My cockatiels have started mating.I have a nesting box in the cage also. My male is usually sweet and friendly, but since they started that, They both bite at me when I put my hand in the cage to pet them.
2007-03-08 04:16:56 · 4 answers · asked by bamabice2006 1 in Pets ➔ Birds
Any bird who is hormonal will not appreciate you or anyone else interrupting their mating process. Especially if they're preparing for babies, most won't want anyone other than themselves and their mate with or near them because this may be a sign to intruders that they are welcome, which they definitely will not be when the babies are young and defenseless. They'll get MUCH, MUCH worse if/when babies hatch.
If you want them to stop being nasty, remove the nesting box and reduce or eliminate the mating triggers such as
i. extra daylight. Cover the cage for at least 12 hours a night, give total darkness and total silence
ii. feed only what they'll eat and no more. An abundance of food makes them want to breed.
iii. remove nesting material and nesting areas. Self explanatory.
iv. provide constant mental stimulation. Buy a whole whack of new toys and perches and replace them every week so that not ONE thing stays the same in the cage for more than seven days. Maybe even move their cage into a different area of the room, or a different room altogether.
v. no inappropriate petting. Pet only the head because all other areas are stimulation areas.
2007-03-08 11:01:05 · answer #1 · answered by PinkDagger 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a bird thing. Our cockatiel is always up to trying to bite whenever I get close to the cage. At least it does not try to bite my ear when I have it on my shoulder.
2007-03-08 12:21:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
leave him alone when he is in mating mode. they will be nasty no matter what you do. after the mating season has ended, he should be sweet again.
he's just defending his lover and babies.
if you want to take them out of mating mode, give them a bath 2 times a day. they will think its the 'rainy season' and birds will not mate then. if the female is on eggs or pregnant, too late. youve got a horny daddy on your hands and you're just going to have to wait.
good luck!
2007-03-08 12:32:07 · answer #3 · answered by JessicaL 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
stop putting your hand in there moron
2007-03-08 12:19:39 · answer #4 · answered by discostu 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋