However, birds can also shred paper to have fun and relieve their boredom. For example, lovebirds shred paper into long strips and keep them under their tails to bring their nest to be used as nesting material. Additionally, baby birds and younger birds should not be given any paper to eat because it may get stuck in their crops and lead to impaction problems.Īrmed with this knowledge, hopefully, you can now rest easy knowing that your birds aren’t going to be poisoned by paper – as long as you use the right non-toxic types! Why Is My Bird Shredding Paper?īirds shred paper because it is a natural instinct of their nesting behavior. However, birds should not be given any paper that contains adhesive, glue, coloring, or chemicals. Other birds just plain love to chew on it for fun due to its texture. Lovebirds chew on paper to cut out long strips, attaching them to their tail to bring back to their nest as nesting materials.

Here’s an interesting video explaining how lovebirds shred paper for use in their nests! (warning: cuteness overload!)Ĭhances are, you probably have a pet bird that LOVES to chew, nibble, and even rip apart paper – and you’re curious why! Here’s the explanation for it:īirds chew on paper to either cut long paper strips for nesting material or for pure entertainment purposes. Once they are sexually mature, you may realize that the birds will tear up paper more often! However, there are some birds that just love to shred paper for entertainment for its texture and material.Īdditionally, you may find it interesting that birds may only begin their shredding behavior at 9 months and older because that’s when they are sexually mature and display their desire to make nests. Lovebirds shred paper into long strips and store them under their tail to use as soft nesting material. Most birds tear up paper because of natural instinct to collect nesting materials for their nest. Here’s an answer I compiled form various sources: They seem to be ABSOLUTELY loving it, but what’s the real reason? If you’re a pet bird owner yourself, you will have definitely at least seen your bird ripping apart paper like a shredding machine! This brings up the curious question: why do birds tear up paper? Shreds paper more aggressively than budgiesĬuts paper in neat and long strips, and stores it under its wings for use as nesting materialĪggressively shreds and pulls away large random strips of paperĪggressively shreds and pulls away large, random, and messy strips of paperĭon’t yet believe me? Let me show you some videos as evidence for it! Budgies/Budgerigars However, here’s what many don’t know: different bird species shred papers and eat them differently! Some birds store them under their wings, but some of them just nibble at the paper.ĭid you know that different bird species shred and eat paper differently? Here’s a summarized table of the differences in shredding and paper eating behavior in pet birds: Pet Bird Species It may surprise you if it’s the first time you’ve heard of this or if you are new to pet birds: Birds do indeed eat paper!

Shred paper