# Male 'tiel Possessive Problem



## mlj722 (Feb 19, 2017)

So, Enzo's DNA tests have come back and show him to officially be a boy~
Yay~ 

One thing I've noticed is that he appears to have a possessive behavior problem. Enzo is a 'tiel who LOVES shoulders, and nearly each time he steps up onto your finger, he'll soon climb right up onto your shoulder. And nearly each time he climbs up there, he'll spread his wings and tail, and lean forwards (typically holding this position for a few seconds to nearly a minute).

He does this if I pass mirrors (he HATES the other bird in the mirror so much I had to cover the one in my room cause he flies at it and tries to attack it I swear), if I pass other family members, and even if the dog is near me. He'll do this even if I don't walk by or around these objects either. 

I've looked this behavior/action up before, and articles say that this is bird language for saying, "this is mine", which I have no problem with because I personally find this action cute, just like with beak grinding. However, Enzo has a problem with getting off of shoulders. Often, if you go to try and have him step off your shoulder, he'll lay his crest all the way back, open his beak wide, hiss, and try to give your finger a warning bite to try and make you leave him alone so he can stay there. However, other times he'll step down without problem. 

I think that perhaps I may be placing my finger too high up when asking him to step up off my shoulders since he doesn't bite every time (cause I may misjudge the height of my hand compared to him), and I'm gonna test this later tonight, but I wanted to get other bird owners opinions. 

If it is due to him being possessive of my shoulder, how can I stop this? I don't want a bird that will bite. :tiel5:


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

I noticed that boys are more prone to this possessive behavior. Yours just seem to be overdoing it a bit. Are you the only person who handles him? May be he needs a bit of interaction with other people,not just you and your shoulder. Or may be it just his character,even hand-raised boys may turn cranky and even bite. Thats why as pets- I personally prefer girls,they remain the same,sweet tender and loving and rarely turn into ''one persons bird''


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## bobsinoregon (Feb 13, 2017)

But boys may talk more and don't get egg bound, right? Things to think about....hhhhhhmmmmm


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## mlj722 (Feb 19, 2017)

bobsinoregon said:


> But boys may talk more and don't get egg bound, right? Things to think about....hhhhhhmmmmm


That's the exact reason that I was hoping that Enzo would turn out to be a boy, cause the idea of egg binding in females really frightened me and I didn't want to have to deal with constant egg laying and having to do complex things such as limiting light and keeping her away from dark areas in order to keep her from laying eggs. :tiel5:

Perhaps if I had more 'tiel experience I would get another one, possibly a female, or even decide to breed a pair once or twice.


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

I've had cockatiels for many years nad Thank God never had to deal with egg-binding..! I dont think with good nutrition and fresh cuttlebone its such a real danger... Reducing day light to prevent laying-may be.. but its as simple as covering the cage with thick blanket. yes,boys do talk or can whistle tunes, thats why most people trying to buy a boy.. But if egg-laying is undesirable,then single boy mating with his cage or your hand is even more so..and will need same hormone-controlling as a girl would.. Anyway-good luck and try to get your boy interact with other people so he wont get even more possesive


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## BadAsslongCoat (Mar 23, 2017)

My Albert is quite possessive of a particular perch in the cage, each morning when the birds wake up he is first to get to the food bowl and will eat while the other two sleep in, when the other two start moving around he turns into 'bat bird' and shows the underside of his wings to the others to say 'This perch is mine', haven't had any fighting between them but I am surprised at how fast he developed this behaviour.


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