How do I stop my cockatiel from biting me?

Question

I've had him for a bout 6 months now, and he is still attacking me like I just got him.
He hisses if I get near him, and bites me if I go to touch him. I've tried just talking to him and him getting use to me, but it doesn't work. And I've tried letting him eat out of my hand, but he just bites me, and his bites really hurt.
Is there anything I can do to get him to like me and let me pet and hold him?

Answer 1

Spend an hour a day with him. I don't have cocktails {yet} I have sun contours, love birds, parakeets, and paroletts. They all bite and bite hard for that matter. They bite for a few reasons one of the biggest is fear imagine you were as small as that cocktail and something your size was coming at you. The way I personally got our birds to stop biting was to put a glove on and pick up the bird if they bit I rocked them side to side {like an earthquake} and told them NO in a stern voice. This happened several times then they'd stop biting. Soon I took off the glove make sure you wash your hands before and after handling your bird picked it up and again it bit and I'd rock it side to side not hard gently enough to get its attention and told it no. Now all my birds except for my 2 newest {just got them and cant handle them for a week so they can get use to their new home} will sit on our shoulders, let us walk around with them and once in a while they will nip but not how they use to before where it felt like we were going to lose a limb to them. Good luck and remember at least an hr a day must be spent w your little feathered friend

Answer 2

Spend a long time every day with it. Say about 1 hour or so. If he starts biting, show him who's boss. Also, get him some toys or soething. If you have a mirror in the cage, take it out. that will help the problem a little. Hope I helped.

Answer 3

When he does bite at you, don't withdraw your hand either. Just keep it steady. Eventually he will get used to it and you. As well as spending as much time as you can with him every day. Also, try giving him treats such as fresh fruit from your hands, so you have the really yummy stuff. Another thing that should help, is if you can, take him to your local vet and have them clip his wings. Many birds who can't fly become dependent on their handlers, and thus become much more friendly. Good luck!

Answer 4

Sounds like he is of age Hormones have kicked in. Doe he only do this near and in his cage. If so he is in breeding mode and is protecting his cage (nest) Let him come out on his own. He has to come to you when he is ready. This will last for a month or longer. Once he is over it all he should come back to how he was. Have you moved his cage or put some thing strange near his cage. This also could be what is going on.

Answer 5

It's hard to hand tame them. Just keep trying. It takes lots of patience. You can try wearing a leather glove when you handle him so when he bites it wont hurt so much. They love being petted softly on the ear- maybe if you try that he will like it and he'll let you pet him more. Try talking to him very soothingly when you pet him.

Answer 6

move very slowly, talk to him low and gentle, put bandaids on your fingers every time he bites you. Basicly, he doesnt trust you and the way to get him to trust you is to be soothing, gentle, and persistent. Try putting his cage on the floor, or even letting him out of his cage to walk on the floor, if he's way lower than you are, you might be surprised just how "trusting" he might be.

Answer 7

all you can do is show him that you are the dominant one by not pulling away when he bites. keep your hand in the exact position it was in when he bit you and he will eventually get the fact that you are not going to be dominated by him.

Answer 8

tell it no