Parakeet help? (Biting & Touching)

[Puddlingo]

Hi bird lovers!

I'm new here, and I have a parakeet named Kiko.

At night and in the evening, he sits on the perch closest to the outside of the cage. Thus meaning that I can easily pet him through the cage. I've never actually pet him before, because whenever I stick my finger in there, he opens his beak and sometimes lunges, like he's going to bite it.
I've heard (is this true?) that one of the the only ways you can get your parakeet to trust you and let it pet you is to let it bite you at least once. When it bites you, I know you're supposed to keep your finger there, showing that biting can't effect you.

So (this may sound really weird) I want him to bite me, so I can teach him that biting is not the right thing and to teach him that I won't hurt him, I just want to pet him.
But I'm SO SCARED to be bitten by him! His beak looks very sharp, and I've heard that they can cling onto the skin and it's hard to get them off. Also, every time he tries to bite me I pull my hand away. I know it scares them, but it's something I can't stop. It's my natural instinct to pull away.

Any tips? How can I just leave my hand there to let him bite me? Does it hurt really bad? I've been bitten by a lovebird before (a small pink one, the size of a keet) and it didn't hurt it all, but it would bite harder the longer I left my finger there. But my parakeet's beak looks really sharp and scary!

Help?

 

[weco]

Welcome to the forum.....stick around & you'll hear some better information to help you with your little friend.....what you've heard is not exactly right.....

Letting a bird bite you is not a way to show it that the bites don't affect you. Although you will probably get bitten a few times during your life with companion birds, the bird's body language almost always will tell you what the bird is going to do, but not always.....

I would suggest that you read up on clicker training for parrots and touch training parrots.....there is a lot of information on the internet about both topics a some good video clips on youtube.....

Since parrots use their beak as a third hand and many people are afraid they are trying to bite.....

How long have you had your friend?

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I agree, touch training with a clicker would be very useful for this situation.

Don't be afraid of a bite, when I worked at a pet store I would be bitten when clipping wings and just ignored it. It is uncomfortable and can be a painful pinch, but I was able to tolerate easily. (I was more concerned with a quick safe clip than stressing the bird out more by freaking out over a tiny bird biting me). I'm actually very impressed with your budgie winning at a bluff, what a brave birdie you have!

Try touch training(target training with a chop stick or skewer) before any attemp at petting your parakeet.

 

[Puddlingo]

Thanks guys! I'll be sure to check out the whole clicker thing. I'm not sure how I'll be able to do it though, because whenever I put my hand in the cage (even when I leave it flat) he gets as far away from my hand as possible. :C Could anyone give me any tips on clicker training?

I've had Kiko for about two years now...he's been scared of my hand for as long as I've had him.