Does NOT BITING Mean a Parrot Is Ok With You Touching or Stepping Up?

Parakeets:
Budgerigar (Budgie)
Alexandrine Parakeet
Rose Ringed Parakeet (African Ringneck, Indian Ringneck)
Monk Parakeet (Quaker Parrot)

Parrotlets:
Mexican Parrotlet
Green Rumped Parrotlet
Blue Winged Parrotlet
Spectacled Parrotlet
Dusky Billed Parrotlet
Pacific Parrotlet
Yellow Faced Parrotlet

Lovebirds:
Rosy Faced (Peach Faced) Lovebird
Yellow Collared (Masked)Lovebird
Fischer's Lovebird
Lilian's (Nyasa) Lovebird
Black Cheeked Lovebird
Grey Headed (Madagascar) Lovebird
Black Winged (Abyssinian) Lovebird
Red Headed (Red Faced) Lovebird
Black Collared (Swindern's) Lovebird

Lories and Lorikeets:
Rainbow Lorikeet

Conures:
Sun Conure
Jenday Conure
Cherry Headed Conure
Blue Crowned Conure
Mitred Conure
Patagonian Conure (Burrowing Parrot)
Green Cheeked Conure
Nanday Conure
Gold Capped Conure

Caiques:
Black Capped Parrot (Black Headed Caique)
White Bellied Parrot (White Bellied Caique)

Poicephalus Parrots:
Senegal Parrot
Meyer's Parrot
Red Bellied Parrot
Brown Headed Parrot
Jardine's Parrot
Cape Parrot
Ruppell's Parrot

Hawk Headed Parrot:
Red Fan (Hawk Headed) Parrot

Eclectus:
Eclectus Parrot

African Greys:
Congo African Grey (CAG)
Timneh African Grey (TAG)

Amazons:
Cuban Amazon (Rose Throated Parrot)
Blue Fronted Amazon
Yellow Naped Amazon
Yellow Headed Amazon
Orange Winged Amazon
Yellow Crowned Amazon
White Fronted Amazon
Lilac Crowned Amazon
Red Lored Amazon
Mealy Amazon

Cockatoos:
Cockatiel
Galah (Rose Breasted) Cockatoo
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
White (Umbrella) Cockatoo
Salmon Crested (Moluccan) Cockatoo
Little Corella (Bare Eyed Cockatoo)
Tanimbar Corella (Goffin's Cockatoo)
Palm Cockatoo

Macaws:
Red Shouldered (Hahn's) Macaw
Chestnut Fronted (Severe) Macaw
Blue And Yellow (Blue And Gold) Macaw
Blue Throated Macaw
Military Macaw
Red Fronted Macaw
Great Green (Buffon's) Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
Red And Green (Green Winged) Macaw
Hyacinth Macaw

All Parrot Wizard Products

Play Stands

Parrot Scales

Top Products for Cape Parrots

Cage Set Ups

Glossary of Common Parrot Terms

Parrot Wizard Product Videos

Parrot Wizard Videos

Previous Video Return to Search Results Next Video

Does NOT BITING Mean a Parrot Is Ok With You Touching or Stepping Up?

Published on September 12, 2025

If a parrot doesn't bite when you touch it or try to make it step up, does that mean the bird is ok with it? While many parrots will bite or fly off if you do something that makes them uncomfortable, the absence of biting alone does not mean that the parrot is alright with the contact. A much better way is to teach the bird to participate in its own way to make it clear that it welcomes the handling. Use positive reinforcement to train a parrot to step up by itself, to let you handle, and more.

If a nervous/uncomfortable bird doesn't bite you when you make it step up or touch it, it doesn't mean it is enjoying or comfortable. Making the bird uncomfortable only hurts your relationship building and may lead to the bird being more resistant in the future. At best, the bird isn't enjoying the interaction. With the right approach, the bird can actually look forward to and enjoy contact instead.

In this video I have a Major Mitchell's Cockatoo also known as a Pink Cockatoo. Although he doesn't bite me, he isn't particularly enthusiastic trying to get onto my hand himself. For this reason, I don't make him do it. I continue gradually practicing the training using my training tools: Clicker, Target Stick, Handheld Perch, Training Perch.

Learn my complete approach to parrot training from The Parrot Wizard's Guide to Well-Behaved Parrots.

Previous Video Return to Search Results Next Video