My cockatiel keeps biting!?

Question

I just got a six month old cockatiel about 3 days ago. I put him in his cage and he has gotten used to it. The only problem i have with him is that he keeps biting me whenever i try to take him out of his cage. What can i do to stop him from doing this especialy because he has learned to sharpen his beak and now his bites hurt a little, before i couldnt even feel his bites because they actually tickled. But when ever i bring my hand near him he starts hissing and breathing hard and lunges at my hand with his beak. How can i get him to stop doing this?

Answer 1

Everytime he bites pull out one of his feathers.

Answer 2

You've gotten a lot of advice about this already that I'm not going to rehash, except to agree that it is a trust issue, it is natural, and being polite to your bird is the key. It will take time. Here is a list of important parts of bird ettiquette that you may not know, that will impress your bird and make you look like a stand-up guy:

1). Height is power -- don't be taller than your bird when you're near his cage. Keep him between your chest and your neck level. This lets him know that you're dominant but you're not a monster.

2). Don't wear a hat around him -- cockatiels especially communicate status, anger and threats with their head ornaments! Glasses and other head ornaments are also touch-and-go. One of my parrots has to rip out a strand or two of my hair if I dye it, just to let me know he doesn't like it -- and he's the one that I'm closest to!

3). Before you use a loud machine or an object that comes higher than your knee, near his cage, gently gesture toward it and warn him.

4). Make eye contact, move slowly, and only touch him when you have to. Ask his permission to touch things that are his. Ask permission to come in and clean. Birds can tell the meaning of language pretty well so it does mean something to him.

5). Don't touch any part of him other than his feet, head and neck. Only pick him up using the "step up" command: your index finger under his breast bone, and lifted up into it with the command "step up". It's the first command that a pet bird usually learns.

Answer 3

This is a trust issue, and only time will solve it. You need to offer the bird little bits of something it likes, not forcing the bird to accept it, just offering it, then placing the tidbit in the birds food dish. After a while, the bird will start to see you as the one who supplies the thing he really likes, and will start to accept you. Realise, birds cannot be forced to trust, and if you dont know what the bird has been through before you got it, then you might have a bird that was mishandled before you came to own it. DO NOT allow him to bite you, but slowly approach the bird, and when he gets all puffy, and threatening, slowly back away until he stops. This will show the bird that you are not invading his personal space, and allow him to get to know you. I have raised birds before, and getting them to trust is foremost to correct this problem.i hope this helps.

Answer 4

I have had two cockatiels and the best advise I can give is 1. Give him some time to get used to you and 2. Don't jerk your hand away when he tries to bite, say no and stand your ground. Alot of times you can watch in a pet store when people go to the cockatiels, you will see them jerk away and it encourages that behavior. But watch someone who is familiar with birds and you will see they slowly approach but don't jerk their hand away. You may need to protect your finger with something but just don't pull it away fast and let him be intimidating. Best of luck, he will come around.

Answer 5

well dont pu tyour hand in the cage nomre he is scared of you an dhas learned taht you are scared of him bughting you thats why he does that that hapens with mine but my mom will grab hum like nothin even if he hiises and hell learn that you wont do nothing to him try talking to him softly when you pass near the cage let him get to kno you a little more

Answer 6

My cockatiel also does this because it is her cage, her home, and she is protective of it. I let her come out on her own if she chooses, and then she will not bite. Maybe try letting him come out on his own, he may not be in the mood to play.

Answer 7

try opening the cage and letting him out once in a while..he should find his way back to his cage when hes' hungry...keep the door open and when he goes back in the cage close the door..when trianing yer pirronakeet...gently rub yer finger under his belly you will see his beak coming down to bite you as you lift yer finger up...when he does this..drop the finger down gently...until he just nibbles at it a little...er something to this effect...eventually he will jump on your finger and you can put him on your shoulder...he will be then trained to fly out of his cage...fly to your shoulder...fly around...land on top of his cage...hang out there a while...and climb back inside his cage ...v cool pet :)

Answer 8

He is young, let him come out on his own, look around and get used to you. Go about your business and let him get used to the environment, he will come to you, the you will start teaching him, might take a couple of weeks. Be patient.

Answer 9

He's just adjusting to you. Don't give up playing with him. He needs your attention! The more you pay attention to him, the faster he will bond with you and stop biting you....Good luck

Answer 10

When you are handling him make sure you have aa spray bottle for when he bits you you spray him with water in return. Make sure you haven't used the spray bottle for plants and clears, it must be a fresh bottle that has only held water and that's it.