# How do I tame an aggressive and stubborn budgie



## HanPan

I have a single budgie I bought from petsmart and from the day I got him he's always been aggressive and bites. He doesn't like to be touched and even when I go to have him perch on my fingers (he does know how to perch) he bites. I've tried ignoring the biting, gently blowing air on him, using gloves, etc. I've had him for nearly a year and I'm kinda giving up on him and it's upsetting cause I really do want to be able to play with him but he's so skittish and mean. He doesn't like coming out of his cage either I take him out and he either flies back to his cage and sits on it or if I leave the cage door open he flies back in. I thought maybe if I got him a bigger cage I could get him a companion because he was in a very large glass cage with dozens of other budgies so I thought he'd like a friend but with how aggressive and bitey he is I don't know if it'd be safe to place a single other budgie with him. Please help!


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## shanebudgie

Greetings Hannah ,I'm sorry you're having trouble with your budgie.you said you had him for a year now.have you tried the millet seed trick?where you slowly hold a piece of millet spray branch close but not to close.sometimes that might encourage him to bond with you.there are so many wonderful techniques here from our stickies on training .another is gentle talking for 10m each time.I'm sure some of our wonderful folks here can help you.sometimes a budgie might be the aggressive type ,but I think in time with the right knowledge from this wonderful forum.you,'ll have success.blessings and I wish you good luck.sorry I couldn't be much help.as I'm in the training process myself with my budgie.:green pied:


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## Nadley

I had a budgie named Tweety who was aggressive and territorial when I first rescued her. Ignoring the biting worked for Tweety, but it sounds like you tried that and your budgie still bites. Have you tried training him to step up on a perch instead of your hand? My parents and brother have a conure who bites and my mom has him step up on a wooden spoon handle if she needs to get him in or out of the cage. I am currently trying to train a new rescue (Connie )who doesn't bite but is afraid of hands, and am loosely following this training method involving stepping up on a perch.

Do you think your budgie might be biting because he feels you are invading his territory? You mentioned you are thinking of getting a new cage. Maybe new surroundings would help if he is being territorial. I think it helped Tweety's behavior when I got her a new cage.


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## Wiki

Do you have a mirror in the cage, or a toy that your bird seems to sit near all the time? Sometimes this sort of fixation is the bird substituting a toy for a flock, and so they always want to be with that object in their cage.

For a bird who is overly territorial about their cage, sometimes rearranging their furniture is enough to snap them out of it. A good cage clean, move the perches around and change the toys to reduce the fixations.


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## HanPan

Yes he has a mirror right by his perch and always stands by it and is the only toy he really places with I will try re arranging it!

Thanks! I haven't tried that, and ya my frustration with it was the reason I came here I figured people who are more knowledgeable about birds than me would be able to help


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## StarlingWings

Hi Hannah!

You've been given great advice so far  Ann Marie was completely correct in being concerned about a mirror. Mirrors, especially when given to solo budgies, can cause aggressive, withdrawn, moody and antisocial behaviour as the bird only wants to spend time with the "other budgie" in the mirror and becomes frustrated at the lack of reciprocation it receives. I would take the mirror out right away so he can begin to explore his other toys and look for companionship in you instead of the "other budgie". 

He may sulk for a bit but that is normal, it is much more beneficial to both of you to remove the mirror for his mental and emotional health :thumbsup:


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## HanPan

That's a nice guide I'll try it! Maybe re approaching the perching process like this will help him get used to my hand properly 



StarlingWings said:


> Hi Hannah!
> 
> You've been given great advice so far
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ann Marie was completely correct in being concerned about a mirror. Mirrors, especially when given to solo budgies, can cause aggressive, withdrawn, moody and antisocial behaviour as the bird only wants to spend time with the "other budgie" in the mirror and becomes frustrated at the lack of reciprocation it receives. I would take the mirror out right away so he can begin to explore his other toys and look for companionship in you instead of the "other budgie".
> 
> He may sulk for a bit but that is normal, it is much more beneficial to both of you to remove the mirror for his mental and emotional health


I didn't know mirrors did that to them!! Thank you for the advice I'll remove it 



HanPan said:


> I didn't know mirrors did that to them!! Thank you for the advice I'll remove it


Good luck, I hope he finds a new best friend in you, after his other "friend" leaves


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## Apesoldi

Wiki said:


> Do you have a mirror in the cage, or a toy that your bird seems to sit near all the time? Sometimes this sort of fixation is the bird substituting a toy for a flock, and so they always want to be with that object in their cage.
> 
> For a bird who is overly territorial about their cage, sometimes rearranging their furniture is enough to snap them out of it. A good cage clean, move the perches around and change the toys to reduce the fixations.


I think my bird is doing this to her swing/beads on her swing. She starts her little sleepy sounds and like rubs lightly on the beads and starts grinding her beak? She also has started to become super aggressive with me. She bites every time I go near her no matter where she is in the cages should I remove the swing?


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