Does NOT BITING Mean a Parrot Is Ok With You Touching or Stepping Up?

If a parrot doesn't bite when you touch it or try to make it step up, does that mean the bird is ok with it? While many parrots will bite or fly off if you do something that makes them uncomfortable, the absence of biting alone does not mean that the parrot is alright with the contact. A much better way is to teach the bird to participate in its own way to make it clear that it welcomes the handling. Use positive reinforcement to train a parrot to step up by itself, to let you handle, and more.

If a nervous/uncomfortable bird doesn't bite you when you make it step up or touch it, it doesn't mean it is enjoying or comfortable. Making the bird uncomfortable only hurts your relationship building and may lead to the bird being more resistant in the future. At best, the bird isn't enjoying the interaction. With the right approach, the bird can actually look forward to and enjoy contact instead.

In this video I have a Major Mitchell's Cockatoo also known as a Pink Cockatoo. Although he doesn't bite me, he isn't particularly enthusiastic trying to get onto my hand himself. For this reason, I don't make him do it. I continue gradually practicing the training using my training tools: Clicker, Target Stick, Handheld Perch, Training Perch.

Learn my complete approach to parrot training from The Parrot Wizard's Guide to Well-Behaved Parrots.

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