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signs your budgies doesn't like you

How To Tell If Your Budgies Doesn’t Like You

Budgies are transparent regarding their emotional state and how they feel about others.

Happy budgies trill, sing, whistle, and interact with humans. A budgie that wants nothing to do with you will fall silent, hide, turn its back on you, or even bite your fingers.

Before you question how you’ve upset your budgie, realize that budgies are fear-driven creatures. If your budgie has been in your home for less than two weeks, it’s likely still adapting to its new living environment.

If your budgie is an established family member, but its behavior has changed, you may have upset it by doing something it disliked, such as removing a toy or showing favor to another pet.

So, you should seek to rectify this problem and repair the relationship, as budgies have impressive memories and can hold a grudge for a long time.

Signs Your Budgie Doesn’t Like You

Budgies are clever birds that can form strong, lasting bonds with their human owners.

If you treat a budgie well, this will be reflected in the way the budgie reacts when it sees you.

If your budgie shows signs of fear or distrust around you, something is amiss in the relationship. So, be mindful of the following warning signs that a budgie doesn’t welcome your presence:

Aggression

Aggressive behavior, such as biting, is the easiest way to tell if a budgie dislikes you.

Before assuming that the budgie hates you, consider your behavior. Are you giving the budgie any cause to question its safety, such as unexpectedly putting your hands in its cage to grab it from behind?

In addition, budgies can be territorial. If you remove a favorite toy from a cage for cleaning, a budgie may consider it necessary to defend its home.

Sometimes a budgie will attack for no conceivable reason. Something is amiss if your budgie immediately makes a beeline for your hands, pecking and biting when you change a food bowl or water dish.

Hiding from You

A budgie may hide when it sees or hears you enter a room.

In some cases, this involves flying to a corner of the cage and making itself as small as possible. In others, the budgie may hide in plain sight and turn its back on you.

If the budgie actively hides, especially if it remains silent, it’s afraid and hopes you’ll not notice it. In this instance, walk away and leave the budgie until it calms down.

If the budgie turns its back on you, it’s feeling annoyed. Thankfully, this is usually a temporary problem. Unlike fear, anger can be overcome by sharing some tasty treats.

Squawking and Screaming

Although a scared budgie may be silent, a budgie that wants nothing to do with you may squawk, scream, and fly around its cage.

The budgie will also likely puff its feathers and may hiss when you approach.

These are unmistakable body language cues and verbal expressions, as the budgie makes itself look as intimidating as possible, aiming to drive you away from its cage.

It’s advisable to return later when the budgie is more amenable to your presence.

Why Does My Budgie Not Like Me Anymore?

Members of the parrot family are complex animals with unique needs.

According to Society & Animals, not everybody understands how to please birds. You may have inadvertently frightened or angered your budgie through an act or omission, so it’s unhappy with you.

Before you ponder your budgie’s change in demeanor, consider how it acts around others. If the budgie always behaves erratically, seek veterinary advice, as it may be sick or injured.

If your budgie is OK around others but shows distaste for you, the problem is personal. In this instance, think about what you could have done to offend or upset your budgie.

why does my budgie not like me anymore?

Excessive Handling

If you betray a budgie’s trust, it won’t show you any affection.

There’s no faster way to violate a budgie’s faith than with unwanted handling. Some budgies fear human hands and would rather avoid being picked up.

Your budgie may be cute but avoid the temptation to pick the bird up and cuddle it tightly, as it won’t understand that this is a sign of fondness. Unfortunately, it’ll just feel afraid.

Never pick up a budgie unexpectedly from behind. In these instances, wait for the budgie to jump into your hands or use stick training.

Fear Triggers

Your presence may be triggering fears in budgies, possibly through no fault of your own. If your budgie seems afraid of you, ask yourself if any of these common fears could be associated with you:

  • The scent of predators (cats and dogs) on your clothes.
  • Strong smells that your budgie struggles to tolerate.
  • Loud noises, such as shouting or a booming voice.
  • Bright or garish clothing in a color scheme that the budgie dislikes.

Equally, you may be unfortunate enough to remind the budgie of somebody that frightened or mistreated it in the past.

As an experiment, try changing your hairstyle, clothes, or not wearing perfume/cologne.

Erratic and Unreliable Schedule

Budgies are social animals that dislike being left alone for long periods.

Solitude makes budgies grumpy and resentful. The budgie doesn’t need to be outside the cage and by your side 24/7. Just being in the same room, seeing and hearing you, is fine.

If you keep an erratic or unreliable schedule, your budgie will not get to see much of you. This will be reflected in your relationship, as your budgie will lose trust in you and react accordingly.

Jealousy

Budgies experience complex emotions, including jealousy.

If you add a second pet to your home, especially a new budgie, be mindful of how you divide your attention. It’ll grow upset if it thinks you’re showing more affection to a new arrival.

If necessary, join forces with a second person and attend to both budgies at once. Neither bird will feel like the other is receiving priority treatment regarding food, toys, or attention.

Keep this up until the budgies have bonded for the sake of a harmonious home.

Scolding Behavior

When raising budgies, you must abide by the popular rule of pet ownership – praise when your budgie acts desirably and ignore unwanted actions.

Budgies may sometimes act in ways that upset you, as they can be destructive, poop everywhere, and sometimes get territorial. These are natural behaviors for a budgie.

If you scold the budgie, it may be left wondering what it did wrong. In addition, raising your voice will frighten a budgie, potentially causing an unwelcome long-term association.

How To Get a Budgie To Trust You

Regaining the trust of a budgie takes time, so you’ll need to be patient. It could be several months before a budgie overcomes its fear or distaste for you.

It remains possible to repair the relationship if you follow these steps:

  1. Keep your distance from your budgie’s cage, only approaching when necessary, but ensure that it knows you’re in the room.
  2. Speak softly and frequently so that your budgie gets used to the sound of your voice.
  3. Periodically offer your budgie treats.
  4. Stick train your budgie, so it understands that you won’t handle it unnecessarily.
  5. Play with your budgie – on its terms, and when invited to do so – when your budgie is exercising.

This process will take time, and you may need to take a step backward to take a step forward.

Equally, some budgies are frightened by everything and will never take to for reasons you can’t control. In most instances, these actions will help you bond with your budgie.