# Biting when thinks being put in cage!



## Foobzy (Jun 6, 2016)

So I recently got my cockatiel Kiki about 3 weeks ago now. She is about 13 weeks old. She is adorable and really loves hanging out with people more than anything!

I have always had a problem putting her back in the cage since day 1, she used to just crawl up peoples arms, the opposite way from the cage. 
Now whenever people put a finger near her to step up she bites hard without warning and makes this out of breath hissing noise, including at me who she's bonded with.

Sometimes she does it when I let out of her cage when I come home from work after being stuck in the cage for a few hours. She will climb up behind my neck and attack my ears and neck too. She attacks other people more than she does me and she never used to be like this. She flaps about and gets really hyper and all crazy.

Why is Kiki acting like this? I am told to nip this behaviour in the bud NOW. But how do I best do this? I give her a firm "No" (without shouting, just a deep voice) and immediately put her back in the cage but this is just acting like the cage is a bad place for her to be and she'll hate it even more. Her cage needs to be a positive place to be so she doesn't mind going in it. Her food and toys are only given to her in her cage so I don't understand why she is acting so aggressive about it? I show her the food when she goes in too.

Please help, 

-Foobzy and Kiki- earl:


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## arnabsri (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi ,
_Sorry for the Long post_
Have u tried putting your hand inside the cage and playing with Kiki there for some time..so that she gets used to itand thinks it as a safe place to stay. I think she gives hiss sound after being stuck in the cage as she gets angry when you leave her in cage.

I play with Cutie inside the cage every day for 15- 20 min before or after taking her out ..she sits on my hand inside the cage to get
"tickles" ..Everytime when I am having dinner I will take piece of bread and hold it inside the cage for Cutie to jump on my hand and eat bread or fruits (As in India our foods are very oily..so I don't let her out during dinner).
So she gets used to the Cage and stay there comfortably while I am busy with some work.

Hope this helps !!


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## Tiel888 (Jul 4, 2016)

I wonder if she is getting hormonal or if she is an adolescent. That would explain the biting without warning etc. Another thing could be that she is molting and the discomfort is making her moody. Has anything been rearranged in her cage? Also does she like veggies? One thing to try is taking some leaves of romaine lettuce, nappa cabbage, collard greens, etc and hanging them from the cage top using jute or hemp twine. Maybe offer her some millet when she is out with you.


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## Jaguar (Jul 11, 2014)

You answered it yourself:



> She is adorable and really loves hanging out with people more than anything!


Going in the cage = not hanging out with people. Like you said, you need to find a way to make the cage seem like a fun, enjoyable thing for her. A high value treat like millet works best for us.


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## Lunawolfsong (Mar 31, 2016)

*Long, but thorough*



Jaguar said:


> A high value treat like millet works best for us.


Millet is an incredible tool as a treat, but you never want to leave it in the cage 24/7; millet is like birdie marijuana, and they do get addicted to it if it is made a regular part of their diet. Then, when you run out, they actually go through withdrawal symptoms and become more aggressive. It is an excellent treat, just don't leave it in the cage constantly. 

Here's my go-to method for teaching a bird that their cage is a happy place:

1. Reward heavily for being near the cage on your hand
2. Reward heavily for allowing you to put your hand in the cage (with them on it) and out again
3. Reward heavily for going willingly into the cage onto a perch (without you removing your hands/arms)
4. Reward heavily for going into the cage and allowing you to step out
5. Reward heavily for going into the cage and allowing you to shut the door for half a second, then one second, then 30 seconds, then a minute, etc (while standing right by the door)
6. Reward heavily for going into the cage and allowing you to shut the door and leave the room for half a second, one second, 30 seconds, etc

Each step should gradually and slowly build into the others. And take it very slow, you might spend two minutes on step one, or you might spend two weeks on step one. Parrots can't be rushed 

By 'reward heavily' I mean lots of millet and love and praise. If your bird likes other treats you can use them as well. 

Always remember that, during the training sessions, don't give the reward until you've completed the step. The first few times it's okay to reward them for the step behavior even if they bite or scream, so they get the idea, but after that only reward them for doing the step without biting or screaming or struggle. 

Remember after each step to immediately take your bird out of the cage (or if you are prolonging the time after the time is over) so that they don't think that being put away in the cage means they'll be stuck there for hours. It would also help to randomly put her away during playtime for a few minutes and then take her back out again. 

Keep training sessions short; 15 minutes at a time at the most. 

When your bird is in the cage, randomly and inconsistently treat them without taking them out; this will tell the bird that the cage is a good place where treats are given! arnabsri's idea was also a good one, of having a certain allotment of time dedicated to purely in cage love/playtime. 

Let us know how it goes!


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