# Stumped about my Tiel's Behavior - 1st time owner



## Puffin (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi everyone! This is my first post, so I hope it is in the correct thread and I do everything right. 

I am a first time Tiel owner and proud mommy of a boy named Puffin. I'm going on 24 and Puffin is between 16-19 months. We got him from a pet store who was uncertain about the hatch date. 

He was a sweet boy from the beginning. He always wanted scritches and cuddles. He's been living in the same cage (medium sized, made for tiels) since we brought him home. It sits on a stand in a corner, as advised by my avian vet. He is covered at night with a blanket. Trying to cover all my bases here. 

He was always the sweetest bird I've ever met (my grandmother has a tiel who bites me all the time) and we bonded instantly. I think we had a deeper bond than normal because he was hurt badly when he was only about 6-8 months old (fell off my shoulder and somehow busted a hole in his bottom - rushed to the emergency avian vet that night), and needed a small surgery, stitches, and lots of love and care from his mama who gave him meds and many cuddles every day.

He travels with me everywhere and loves car rides in his cage. He knows lots of tricks and words. Things changed when I left him with my grandma over a long weekend, and she kept him in a cage beside her male tiel (but she does this all the time and it never mattered). Suddenly he began biting and running from me when in his cage. When he was brought home, I couldn't go near him in his cage without being bitten hard! It was so strange. I attributed it to normal "teen year" behaviors and nest protection, and took out his mirror toy and a fuzzy corner cuddle in case it was hormone related. He has steadily become more cage protective and bites in AND out of his cage now. When I reach my hand up for scritches...bite. When I try to pick him up....bite. He used to LOVE "kissing" my face and making the noises my kisses make...and now...biting my face.

This is all so heart breaking and I feel at a loss. Nothing seems to work. I have tried not reacting when he bites to show him he's not in control. I've tried leaving him alone when he's grumpy...but now that's ALL the time. I miss my friend. 

Any advice? 

I can't think of much more information that might be needed. I'm sure this is LONG enough.  He eats an all seed diet. I've tried SO many times to feed him different things, mix pellets into his food, and he refuses. I clip his wings myself and they are always kept at a length that allows him to glide to the ground but not fly. He sleeps 12 hours each night. 

Help?


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## MeanDonnaJean (Dec 3, 2011)

Hmmmm, maybe Grandma secretly switched 'tiels on ya? 

Okay, I hope ya know I'm just kiddin' about that....but it DOES make ya wonder exactly what on earth went on while he was over at her house. Sumthin' musta occurred, but what exactly I cannot say.

Sorry I'm of no help to ya, but there's plenty of knowledgeable folk here who MAY be able to steer ya in the rite direction. So hang on tite....someone outta be by any moment now.


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## Puffin (Sep 7, 2012)

I would almost think maybe she switched birds on me except for the fact that my bird is a 24/7 "bat bird."

We taught him to throw his wings in the air and yell "bat biiiird" and now he does it ALL the time. It's definitely still my Puffin. Haha. 

He was a little grumpy before heading to grandma's, but maybe leaving him for 3 days threw him over the edge? I don't know. I just want him to be sweet again. 

He's currently sitting on my chest petting himself on my chin. He's a little less hostile tonight. We have our good days and our bad days.


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

I suspect it is "learned" behavior, from watching your grandmother interact with her bird.

I think your on the right track with what your doing. Just keep loving him and see if you can't get him back. Positive reinforcement when he does something right.


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## Puffin (Sep 7, 2012)

That terrifies me to think I'd never be able to get him back to the old Puffin. 

I'm so emotional about it at the moment I feel like I should let a more experienced Tiel owner take him and work him through this. I'm just too sensitive, I think.

I'm not sure I know any positive reinforcement techniques. What should I be doing?

He's just so angry. Sometimes he will let me pet him and for no reason at all he will just begin to attack my hands almost to the point of making them bleed.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Here are a couple of suggestions.

It's very possible that this is a hormone problem, so try some hormone control. I'm not completely sure that this is the issue, but it can't hurt. There's info at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330

Food bribery can be a great attitude adjuster. There's info on that at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=28661

About his diet... if you're in the US or Canada you can try offering him Nutriberries. They're nutritionally equivalent to pellets but they look like seed balls, so it's a lot easier to convince cockatiels to eat them. Some birds like it in ball form and others prefer it crumbled up. I have tips for encouraging birds to eat new foods on my website at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-conversion.html It takes time for birds to learn to eat new foods, but most will learn eventually if you're persistent.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Actually, I think it's probably a coincidence that this started while he was at your grandmother's. If he really is between 1 and 2 years old, he's right at the beginning of birdy puberty, in which many males go through an aggressive phase. This is probably normal, and for the most part, you probably have to wait it out, unfortunately. There are some things you can do, though, like removing things from his cage when he's becoming overly territorial of them (which it sounds like you're already doing) and giving him longer nights. Offering 12-14 dark hours is very effective in reducing hormones. You can also put him back in his cage for a time out when he starts to bite you, to teach him that biting doesn't accomplish anything good for him. Hang in there. You'll get through this. 

ETA: Try not to take it personally. The more upset you get, the more he can sense your emotions and become even more stressed/aggressive as a result. Think of him like a moody teenager, stomping around and slamming doors. It doesn't mean that he doesn't love his mommy, he's just angry at the world because of all these confusing new hormonal feelings.


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## Puffin (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you guys so much! I knew I could turn to you all for help and support. 

I read up on the information about hormone control, bribery, and diets. Thank you so much for providing that! I will try out giving him a few extra hours of sleep. 

And I do really hope he is in birdy puberty! I was afraid he was nearing the point of being too old. 

I'm wondering if he might also have some sort of "little man" complex. :lol: He's a pretty small tiel compared to the others I've seen. And for some reason that pretty tuft of crest feathers most tiels have is somewhat lacking on Puffin. 

Also, one more thing I've noticed that I'm curious about is that he spends a lot of time "pounding" me with his beak. He does this in his cage, too, but lately when I have him out and he's been sitting on my shoulder for a while, he will just start hammering away at my shoulder or head. I'm guessing this is hormonal behavior? I'm not sure what he's trying to say.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

He's telling the world that you belong to him.


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## Puffin (Sep 7, 2012)

Haha! That's funny. 

I wonder why he feels like he needs to do this when we are alone in the room...and why he feels the need to do it for 30 minutes at a time. :blink:


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its called beak banging and male tiels do it to attract females. So he's saying you're a pretty girl tiel. Its like having a wood pecker in your house!!! 

Tiels can live for over 20yrs so you have lots of time with him!


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## Puffin (Sep 7, 2012)

I'm.....flattered? Haha. 



As an update: he seems to be getting a bit better with me. I spend a lot more time with him out of the cage, and I think he is responding well. He doesn't like my partner, though. I think he's a one person kind of tiel. 

Thanks to everyone!


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