Cockatiel Aggressive Behavior

Mature male cockatiels can act obsessed with a person or object. When that object does not return their affection, the bird might turn on it in an aggressive manner.

You might be on the receiving end of your bird's kisses and other attention in one moment and, in the next, your bird is biting you. What you are experiencing is a result of mixed communications. Your cockatiel perceives you as his mate. Most likely, your cockatiel is biting because you are not behaving as a proper mate should in his eyes. He is frustrated. A cockatiel mate usually would not behave in such a manner that would warrant a bite.

Cockatiels will also bite when they are feeling territorial or cranky. They may be tired from playing outside their cage for a long period of time and may just want some alone time. Or your cockatiel may be protecting what he perceives as his nesting area (his cage). When you stick you hand in his cage and try to grab him he becomes territorial.

Sometimes, changing the environment of a hormonal bird lessens or can eliminate aggressive behavior. The change can be as simple as moving the cage from one location to another. Rotating the cage can also have a good effect on the bird's behavior.

Occupy your cockatiel's time with activities to divert his attention from his mate/nesting obsession and other "bad" behavior. New foods and toys and interaction with you can make life so interesting that he is diverted from his mating mood. Remove the toys that your bird attacks or acts aggrerssive with.

Make a point to walk away when your cockatiel wants to engage in amorous behavior. Do not reward behavior by giving him good or bad attention. If he is biting, try not to react to the bite with an "ouch" or by jerking your hand away. The bird perceives this as positive reinforcement, that his biting "works" which will encourage more biting. If he's biting, use a hand-held perch to handle him until he calms down.

By: anna_marie

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Cockatiel aggressive behavior can emerge when your bird is hormonal, or in the mating mood. Please visit us at Cockatiel Aggressive Behaviror for more information on how to handle and aggressive cockatiel.