HOW CAN I STOP MY BIRD FROM BITING ME? Most parrot-like birds do bite from time to time. Biting can be caused by the bird being over-excited, nervous or aggressive. The more biting occurs, the more the bird learns that it seems to work, and so the more the bird bites! The thing to remember is that it is best to avoid situations which appear to stimulate biting in the first place. If the bird is not trained in basic obedience, this training must be started first. (See later FAQ) Often this training process, itself, results in biting ceasing to be a problem. On no account should you ever reprimand or punish a bird in any way for any "bad" behaviour. Such a reaction shows the bird that you are excited, so it will get even more excited and bite again.

Once a bird is properly trained, if it ever bites you so hard that it actually hurts, you should put the bird down on the nearest perch (a chair back is fine), leave the room immediately and close the door behind you. Stay out for about three or four minutes. On no account should any bird ever be put back in its cage following a bite. This (logically) will only make it difficult for your to get the bird to return to its cage on future occasions. The cage should never be seen as, or used as, any form of punishment. Punishment is counter-productive. It causes more problems than it solves, generally resulting in either agggression or nervousness.