Why does my budgie keep knocking over its food bowl? How to stop it?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bad Missy! Some kittens love to play with water! I would put the bowl in something to prevent it from tipping over. You can get adhesive to hold the bowel down as well. They do make non-spill bowls. None of this will stop her from dipping her paws in to it, so you a large water proof mat for your floor. She will grow out of this. I would add some interactive toys and get a laser pointer to play with her. Sometimes boredom comes in to play with these kind of behaviors. Good luck!

You can secure the food dish to the cage so she can't tip it over. Shouldn't be hard to do. Sometimes they will sit at the bottom of the cage and that would be normal. If it becomes excessive she could be sick, in which case, she needs to see a vet. I suggest you put more toys and things in the cage for her to do and play with. She sounds bored. Also, an all seed diet is not recommended for any bird. I suggest you try to switch her over to Lafeber's Nutriberries or AviCakes. There is a lot of good information on their website. ( https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/species/lovebird/ )

You can try changing the water bowl type to see if it encourages her to drink. Some birds also like drip waterers (that would be similar to using the paintbrush, only she could do it on her own), or even waters that have a sort of sieve that can be drank from rather than a dish. Peruse the [bird waterers](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/bird/waterers-and-feeders-for-birds) offered on the Petco website. You may be able to find something to use instead fo the brush.

It is not uncommon for birds to chew at one particular spot on a perch. It looks like you have a number of wooden dowel perches in the cage - you could try to vary these by providing Manzanita wood perches (they look more like branches) and this may provide them with some areas that they can clean their beaks and wear their nails as well. For your question about the food dishes - it is very common for birds to only utilize materials (including food, water, toys, and perches) that are at the top of their cage. The reason for this is that they typically live in the trees, so they like to be high up the majority of the time. I would advise removing the dishes that are down low, and only providing dishes high in the cage. You can still provide multiple dishes if desired, in case you have some competition for food among the birds in the family. I hope that answers your questions, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

There are several reasons cats like to "knock over water dishes" or play in their water bowls, including (1) it's fun - they enjoy splashing the water and making it move, seeing the reflective surface, (2) they prefer to drink from a moving water source (because moving water is more aerated and generally tastes better/fresher), (3) the bowl isn't to their liking - too big, too small, too deep, etc., so they splash water out and drink from the floor, (4) you give them fresh water whenever they knock the dish over so they have learned that this a successful method of getting your attention. Some things you can do include: (1) purchase a water fountain for cats (water moves continuosly); (2) get a heavy cermic bowl or a bowl with a wider base than top, (3) put a placement or plastic tray under the bowl, (4) offer more shiny, sparkly toys, like Mylar balls, to catch your cat's attention, (5) changed the water at least twice per day so your cat doesn't need to ask you for clean water.

I am sorry to hear about Tacoma! This sounds very frustrating but likely is just playful behavior that she enjoys. I would consider getting a drinking fountain (there are a variety of options out there, here is one example: VIP-_-92700027187667238&kwid=p27187667238&device=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwprbPBRCHARIsAF_7gDZb6i7jNAiD_JnordFjYzNc9esC_Zf8j5_rWnASopxsGeJuDUBT2IsaAnWfEALw_wcB) as they are difficult to tip over and many cats find them enjoyable. I would also consider some toys or a climbing tower for enrichment to try to provide Tacoma with something else to play with! You can try to find something that dispenses food or treats if that is more enticing, such as this one:

It make be that Shakespear is bored and just trying to find ways to entertain himself. If he can't be let out, giving him some fun puzzle toys to play with and keep him occupied, or even adding in a cage-top playpen can help him stretch his wings safely. If he's getting hurt trying to get to his food, moving his food dish to an easier to reach area can help him safely get to it without causing injury.