# How long does the teenage phase last?



## Set

Or is it no longer a phase?
For the last few months Cadaver refuses to let me give him scritches. He's fine with cuddles and kisses, but he won't let me pet him at all. He's also very nippy when he steps up and just seems downright moody.

He's turning a year old next month, and I'm wondering now if this is just a phase, or if he's just developed into a bird that doesn't like scritches. It makes me a bit sad because he used to absolutely love them.


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## Pùca

one of mine is exactly the same  used to love them at first and is around the same age as yours


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## green parakeet

Set said:


> Or is it no longer a phase?
> For the last few months Cadaver refuses to let me give him scritches. He's fine with cuddles and kisses, but he won't let me pet him at all. He's also very nippy when he steps up and just seems downright moody.
> 
> He's turning a year old next month, and I'm wondering now if this is just a phase, or if he's just developed into a bird that doesn't like scritches. It makes me a bit sad because he used to absolutely love them.


have you tryed the long night treatment?


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## roxy culver

Fuzzy took about six months to get out of it and he's still nippy occasionally but I just think that's part of his personality.


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## DyArianna

One of the big mistakes very commonly made is that these are animals/pets. They will do what we want or they will be what we expect them to be. Contrary to that belief, they really do have their own personality and they are bound to go through mood swings and hormonal issues when growing up. It can be very discouraging when this is faced and you think that you are doing something wrong or this pet is just not what you thought it was. 

Long nights treatments will help tremendously with hormonal issues but you also need to reward along with correcting. Also look at your household, the bird's surroundings... are they busy? Is the bird constantly in the middle of chaos? What is your emotion like when you are around him/her? Our birds will feed off our surroundings. If they feel they need to be on edge, they will. Slow movements around them... soft voices or at least happy voices.. it all helps.


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## Pùca

what is long night treatments?


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## DyArianna

Do you cover your bird's cage at night? If so, this is when you cover the cage for a good 12 to 14 hours of somewhat darkness. If they don't actually sleep all that time, it at the very least allows them to rest a bit. It works the same with us.. when we are cranky.. a good rest will help knock it out of us. If we get a good night's sleep, we are more apt to be in a good mood the next day. 

Just keep in mind, it may take a bit for you to see progress with this method. Do not expect changes over night.


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## Set

I usually turn the light out around 8pm, and it doesn't get turned on till about noon the next day (except weekends when I work early, then it gets turned on about 8am). But I do wake up in the middle of the night and watch TV or sit on my computer in the same room as the birds. Caddy is the only one that wakes up when I do this.

My worry about covering the cage is that Caddy has night frights sometimes  Will he get used to the dark?


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## smays810

I usually put my bird down around 7 or 8pm depending on what I have going on the next day and I cover her cage and leave a small amount of the cage showing so some light can get in. If he starts to have more night frights then I would put a night light by the cage and leave a little cage showing so he can see if he gets scared. Also if the room they are in gets a lot of sunlight then I would think that just because you dont turn the lights on in the house they are still being woken up by the sun.
I have also read in a cockatiel handbook that I got before I bought my bird that they can adjust to sounds at night. I usually don't get to bed until 11ish most nights and I am watching T.V. during the time I put her down and when I go to sleep and I haven't had a problem with her waking up. I also leave my TV on during the day when I'm not home so there is some noise and so she doesn't get to lonely so I think she has started to tune it out. I would try and see what happens hopefully things work out for you.


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## DyArianna

If Caddy has night frights.. you could cover the cage on 3 sides and leave one side open so that there is still some sort of light filtering through. I don't have an issue with night frights with mine, as of yet.. but we also do have something running.. either TV or radio throughout the night. I agree with trying this.


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## Set

I think it's the light that wakes him more than the sound. I always leave the TV on during the day as well; Henry gets screamy if he doesn't have his court shows on when I leave for work 

I'll try covering the cage and see how that goes. It's also been getting lighter earlier so that could have something to do with it too.


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## DyArianna

Good luck..  I find a bottle of Advil works wonders. lol Well not the whole bottle of course.. the required dose.


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