You may have seen your parakeet portraying a character of hate towards you, and you are wondering what the cause is and how to curb the situation. This article covers these questions: Why does my parakeet hate me? What are the signs that a parakeet hates you? What to do if your parakeet hates you? and more.
Your parakeet may hate you due to the following ten reasons:
1. Strangeness
Parakeets are tiny birds and can sometimes be scared of human beings because they do not know whether you are an ally or a predator. Usually, this happens when the parakeet has never interacted with human beings. Therefore, the parakeet will portray the character of resentment and sometimes loudly squawk whenever you are around their cage.
2. Trauma
A parakeet may be traumatized by an action that you took, especially when it was too harsh for it to take. This can happen when you harshly punish it when it makes a mistake. Sometimes, you may buy a parakeet that was previously experiencing trauma from its initial owners, creating deep hatred towards you. In this scenario, it is best to have an avian vet’s advice on what is best for your parakeet to return the trust.
3. Introverted Nature
Mainly, parakeets with introverted personalities are usually moody towards their owners, and when you keep on pursuing them, they become very distant and develop hatred towards you. Some parakeets are unsocial and hate being petted by humans. In this case, giving your parakeet some space is best before introducing another bird and other techniques for pursuing them.
4. Mistrust
Your parakeet may hate you when it does not trust you completely. Mistrust develops when you fail to spend quality time with your parakeet and perceive yourself as a stranger. Also, when you consistently approach it violently, it becomes scary, increasing mistrust.
5. Ill Health
A sick parakeet can sometimes be aggressive toward you. They usually put their pain on you through their aggressive behavior. In most cases, an ill parakeet is trying to communicate its pain through weird ways like biting, loudly squawking when it sees you, grinding its beak, etc. You can have an avian vet check on the bird to begin medication immediately since these bird species are prone to hiding their illness unless it becomes severe.
6. Triggered Behavior
Parakeets are demanding and susceptible birds with very different preferences from humans. Sometimes, a parakeet can hate on you due to certain clothes that you are wearing or holding. Also, if they see predators around them, like cats and dogs, it is likely that they will associate them with their enemies and, hence, hate them even more.
7. It Is Scared of You
If you are violent, your parakeet will likely be scared and eventually hate you. Parakeets are very social and friendly creatures that expect the same from their owners and caretakers. Nonetheless, when you harshly approach a new parakeet, like banging objects, shaking its cage, shouting, and being noisy, your bird will likely associate you with violence and distance itself from you.
8. Failure to Spend Quality Time Together
Since parakeets are lovey birds that love being petted by their owners, they are likely to hate you when you fail to spend quality time with them. Parakeets enjoy playing with their owners and sometimes have some training that will stimulate their minds. When you distance yourself from your parakeet, you will likely lose the bond, creating hatred.
9. Unfriendly Environment
A parakeet that is in an unfriendly environment is usually stressed and unhappy. A dirty environment with few toys and loud noises makes parakeets uncomfortable. Therefore, your parakeets will hate you for making them live in an unpleasant environment, and they can sometimes fall sick or even commit suicide.
10. Lonely
A lonely parakeet will hate you due to the emptiness it feels. This loneliness occurs when it does not have another partner in its cage to keep it company. Parakeets usually prefer the company of their flock more than that of humans. Therefore, you can gradually introduce another parakeet for companionship.
What Are the Signs That Your Parakeet Hates You?
A parakeet that hates you will portray the following four signs:
1. Biting You More Often
A parakeet that doesn’t like you will keep biting you, especially when you put your hand in its cage. Giving it food on your hand painfully bites you, and it can sometimes fail to eat. This shows your parakeet is uncomfortable around you and does not trust you.
2. Fluffing Its Feathers
Parakeets fluff their feathers to show their superiority, especially when seeing an enemy. This always indicates that they are ready for war. Similarly, fluffing up their feathers is always accompanied by flapping their wings.
3. Loud Squawks
Parakeets are usually less vocal when they are comfortable with you. Nevertheless, when they hate you, they are likely to squeal loudly when you approach their cage. This indicates that they fear you and do not want your presence.
4. Flying Away When You Approach Them
They hate you if you notice your parakeets flying away from you when you approach their cage. Flying away is one of their ways of protecting themselves, especially the female parakeets, since they are less aggressive.
What to Do If Your Parakeet Hates You
If you want to get your parakeet to like you, consider using these seven tips:
1. Give your parakeet some space by being distant for a while.
2. Offering its favorite treat. Ensure it’s healthy to avoid exposing them to ill health effects.
3. Be calm around your parakeets.
4. Regular checkups by a professional avian vet.
5. Spend quality time with your parakeet.
6. Familiarize yourself with your parakeet by gently introducing your hand to its cage to perch on.
7. Avoid things that trigger aggressiveness, such as certain clothes, perfumes, etc.
How Do I Bond with My Parakeet?
Gaining a parakeet’s trust is very simple, especially when you want to form a strong bond with it. Below are nine steps on how to bond with a parakeet:
1. Offer a welcoming environment.
2. Use soft speech when talking to your parakeet.
3. Be gentle enough when approaching its cage.
5. Introduce your hand gradually into its cage.
6. Offer your favorite treat by putting the treat on your hand.
7. Spend quality time with your parakeet, playing, training it, and helping it exercise.
8. Be patient with your parakeet.
9. Be consistent in making your parakeet grow fond of you.
How Do You Know Your Bird Trusts You?
Here are five signs your bird trusts you:
1. It wants to spend quality time with you.
2. Perches on your body without fear.
3. Preens in your presence.
4. Regurgitates on your body.
5. It vocally communicates with you.
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