# Tame Cockatiels hissing?



## Tsaunders

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could help me with this, I find it very strange, is this common?

I have 2 Cockatiels that I brought from someone on the internet about 7 or 8 months ago, both females called Jezza and Stiggy.
They were not very tame for about 2 months, they hissed and tried attacking me, but within about 1 month of getting them, I got them on my finger, now 7 months later they are really happy to see me when I get home from school, they love getting on me and playing with my hair and watching TV with me and they do this on there own terms, but sometimes if I try get them on my finger they hiss and sometimes peck me, I have looked all over the internet and everyone says it's because they are frightened, these Birdies are obviosly not scared at all! they love me now and are very, very tame, why do they do this?


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## Berdnerd

Arthur does this too  He doesn't bite or anything, just hisses and fake pecks sometimes when he's feeling grumpy! I know he's not afraid of me either and he's quite tame  They just have little attitudes!


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## roxy culver

All mine do it when they are in a blah mood and don't want to do anything...they're not frightened they just don't feel like it. It's like a teenager lol.


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## Tsaunders

But the thing is, mine do it all the time, and sometimes can cause my finger to bleed a bit.


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## tielfan

They're telling you that they don't want to get on your finger! Try some positive reinforcement training, where you give them a little treat for stepping up without hissing or biting. If necessary, hold the treat so they have to step up on the finger to reach it.


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## Tsaunders

Well that is the thing that confuses me, they love getting on me, and after they hiss they hop on all happy and jump onto my shoulder.


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## braveheartdogs

Tsaunders said:


> Hello, I was wondering if anyone could help me with this, I find it very strange, is this common?
> 
> I have 2 Cockatiels that I brought from someone on the internet about 7 or 8 months ago, both females called Jezza and Stiggy.
> They were not very tame for about 2 months, they hissed and tried attacking me, but within about 1 month of getting them, I got them on my finger, now 7 months later they are really happy to see me when I get home from school, they love getting on me and playing with my hair and watching TV with me and they do this on there own terms, but sometimes if I try get them on my finger they hiss and sometimes peck me, I have looked all over the internet and everyone says it's because they are frightened, these Birdies are obviosly not scared at all! they love me now and are very, very tame, why do they do this?


when they do that they are likely telling you that they are not comfortable stepping up at that moment. I would respect that and not push it because if you do it may push them to bite or worse to feel like they can't trust you because you have pushed them when they communicated not to. There are times when my birds, not usually my cockatiels, but sometimes my Amazon or my Conure that very clearly let me know that now is not a good time. I know that if I don't respect that I could get bitten. So, I back off and ask again a while later. You might just open the cage and allow them to come out and come to you


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## Siobhan

They're just asserting their right to say no. Freddie loves nothing more than coming out and hanging out with me, but if he's comfy on one hand or my leg and I want him to step up when he doesn't want to, he pecks me first ... and then steps up anyway, because he's a good boy.  He just wants me to know he objects. Don't take it personally, it's just a birdy thing.


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## Tsaunders

It's more difficult than that though 

You can tell by looking at they're faces that they really don't mind getting on, you know that look they give they want you to go away? they don't do that.

It's really hard to describe what I'm talking about


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## ShakeQPC

Hi, I'm not too bright on this sort of stuff but someone once told me that some birds are afraid of the finger. So even though they may enjoy being on you, they might not like the finger. I had a budgie that for ages wouldn't get on my finger but was happy to jump onto a stick. Then after awhile, in his own time, he eventually was ok on my fingers. Maybe the last owner scared them with fingers.... I don't know. My new cockatiel hisses at me sometimes (was so weired out when first heard it... BIRDS HISS????) but if I just hold me finger near him and wait til he forgets its their then I can move it closer to him. You've been very lucky to get two birds trained to like you, I got two together and they were so in love with each other, they wouldn't come anywhere near me, even though they were hand reared. Good luck.


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## shining_star

Tsaunders said:


> It's more difficult than that though
> 
> You can tell by looking at they're faces that they really don't mind getting on, you know that look they give they want you to go away? they don't do that.
> 
> It's really hard to describe what I'm talking about


Perhaps you startled them, if they were dozing off and you stuck your finger there.
Maybe they're in a bad mood and just want to give you a bit of 'tude.


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## chocotiel

Mine gets grouchy sometimes in the evening whens she's had too much playtime. Also, she thinks you're trying to put her back to her cage and even though she's sleepy she doesn't want to go. So she does the open mouth lunging and not really bite, but backs away and squawks. It's like toddlers, they're tired and grumpy but won't take a nap.


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## cinnamon

All 3 of ours will hiss when I cover them at night, I just hiss back at them! Good Charlotte(Angel) hisses and fake bites when she wants to preen herself instead of me rubbing her head. I'm learning.


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## sarahh

Yup lol Ziggie does it too. He was in a foul mood friday when he was out, moaning hissing ranting and raving lol. He's only 13 weeks but his behaviour was like a typical 2 year old tantrum.


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## meowmiaou

Elvis loves being on me too, but when I try to move him off my shoulder, leg arm - whatever and he doesn't want to, he will hiss and peck my finger. The pecks are always just little taps and I've never bled because of it. When he does this I see it as him being a bit of a brat and not wanting to do what I'm asking of him.

If they do this all the time when they're on you, then maybe you need to train them that it's ok to get OFF you too?


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