# Tame cockatiel likes to nip fingertips?



## Flightless (Mar 7, 2013)

This is a pretty straight forward question haha, I've had my cockatiel for about 4-5 years and although he is tame and is really funny, he has one particular habit that turns off a lot of people from handling him.

He loves to nip the tips of your fingers and toes, and will actively go to them and chew some of skin's surface off. He's not being "aggressive" per say, but he can nip pretty hard at times.

Any way I can get him to stop fingertips and toes?


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

just tap him on the beak and say no.

bear in mind though, that cockatiels explore with their beaks. he may be licking your skin, or just being friendly. 

although it may turn people off, remember he is a bird. birds will use their beaks - to play, explore, and talk with.

just think carefully about whether it is a behaviour which needs to be stopped, or whether it's a harmless little quirk 

even the bird who occasionally bites shouldn't always be told off. biting is their way of telling you, get away! a biting habit is terrible and should be broken, but the odd bite is the only way a bird can tell you what it's thinking


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