Why does my Cockatiel keep biting me?
Category: Cockateil Toys Q&A
I’ve had him for about a year now. He likes to have his head scratched. When I place my finger by him for him to perch on, sometimes he will bow his head down, motioning for me to scratch his head. If I don’t scratch his head, he’ll bite me! And it’s a nasty pinch, not just a little nip.
This happens maybe half the time when I offer my finger for him to perch on.
Also, he gets mad for no reason. I can tell when he’s upset, as he’ll fluff up his feathers and make a grating noise with his beak.
He doesn’t play with his toys, so maybe he’s just bored? I demonstrated how to play with his toys but he’s just not interested. I’m not sure what I can do.
mine doesn’t like fingers either, and he will bow his head down for “kisses” ! Mine only bites, if I catch him the wrong way, or too abruptly, when I try to put him back in his cage. I’m thinking of getting him a mate. He talks too ! (even Spanish !) I know what you mean…it can be a nasty bite. Mine drew blood more than once !
I had a cockatiel for 19 years- he did that same stuff from day one til his last. The only “toy” he ever showed interest in besides my red-headed barbie doll (Im a redhead) was a simple mirror. He hated swings, ladders, bells, etc.
The fluffing of the feathers and grinding his beak doesnt always mean he’s upset. My bird did that when he was sleepy.
Try to read some bird behavior books if the biting is really bad- mine grew out of it mostly when it came to me. But he always bit everyone else in the house.
Good luck!
Biting is done out of fear, being startled, or trying to make you do what he wants.
grinding his beak is a sign of contentment.
Try different toys.
I believe that he thinks that you are his mate. when he goes to bite gently grab his beak and give him a kiss and say “be a good boy” eventually he will learn that you are trying to deter from this from happening. also when he does bite, yelling, hitting or pulling away shows that he is in charge.
you should have plenty of toys and rotate them every week or so. when birds ruffle up there feathers it means that they are relaxed. the grinding noise is something they do to keep the beak from getting too long and also when they are tired as a sign that it’s time for them to go to bed.
also when he does bite or pinch simply put him down and ignore him for a minute or two and then pick him up and try again. you must show him who is in charge otherwise things will worsen.
Make sure that you do a yearly “well bird” check up to make sure that he is healthy and in prestine condition. if you haven’t already most book stores or pet stores will carry species secific books that you should pick up to read and learn about your feathered friend.
I have a cockatiel and I had not held him for awhile and he would bite me and it would be very hard and it would hurt. It depends how often you hold him and if has been awhile then he will bite. Try to hold him more and also talk to him while you are trying to hold him. I started to hold my bird again and he does bite me at times but if I talk to him he is fine. Put new toys in his cage every now and then and see if that will help. I usually change the toys in my birds cage once a month so he has something else new to play with. I hope this will help and good luck with you bird.
I have never had a cockatiel, I have had a hamster and I know they are completely different animals but they are both small and pretty smart. When it does that I would try thumping him on the beak, and don’t get me wrong, I am not saying hard or be mean to it. I love animals I am not trying to say that at all, but just hard enough to get the point across to him to stop what he is going. Just a suggestion. It got my hamsters to stop biting my fingers, and they loved me, so it didn’t hurt them too much or scare them away from me. (I guess I should say more like a tap, not a thump).
if he has a mirror GET RID OF IT a lot of birds will fall in love with themselves and when u try to take them away they get mad
u need to handle him more ,,,, maybe get him a friend
Assuming you’ve had him since he was a baby bird, he seems to be entering the “terrible teens”. He is growing up, maturing sexually and trying to make you, his “mate”, stay in line.
This should pass eventually (a year or two!) but in the meantime, you need to train him not to bite. One way of doing this that worked with my African grey parrot is to try to slowly place your finger on his beak. When you move slowly, they have to study what you are doing and it slows them down a bit from biting, enough for you to see when it’s about to happen and move back.
If he threatens to bite as your finger SLOWLY approaches, say “no biting” in a low firm (not loud) voice and draw back just out of range. Then try again. If he tries to bite, repeat the same procedure. Keep repeating until he lets you touch his beak then praise him lavishly in a soft low voice, i.e. GOOOD BIRRRRRDDD (you know, birdie baby talk).
Repeat this exercise a few times a day until he stops threatening to bite and start it up again if the behavior returns. He should eventually learn the “no biting” command and back off from biting when he might earlier have bitten you.
This might not eliminate biting altogether but it asserts your dominance as the “chief bird” and that he is under you in the flock, not vice versa. Right now, he thinks he is the boss of you! LOL! Good luck and remember, be very patient, never ever yell at him, move too quickly or bang on his cage while trying to train him.
My cockatiel keeps biting when I take it away from the other cockatiel. He also attacks the other cockatiel when I speak to them.
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