Why is my new bird biting me and hiding in its cage? Is it stressed?

It sounds like your bird may not be comfortable yet with being handled around the cage. Stress and feeling unsafe can cause a bird to lash out, and it may be that they feel you are intruding on their space or are going to harm them when you get close. Taking some time to bond while your bird is in its cage may help. If he or she has a favorite treat, begin by offering it every time you approach the cage, and only at these times. This will help your bird start to associate your arrival with good things, rather than scary. Once used to you just tossing in a treat every time you come by, you can then move on to opening the cage and offering the treat from your hand, petting your bird, etc. If they become too scared, try to bite, or seem very stressed out, move back to the previous step that worked and try again from there. Making sure the cage itself is kept in a stress-free and quiet environment where other pets, people, etc can't bother it can also help reduce stress and make the space more comfortable and relaxing. Bonding does take time, and it may take days, weeks or even months on each step to build that trust! Be patient, and try not to be discouraged if you don't see immediate changes.

Biting can happen if Bright is feeling stressed or scared, or just isn't tame enough yet to be handled. If she lives with other birds, it could be she is more bonded to them so may not bond with you as closely. A good start is to offer her favorite treat every time you approach the cage, by tossing it inside. Once she is more used to you coming by, you can then start to offer it from your hand, and then continue working on taming her from there. If at any time she becomes stressed out or bites, taking a break to let her relax and trying again later can help. It can take time for a bird to get used to their owner, so patience is key. Making sure Bright isn't too stressed out from her cagemates, and that she has plenty of fresh food, water, and toys to play with can help as well.

Thanks for reaching out about Sky. Despite what many people may think, birds are not supposed to bite readily. They come to learn to bite when the other forms of their body language are not seen/listened to by others, including owners (and veterinarians!). I would recommend looking at Sky's body language and your actions in situations - both before she tries to bite and when she is trying to bite. You may see that Sky tries to move away, or leans away, prior to trying to bite. It may be that Sky has not had any good or non-frightening experiences with humans yet so she doesn't know how friendly you are trying to be. I would recommend moving very slowly, and using food items that Sky likes to eat to help start to form a bond with her. When you start to move towards Sky, and there are no signs of avoidance (see above), then she gets a treat that she really likes. If she shows any signs of avoidance, then you just move away - you leaving may be her reward, and that is okay because you haven't pushed her so much that she feels like she needs to be desperate enough to bite. For training, you may want to start by asking her to step up using a stick or wooden dowel instead of your finger. This will be more safe for you, and may be more comfortable for Sky initially as well. There are videos online that give training tips as well - I would recommend searching for positive reinforcement videos as these tend to be very successful for birds. I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck with Sky!

Birds can sometimes bite or nibble if they're exploring something, and may also bite if they are feeling stressed out or unsafe in the situation. If Cheeya is just nibbling or exploring, she may just be checking out her environment. Adding in some new toys, offering her a treat or moving her to something safe she can chew on may help with this behavior. If she's biting aggressively, it may be she isn't feeling safe in the situation or is overstimulated. Giving her some time to calm down and relax in her cage or another quiet area, and then trying to interact again can help her settle down. If she does get rowdy, the time out can also let her know that the fun stops when she gets too naughty.

Coco might be a bit stressed out still since you just acquired him. Giving him a few days to relax and get used to his new surroundings before interacting too much may help him settle in without trying to bite you. From there, you can start to offer him some favorite treats every time you visit/interact to help gain his trust. If he becomes too nervous or bites, giving him a break to calm down and relax before trying again is best.

I'm sorry to hear about ZaZu's biting! I'm attaching a few articles about biting in birds that may be helpful for you. If you can't spend a lot of time with him during the day, I also recommend adding in some enriching toys such as puzzle toys filled with treats, things that can be chewed on, or items that allow him to preen or play, to help redirect this energy (and biting behavior) onto appropriate objects. https://www.petcoach.co/article/bird-biting-why-they-do-it-and-how-to-correct-it/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/causes-of-behavior-problems-in-birds-and-possible-solutions/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-hidden-benefits-of-toys-for-your-pet-bird/

It may be a simple preference. Some pets, birds included, have their favorites. You can try to gain her trust gradually, but be prepared for rejection. Start by simply sitting by the cage for ever increasing periods of time. Progress to placing you hand in the cage for ever increasing periods of time. Make no attempt to touch or hold her. End each session with a small reward or treat. Be patient and be consistent. If it makes you feel better, I have a parrot close to 30 years old that I have cared for since she was a chick. She will bite me any chance she gets. It's not just you.