# Mood swings



## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Spike was having mood swings where he would bow his head for scritches and when I went to give him some he would attack and bite at my hands, he would also do this during scritches as well. When I would offer scritches he would give me the beak of death, open beak and grumpy face, at one point he even jumped at my face  
I did some research and found that if they are going on 18 months that means they are teenagers now and don't like to cuddle as much as baby birds do, does this really happen, I sure hope not. I also heard that if they think of you as a mate they can become frustrated with you, since obviously not being a tiel you don't act like a proper mate should :blush:
Then being busy at work Spike missed a few showers, the vet I took him to said Spike should get a shower every other day, since he is very dusty and guess what after missing a few showers he let me give him scritches again  I figure that to many showers made him really hormonal  The other day I gave him a shower again and he seemed to enjoy it a bit too much  and was nippy again yesterday but is much better today. So a question for everyone, how many showers do you think will keep the dust down and the hormones? Iam trying to avoid pain


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Naughty Spike . . 

What about instead of showering, misting him maybe once of twice every second or even every day? or have you tried putting a shallow dish on the bottom of the cage for him?


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Spike does not enjoy misting and he thinks his tiel bird bath I got him is going to eat him  
I of course don't touch him any where but the head, although when in the shower I use my hand as an umbrella over his head to keep water out of his cere but mabey he thinks that it is my hand touching his back since it is over his head, when it is really the shower spray  Iam thinking no more umbrellas in the shower  
Also I think mabey Spike should get a shower skip two days and than get another shower. If that does not work mabey 3 days in between showers. Sound good?


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

Bad Spike! It's ok, don't feel bad. Ziggy does some silly things too sometimes but he's still a big cuddle bug.. Mine bathe once a week...If they're extra dusty they acctually take their own bath in a shalow dish. I take them in the shower with me or they bathe in their outside cage when it's sunny and warm! It helps keep the dust down, helps the itch and the hormones.


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

I've been taking mine into the shower but not getting them wet because they don't seem to like it. They've both been moody lately so I'll try wetting them more often. I love your "beak of death" comment.  I've been getting that a bit recently myself.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

The beak of death sure is fun  It was Spike getting showers (wet) too often that seemed to make him get hormonal and grumpy. Mabey your birds are molting and need some extra showers to help them be less itchy. Who knows? All I know is that just because cockatiels are not big birds does not mean that they are any less complicated


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

Honestly Spike... as we've discussed with my "seed up the nose" dilemma, I have worked out that they are nothing but trouble. :blink: They completely destroy everything they're not supposed to touch (even though they've got a ton of store-bought toys they ignore), want love when they feel like it and get cranky for no reason. Oh... and not to mention I can't eat a meal with them both dive-bombing my plate! Is there a goldfish forum??? I'm thinking fish may be a lot less complicated or troublesome!!


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

Just thought I should post that I'm only joking... I love them both to bits and wouldn't be without them. They are pains in the bum sometimes though.


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