My parakeet and her chewing habits.

Question
I have a 1 year old parakeet named Tessa. I am her favorite person in the family. She seems to be afraid of most things, but there are some things that if i slowly move it towards her, she will get used to it. Or, if something is near her for long enough, she tolerates it. She also has a knack for chewing on things. she bites her cage, the curtains in the kitchen, a Ferris wheel toy we bought her, and she has totally destroyed our cactus in the kitchen by chewing on it. even now, she has begun to bite people. please help me diminish her biting and chewing habits. i need a way to teach her not to bite things. And why would she do this anyway? is it because she is afraid? does she do this to show that she is 'the boss'?

thank you for your time and effort, and please give as many useful tactics as possible. it would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Tessa is doing what she's programmed to do.  All psittacines (parrots) chew.  It not only keeps their beaks in shape, but it keeps their minds occupied, it introduces them to edible foods and it helps them customize their environment.

Researchers following flocks of big parrots in the wild often look on the jungle or forest floor in order to know where birds are nesting.  What are they looking for?  Scraps of wood from the birds chewing the trees.  

Tessa's caution about new things is also perfectly normal.  It's hard wired into her instincts, just like the chewing.  Birds don't usually get second chances in nature.  If something is a danger, it's possible it'll do them in the first time they encounter it.

This is why they are very, very cautious and whenever something bad happens to them, it takes a long, long time for them to forget it.  Sometimes they never do.

That's why I teach people to never try to 'discipline' a bird.  All it does is train the bird to be distrustful and fearful of the owner.  

What you can do is offer her other options to chew - soft wood, paper items and so on, but be sure they're bird safe.  Preferably from a bird or pet store, but you can get more ideas here


www.4AnimalCare.org/birds


Have fun!