Bird Chewing: How to Stop My Parrot From Chewing Everything

Have you ever been told to chew with your mouth closed? Unfortunately, telling your bird to chew in an appropriate manner probably won't make a difference.

Living with a bird means that you have to live with his instinctual behavior. Chewing is considered to be a normal, instinctual behavior in birds, and this is a behavior seen in the wild as well as captivity. It is a natural way for a bird to explore his surroundings and satisfy his innate curiosity. Besides allowing for mental stimulation, chewing also maintains his beak and allows it to grow properly. It would be physically and psychologically detrimental, and likely futile, to try to teach a parrot not to chew. Lots of enthusiastic chewing is considered to be a sign of a healthy, happy parrot.

If you are having troubles with your bird chewing on things that he isn't supposed to, realize that you are in a situation that requires management and redirection, rather than discipline. Once a bird has found a texture that he enjoys to chew, it can be very difficult to get him to stop. The easiest way to prevent your bird from chewing on household and personal items is to keep your bird away from those items and redirect his attention to items that he is allowed to chew up.

Provide Plenty of Parrot Toys

Toys will keep your bird occupied for hours and prevent him from thinking that your curtains are his chew toy. There are a variety of different toys that you can choose from, and it's always a good idea to keep several options on hand. Cuttlebone is a great option because it offers minerals and keeps the beak trimmed and sharp, while chew toys condition and exercise your bird's beak. Some great chew toy options are the Parrot Piñata, Foraging Basket, and Parrot Dice. Your bird will have so much fun with these toys that he won't even think about touching your curtains.

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