, often. We have just accepted it. He just doesn't really like hands but he will tolerate us quite a bit before actually biting hard.
Mostly of the time it is because i move my hands too close to him without warning him first. Or if he is feeling moody, hormonal or I've taken him away from places he knows he not suppose to get into around the house.

I always ask him to step up or say C'mon as i move my finger towards him.

If i have food in my hand, I say "have some" as i bring it towards him. This has also worked really well for getting him to try new foods. He is way more open to trying it if i say "have some" first.

I also try not to surprise him by suddenly moving my hands in his space while he is sleeping on me. Nobody wants to wake up with hands trying to touch them, so if you get this urge, dont do it! Thats loses trust instantly. He does not like to be pet at all. I can touch his toes and the tip of his tail, and give him a kiss on the left side of his body(only) but he is not fond if it, so i dont push it.

I'd love to hear more about your sparrow, whats he/her name? Is this your first sparrow? What do you feed him?
How did you come to find him?
Are you planning to release him?

Here a photo of my Kiwi helping my stay focused while working.

 

[Borb]

Aww, your Kiwi is a fine looking bird! How did you come to find him? Thanks for your insight, there really isn't that much info about these birds as pets.

My sparrow's name is Vaughn, yes he is my first sparrow but not my first time raising a baby. He's usually quite mellow, he likes to nestle into the palm of my hand and go to sleep. He's also quite a shoulder bird but seems to prefer my left shoulder for some reason. He loves to destroy things and his favourite toy is wooden toothpicks.

I'm thinking the pecking is just not wanting to be handled. As much as I like birds, my opinion is that they are kind of temperamental jerks!

My cat found him but thankfully did not actually hurt him. He was under a large hedge in my yard where a lot of sparrows as well as some blackbirds and spotted doves live. I put him back in the nest several times over the next few days until eventually it was evident he would die if I didn't take him in. I found him at night looking dead and very cold. I planned to release him but he imprinted so I can't. Four years ago I helped raise an Indian myna which now lives here and is bonded to my mum but wants to kill everyone else in the house, there's also four cats so not really ideal conditions but I keep him safe.

I feed a mix of high protein dry cat food, hand rearing mix, boiled egg, powdered egg shell, apple puree and water as well as several live mealworms a day. He's not weaned yet but picks at moistened crumbles and millet that I leave in the cage.

Here is some pictures of him!

 

[Feather]

@\iamwhoiam may know more also...

Of course! I knew I was forgetting someone.

All the sparrows on this thread are so cute! I'm a little surprised to hear they can break skin! I have a starling... similar care, but an entirely different bird. He's defensive of my keyboard and will sometimes jump my hand and land several rapidfire pecks and bites when he catches me using it, but even at its sharpest his beak feels about the same as being jabbed with a ballpoint pen.

As much as I like birds, my opinion is that they are kind of temperamental jerks!

That's where all the charm comes from! They're the absolute worst and I love them all the more for it.

 

[Borb]

His peck is not that painful, it's only broken skin twice similar to a minor papercut. I have starlings flock to my yard occasionally, they walk in a line foraging and then take off all at once, they're very pretty up close.

 

[CallieCadmoor]

He's never pecked anything but my hand, and only when it's somewhat close to him. My hand may be resting on my lap or I may be trying to get him on my finger to move him or going in for a pet (do birds like to be pet?). Honestly it could be over handling. It especially happens when he's hungry but obviously that's fixed with food.

Thanks for your input, appreciated.

Loki hates being pet. She's happy to sit in my hand but I can't pet her or scritch her like a my other birds. She will peck HARD

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Aww, your Kiwi is a fine looking bird! How did you come to find him? Thanks for your insight, there really isn't that much info about these birds as pets.

My sparrow's name is Vaughn, yes he is my first sparrow but not my first time raising a baby. He's usually quite mellow, he likes to nestle into the palm of my hand and go to sleep. He's also quite a shoulder bird but seems to prefer my left shoulder for some reason. He loves to destroy things and his favourite toy is wooden toothpicks.

I'm thinking the pecking is just not wanting to be handled. As much as I like birds, my opinion is that they are kind of temperamental jerks!

My cat found him but thankfully did not actually hurt him. He was under a large hedge in my yard where a lot of sparrows as well as some blackbirds and spotted doves live. I put him back in the nest several times over the next few days until eventually it was evident he would die if I didn't take him in. I found him at night looking dead and very cold. I planned to release him but he imprinted so I can't. Four years ago I helped raise an Indian myna which now lives here and is bonded to my mum but wants to kill everyone else in the house, there's also four cats so not really ideal conditions but I keep him safe.

I feed a mix of high protein dry cat food, hand rearing mix, boiled egg, powdered egg shell, apple puree and water as well as several live mealworms a day. He's not weaned yet but picks at moistened crumbles and millet that I leave in the cage.

Here is some pictures of him!
View attachment 366475 View attachment 366477

Do you live in South Africa by any chance? I mean, I'm sure there are tons of other places with those birds but they're my daily outdoor visitors

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Little Loki girl

 

[Borb]

Do you live in South Africa by any chance? I mean, I'm sure there are tons of other places with those birds but they're my daily outdoor visitors

Nope, Australia. They populate every continent but Antarctica.

 

[Borb]

Little Loki girl

Aww! <3

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Nope, Australia. They populate every continent but Antarctica.

I meant the combo of sparrows, doves, starlings and Indian Mynahs. But a southern hemisphere country makes sense as to the similarities.

 

[Borb]

Oh, sorry!

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Oh, sorry!

No stress! Sparrows really are everywhere and often times considered pests because they can destroy crops. Here in Southern Africa (and likely in other places), there's so many that there is a demand for roasted sparrows

 

[Borb]

No stress! Sparrows really are everywhere and often times considered pests because they can destroy crops. Here in Southern Africa (and likely in other places), there's so many that there is a demand for roasted sparrows

They're seen in much the same way here too, although I don't think anyone here is keen on roasted sparrow.

 

[Ephy]

Little Loki girl

Aww she is beautiful!
I'm sorry if i asked before and can't remember, but how old is she and what do you feed her? Im always looking to improve my Kiwi's nutrition and who better than other people with sparrows!

Thank

 

[Ephy]

Aww, your Kiwi is a fine looking bird! How did you come to find him? Thanks for your insight, there really isn't that much info about these birds as pets.

My sparrow's name is Vaughn, yes he is my first sparrow but not my first time raising a baby. He's usually quite mellow, he likes to nestle into the palm of my hand and go to sleep. He's also quite a shoulder bird but seems to prefer my left shoulder for some reason. He loves to destroy things and his favourite toy is wooden toothpicks.

I'm thinking the pecking is just not wanting to be handled. As much as I like birds, my opinion is that they are kind of temperamental jerks!

My cat found him but thankfully did not actually hurt him. He was under a large hedge in my yard where a lot of sparrows as well as some blackbirds and spotted doves live. I put him back in the nest several times over the next few days until eventually it was evident he would die if I didn't take him in. I found him at night looking dead and very cold. I planned to release him but he imprinted so I can't. Four years ago I helped raise an Indian myna which now lives here and is bonded to my mum but wants to kill everyone else in the house, there's also four cats so not really ideal conditions but I keep him safe.

I feed a mix of high protein dry cat food, hand rearing mix, boiled egg, powdered egg shell, apple puree and water as well as several live mealworms a day. He's not weaned yet but picks at moistened crumbles and millet that I leave in the cage.

Here is some pictures of him!
View attachment 366475 View attachment 366477

awww so adorable!