# Cockatiel Biting



## Artenius (Dec 13, 2010)

I have got a new cockatiel who is 3 months old which I am very happy about , the only problem is that he bites... allot. I would hate to think I am mishandling him. I have only had him for a week, I dont know if that the problem? Everytime I go to get him out of his cage, (by pushing my fingers gently his legs, so he steps up) he bites. When I go to put him back or pet him his chest or back gently, he bites and I dont know what to do. Does he simply need time to adjust or is this some habit he has got into?


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## Zenna (Sep 22, 2010)

was he hand-raised? it might be because you're still new, and because he is so young, hes prolly scared and not quite sure on the whole step-up thing. give it time and just keep trying with him, if hes not sure on the step-up thing, reward him when he does (without biting) and ive learned that most cockatiels dont like being petted on the chest or back. most like the head or neck


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## lordsnipe (Nov 11, 2010)

is he biting hard? sometimes they will use their beak to check the stability of your hand when you ask for a step up. sometimes they like to scratch back lightly after you get them a good headscratch.

Check his body language, you should be able to easily tell when he's angry or if he's just nibbling at you.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Here is a training video called trust exercise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTiYpobrG8Q i got results after doing this with lucky

Here is cockatiel behaviour http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/birdinformation/behavior.php

Im sure once he feels at home and start the trust exercise he wont bite unless he is biting to step onto your finger


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## Artenius (Dec 13, 2010)

Thank you all for responding. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTiYpobrG8Q was exactly was he was doing. It was defiantly an aggressive move he was making, while it didn't hurt he really was trying his best, to cut my finger in two. I will be working on this, so hopefully we will enjoy a happy life together


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## Artenius (Dec 13, 2010)

I will also remember that (thank you Zenna)
most cockatiels:
petting on back or chest = not brilliant idea
scratching head or neck = better idea 

No where, (where I have read) seems to mention anything about that. Had my suspicions about that but didn't know whether it was just simply that he was new and he was shy or distrustful, or if they actually dont like it. Thank you for the confirmation.


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## Zenna (Sep 22, 2010)

Lol no problem ^-^ im only happy to help. with what little knoledge i have, ive learned that some new cockatiels a few months old will be super gentle, like to be petted everywhere but im sure thats just when they dunno whats goin on =P like i go visit the tiels in the pet store and they've always got a pure yellow baby that just sits on u, bites ur jewlery and lets u pet his wings x3 but alotta tiels wont let u, like mine will if hes in the mood to snuggle. but im the only one that can, because im his mom, and yeah. soo after a while if ur tiel gets more used to you, he might let you start to pet his back but untill then, just try for the head/neck and try to show him that ur not gna hurt him. ive also figured out that alotta tiels like it when you hold them to ur chest, and rub their ear with the tip of ur nose x3 idk why but mine falls asleep when i do =P


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## lordsnipe (Nov 11, 2010)

patting the back of a cockatiel varies greatly.

My old bird (going back over 15 years when I was a kid) who was parent raised but was handled often by me after school, would allow me to pat her back no problems.

Nibbler, who I've bought untame from a petstore a few months ago, won't have a bar of any touching on the back. But he will step up, scratch head and loves a cuddle.

Just depends on the bird, how they've been brought up and their trust.


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## Artenius (Dec 13, 2010)

I am so happy . Leif has finally stopped bitting and now loves getting scratched on the head and neck. I did this very luckily without any form of reward, if that is a bad or good thing. Since I didn't have access to anything like mango, grapes or millet. I just gently each day started to scratch him on the head and occasionally he would bite, which luckily for me didn't hurt. And eventually one day after all this scratching the next time I approached him for a head scratching session he bent his head now for me and pushed his head into my palm. I was amazing!  and now ever since he loves having his head scratched. This was good until I brought his back to our home (because we traveled to our grandparents place over Christmas) and now he constantly starts making this sound whenever I come into view of him in his cage.

http://www.mediafire.com/?0l9yet8grk2myrt
File size: 259kb... very small...ish

Its like he is constantly begging for me to scratch his head, because he will make this sound until I start to scratch his head. Then he will quieten down and I will be forced to scratch his head until I put him back in his cage. What is this sound?, is it good or bad and what does it mean?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I think because he has bonded with you so well of what i have read
I haven't experienced this myself


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## Artenius (Dec 13, 2010)

Could be, he still is making allot of noise. Although I found that if a leave him for a while on my shoulder he will eventually quieten down or if I lift him as high as I can he will


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