# Chewing



## LBowman (Jul 12, 2013)

Hi I joined the forum with my first budgie, Billy. Unfortunately he was only with us for 3 years. He loved being outside talking with the other birds but one of them attacked him through the cage. Enough of that, only to say we didn't have this problem before.
My daughter thought she was doing the right thing and bought me another bird which has a different personality altogether! We named him Lucky.
My grandkids love him and get him out of the cage a lot. He loves flying around, sitting on our heads, shoulders, furniture. Only problem is that he constantly chews everything. His favourite is the cover of my ipad. We try to deter him and he just persists. Now he is trying to taste everything on our plates if left out at meal times. He has cuttlefish in his cage and a extra gum tree branch to chew. Is he lacking something in his diet or does he just know it aggravates us?(lol)
Would love some tips
Linda


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## sweettreat (Jan 3, 2014)

I too have a chewer. One thing I have tried is to give as many chewing shredding toys as possible.

A wooden ladder, cuttle bone shredding toys and even brown butchers paper make good things to chew. A mineral block also helps. I put the butcher paper between the bottom tray of the cage and the grate. The paper is on top of the paper to catch droppings. She like the challenge of grabbing the butchers paper between the bottom grate. I hope that makes sense.

The ladder's rungs get chewed but havn't gone all the way through. A swing with a dowel will give chewing as well as swinging sensation.
Having a excessive chewer can be a challenge. Hope this helps.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Are you sure Lucky is a boy? Not that it matters, but my girls are much more into chewing and shredding than my boys. I give them kabobs and they tear them up quite quickly. Here is a link to what I am referring to
https://www.amazon.com/Wesco-Origin...1548171908&sprefix=wesco+kabob,aps,170&sr=8-2


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## PoukieBear (Sep 27, 2013)

More shredding toys is definitely a good idea.
I have a female who will shred anything and everything if left unattended. I've lost many notepads, cookbooks, bamboo blinds, magazines....jeesh, you'd think I'd learn by now not to leave stuff out!


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

Instead of deterring the chewing, have something your bird is allowed to chew and present that instead. If you're on your ipad and Lucky starts nibbling, hold a bird kebab, balsa wood piece, paper, etc, in your hand near the ipad and let Lucky chew away while still being with you. Chewing is never bad behavior, and never done out of spite. It's basic need for some birds, as much as food and water.  My bird loves to chew book pages while I read and I've learned that I'd rather have books show that both me and my bird enjoyed them together, lol.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You've received excellent advice.

I would also recommend you put Lucky into his cage at mealtime. 
It isn't good for him to sample your meals and could also be dangerous if he were to fall into a hot dish.*


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