# Training a Biting cockatiel



## Nibbles&Bullet (Aug 14, 2009)

My cockatiel i just recently bought along with the one it was with is way meaner than the other one. He bites when i go to get him and sometimes its sooo hard it really hurts. When i do get him and hes on my shoulder and i want him down he even tries to bite before i get to him and i say "NO" but that doesnt seem to do much. any ideas???


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## ladyeagle (Aug 14, 2009)

same problems (well sort of) I have with my baby, the idea is to start gaining her trust with lots of treats and patience. Shouting and getting emotional does not help, bird are very intelligent and aware (that awareness keeps them alive in nature) basically have patience and talk to her try make her feel confy and wanted. Don't try to grab her, that's a mistake I made and paid with my blood literally . It's important for us to understand that they don't hate us, they just have to get to know us, to understand we are there to serve them  with lots of love and treats


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## Di_dee1 (Feb 20, 2009)

There are som fantastic books on the market to help with this. My fave is the parrot problem solver by Barbara Heidenrich. She explains their life in the wild, the instincts they have which do not gel at times with us and what we want from them, their reasons behind the behaviours and how we can change it by watching clues from their body language and using positive reinforcement for the small baby steps needed to make them WANT to change these behaviours. It can take a lot of time and patience but most of all consistency. 

Here also is an article that may help.

http://www.rationalparrot.com/biting.html


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## Nibbles&Bullet (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks for the advice...yea i've been giving mine treats like crazy and doing as much as possible with the cage and cleaning it a lot just to get him used to me and my voice and whatnot. Oh and yea they are way to aware of their surroundings lol they know everything even before it happens(it seems that way anyways lol)


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## cockatielcutie (Aug 22, 2009)

ladyeagle said:


> same problems (well sort of) I have with my baby, the idea is to start gaining her trust with lots of treats and patience. Shouting and getting emotional does not help, bird are very intelligent and aware (that awareness keeps them alive in nature) basically have patience and talk to her try make her feel confy and wanted. Don't try to grab her, that's a mistake I made and paid with my blood literally . It's important for us to understand that they don't hate us, they just have to get to know us, to understand we are there to serve them  with lots of love and treats


i agree with ladyeagle, but when i trained my cockatiel not to bite, all it took was a little patience, love, and human-bird bonding, you have to let him gain your trust.


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Nibbles&Bullet said:


> My cockatiel i just recently bought along with the one it was with is way meaner than the other one. He bites when i go to get him and sometimes its sooo hard it really hurts. When i do get him and hes on my shoulder and i want him down he even tries to bite before i get to him and i say "NO" but that doesnt seem to do much. any ideas???


The key with dealing with biting birds (or any animal) is avoiding the bite and responding to body language that happens prior to the bite so that you can avoid it. Look for earlier signs. it might be too soon for him to be on your shoulder. You might need to teach him to step up onto a perch or a ladder instead of your finger. And, of course reinforce any behavior you really like.

Vicki


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## Nibbles&Bullet (Aug 14, 2009)

I really appreciate all the advice! yea my bird will open his mouth as soon as my hand goes near him and i say "NO!" but like i said it doesnt phase him. And when i try to get him on a perch he hates it and bites real hard or flutters away. I dont know...im trying my best to be patient and talk to him and feed him it just seems that he will be that way forever!!


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Nibbles&Bullet said:


> I really appreciate all the advice! yea my bird will open his mouth as soon as my hand goes near him and i say "NO!" but like i said it doesnt phase him. And when i try to get him on a perch he hates it and bites real hard or flutters away. I dont know...im trying my best to be patient and talk to him and feed him it just seems that he will be that way forever!!



Keep being patient, that is the most important thing. Even if you say no, it's not going to help the biting because he is afraid of your hand coming towards him and if you don't stop moving towards him when he is afraid he will have no choice but to bite. 

I would not attempt to hold him for a while, just start getting him comfortable with hands. Have training sessions where you open your cage and then offer a spray of millet. Don't move it towards him, don't touch him, don't pressure him, just say this is here if you would like it Eventually (maybe not the first session or two) he will probably start coming for teh millet. This will start to teach him that hands are a good thing not a scary thing. 

Just move very slowly and be patient. 

Vicki


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## Nibbles&Bullet (Aug 14, 2009)

thanks vicki! I did that today as a matter of fact, only i moved towards him. He didnt attempt to bite at all just munched on the millet. He still takes seeds from my hand and stuff but as soon as my finger comes up to get him he gets mean. I'm starting to think that maybe he just doesnt like to be held.


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Nibbles&Bullet said:


> thanks vicki! I did that today as a matter of fact, only i moved towards him. He didnt attempt to bite at all just munched on the millet. He still takes seeds from my hand and stuff but as soon as my finger comes up to get him he gets mean. I'm starting to think that maybe he just doesnt like to be held.


That's really great that he was eating the millet, but do not move towards him or move your finger towards him yet, it's too soon and if you rush it, you won't build any trust. He has to learn and know that he can trust you and that you won't "make a move" and go for him. Let him get REALLY comfortable with your hand with the millet. Then start by just wiggling a finger. At first he will look at is suspicious, then start eating again, you build from there slowly.

I know it's hard to be patient, but don't push. Let him decide, he will tell you when he is ready.

vicki


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