# trying to take food from my mouth



## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

Ok as the title says zippy tries to take food from my mouth 

I have zippy out more or less most of the day now , he only goes back in the cage for time outs or when I'm cooking or bedtime, Now during the day I will have a snack and zippy will have the crumbs or if it's something he particularly likes I will let him have a bit more . But more and more recently he has been coming right up to my mouth and trying to take food whilst I am trying to eat or he will start making that begging noise babies make ,

Zippy is well fed and has a good healthy varied diet and he gets a serious amount of attention and affection , 

I am getting a little bit worried that there might be something I am doing wrong to make him as I see it regress into using baby behavior

he round about 8-9 months old and quite a smart little man


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

My male cockatiel Tony does the same thing! He is about a year old. My female doesn't do that at all, but he loves to nibble on my lips and try to "feed" off of it. I try to discourage it. I am curious what others will say to this.


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## rashid100 (Oct 3, 2012)

haa haaa he seems to have a good bond with u... u can feed him some millet if he tries to eat out of ur mouth... maybe thatll distract him  i would not let him do that as human saliva is toxic to some birds...


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## Codyandme1 (Sep 14, 2011)

I would not let him eat anything out of your mouth, there is certain bacteria in our saliva that can cause upsets to their immune system. Also be sure that if he does tend to get hold of some of your food, that it doesn't contain any nasties, like salt, colours, preservatives, flavours or added iron. 
Although he seems to be bonding to you  and congratulations on your new bird!


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## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

He very rarely eats millet he has gone from loving it to turning his beak up at it lol

I do discourage him by moving him on to my shoulder that is when he starts making the awful noise,


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## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

Codyandme1 said:


> I would not let him eat anything out of your mouth, there is certain bacteria in our saliva that can cause upsets to their immune system. Also be sure that if he does tend to get hold of some of your food, that it doesn't contain any nasties, like salt, colours, preservatives, flavours or added iron.
> Although he seems to be bonding to you  and congratulations on your new bird!


I have had him for about five months now, he is a cheeky little so and so . I know about how nasty our saliva can be to teils which is why this behavior is bothering me so much and tbh I am not that keen on having his beak near my mouth coz of his birdy germs lol


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## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

This is interesting? I would like to hear some facts about how our saliva is bad for birds?
And the effects there of.

I would advise to not let them do this if you are sick or not well in any form. But if you are fit and healthy, it maybe Ok but would not encourage the behavior, just feel it is not that harmful. And have done this with an Eastern Rosella an Alexandrine, and a couple of Tiels, with no issues that I know of.
I do not know of anything bad about this. It does put some people off though. 
I cannot quote you any problems that I have heard of.


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## Scribbles (Jun 28, 2012)

Monte does the same thing the cheeky boy. He even tries to eat the toothpaste off our mouth when you're cleaning your teeth!


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## Sunshinebird (Oct 3, 2012)

Sunshine does this, and will actually pick skin off my lips (ewwwww)


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

clawnz said:


> This is interesting? I would like to hear some facts about how our saliva is bad for birds?
> And the effects there of.
> 
> I would advise to not let them do this if you are sick or not well in any form. But if you are fit and healthy, it maybe Ok but would not encourage the behavior, just feel it is not that harmful. And have done this with an Eastern Rosella an Alexandrine, and a couple of Tiels, with no issues that I know of.
> ...




here is a list of the bacteria normally found in the human mouth (and elsewhere)

http://textbookofbacteriology.net/normalflora.html


i dont know about you, but i would not want to risk a staph infection or pseudonomas, spirochetes, strep, or any other of those nasties. birds can get sick from those, in enough amounts. what we have in our mouth is often a lot for a bird and can make them sick. gross, but just goes to show that our mouths are a nasty place for a bird to be sneaking food from 


http://www.avianweb.com/bacterialinfection.html


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## Guest (Nov 15, 2012)

If I'm eating something Rascal tries to get inside my mouth and steal the food I'm chewing on. I don't let him of course. He also likes to put his beak up my nostrils! I can't eat in front of him because he jumps right on top of my food. He's very pushy and feels he is fully entitled to get a piece of whatever I'm eating lol.

Cute little bugger


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## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

kept him in his cage whilst I was eating today tho I gave him some birdy bread and he had seed and veggies , wow with all racket he started to make you would of thought he was starving 

He has been a little nightmare for the rest of the day


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## Korvia (Aug 3, 2012)

When you eat, do you have something out that he's allowed to eat?
That might stop him from trying to steal your food.


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2012)

No, he's strictly interested in what I'm eating. I guess he thinks what I'm eating is better than what he has... kind of like a dog and very pushy


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## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

zippy will try and pinch anything he see's me eat, like juliet said of her little rascal he gets pushy. thing is if I'm eating something he can eat I always put a little on a plate for him so he does not feel left out but he prefers to either try and steal from my plate or climb up to my mouth .

Deep down I am hoping he is doing this kind of behaviour because he is hormonal and going thru a brat stage , 

I think I will keep him in his cage at mealtimes for the time being hopefully it will discourage him


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2012)

LOL, yes exactly 

He is like a dog and even growls if I don't let him. I wouldn't mind except for when he decides to trample all over my food and walk across it! He won't just eat from the side of the plate... oh no... he must walk across the plate on top of my food back and forth


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## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

Thanks Dally Tsuka.

I will read this later.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Fuzzy does this all the time...like my hubby's says, food is better when its someone else's. 

I also prevent it because like stated all that bacteria in our mouths, YIKES!!! It has always been recommended to me not to allow them to do this. I have found the easiest way is to take a bite, then offer them the other side away from my mouth. This works well except when you have four birds trying all at once and you lose an entire egg sandwich to them. lol


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I agree that birds should not be able to ingest our saliva, too risky in my opinion. My boyfriend let's them chew his teeth sometimes and I always get onto him!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Bailey, my hubby and his brothers used to do that too with their dad's birds and I told David that he shouldn't be doing that for the birds own good.


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