# Does Your Cockatiel Act This Way?



## carrotandlogan (Oct 21, 2012)

I got my Cockatiel on November 23rd, 2011 when he was about 2-3 months old. I'm assuming he's a boy because he likes to chirp to get my family's attention and learns songs very quickly. I can't tell if Choco is a boy or girl because he is a Lutino, and I heard they're very hard to tell. Anyways, I got him from almost a year ago (11 months) and I've noticed some things that I thought was peculiar. Please answer the following questions and it would help if you add a description of your bird's behavior in comparison to mine.

1) He used to be comfortable when I pet him when I first got him, but now he has gotten quite 'picky'. He have also gotten more... aggressive? He doesn't bite, but whenever I rub the wrong spots, he gives me a bunch of warning nibbles. They don't hurt, unless I deliberately annoy him, but he was never this uncomfortable before. He was content and I could pet him anywhere on his neck/head (he doesn't like belly or back rubs), but now, he would nibble he if I rub the wrong spots. He has gotten very picky. For example, for one minute, he wants me to pet his cheek, and the other his forehead, and then he would give me warnings if I don't pet under his neck. I read that cockatiels go through some king of... puberty? and that makes them more aggressive at times. Is this true? Has anyone's bird gone through the same thing?

2) He is very attached to me. I'm not saying it's a bad thing.. okay, maybe it's a bit annoying sometimes, but whenever I see videos on youtube, other people's cockatiels are so independent. Whenever I put Choco on a table or the floor and walk away, he would follow me and fly on to me. Sometimes, he won't even get off my shoulder. He won't get on the floor or go exploring on his own unless I make him, or follow him. Does he think I'm his mom? Is that why he keeps following me? Also, when I whistle and he is not out of his cage, he whistles back very loudly as if saying, "I'M HERE! I'M HERE! COME GET ME!" Another thing. He won't perch on anything else but me once he gets out of his cage. He can sit on the table for a long time (but rarely), but even then he would sit right next to me, like, all up in mah grillz. Why is this? I see people's birds so curious and stuff. He's curious, too. He bites stuff he sees, but only if I go with him. Also, I've noticed he seldom sits in his food bowl and moves his feet around like its a nest. I heard it's a young cockatiel's nesting behavior. Is he acting so attached because of his young age when I got him?

3) He is very cowardly. For some reason, he is scared of many household objects. He doesn't go exploring the house or flying around, he just sits next to me and bite my mouse/keyboard. I show him a camera and he shy away, I try to play with him by rolling a pen and he just runs away. I see people's birds playing in the sink and getting baths, while mine flies away when I try to put him on the counter. I know he like baths/sprays, because I gave him one before and he loved it. He doesn't seem to 'know' how to play. For example, I tried to get him to have fun by rolling a paper star around and tossing it back and forth, but he just sits there like, "wut?" I tried some gathering activities for him, too, like wrapping a millet spray with paper and make the cockatiel bite the paper off. He doesn't seem to know how to do that, either. How do I teach him?


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

carrotandlogan said:


> I got my Cockatiel on November 23rd, 2011 when he was about 2-3 months old. I'm assuming he's a boy because he likes to chirp to get my family's attention and learns songs very quickly. I can't tell if Choco is a boy or girl because he is a Lutino, and I heard they're very hard to tell. Anyways, I got him from almost a year ago (11 months) and I've noticed some things that I thought was peculiar. Please answer the following questions and it would help if you add a description of your bird's behavior in comparison to mine.
> 1) He used to be comfortable when I pet him when I first got him, but now he has gotten quite 'picky'. He have also gotten more... aggressive? He doesn't bite, but whenever I rub the wrong spots, he gives me a bunch of warning nibbles. They don't hurt, unless I deliberately annoy him, but he was never this uncomfortable before. He was content and I could pet him anywhere on his neck/head (he doesn't like belly or back rubs), but now, he would nibble he if I rub the wrong spots. He has gotten very picky. For example, for one minute, he wants me to pet his cheek, and the other his forehead, and then he would give me warnings if I don't pet under his neck. I read that cockatiels go through some king of... puberty? and that makes them more aggressive at times. Is this true? Has anyone's bird gone through the same thing?
> 
> *HI Your right. Lots of birds go through this stage. How you treat him during this period will determine how he will grow up & out of it. If you respect the things he doesn't like now, when he grows up there is more chance he will return to his loving ways....
> ...


*These wonderful birds you keep comparing him to did not learn all they know & do in a couple of weeks. You wouldn't call a child backward just because he can't compete with an adult...Even if it takes a week just to get him to explore your pen that's a big step for a bird.Try not to startle him when introducing new stuff. After all he doesn't know what you want him to do & you don't speak cocketiel .... 
Try this little game with him...
You will need a few plastic bottle tops. 
The trick is for you to hide a tiny piece of a favourite treat under one of the tops & encourage your bird to look for it. Even if you have to show him 
When your pet is happy to knock over the one top for his treat, Add another couple of tops but don't let him see which you hide it under. 
After a few days most birds will knock over as many tops as it takes, to get to a favourite treat. 
Remember the smaller the treat, the longer the game will last...B.J. 


*


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

1. Sounds like boy teenage stage to me. You can try the hormone reduction techniques found here: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330 It should help him calm down a bit. Tiels don't like their backs pet, as this is how they mate.

2.I had a tiel that was like that and its not a bad thing at all. If you want him to be more independent you'll have to leave him in the cage some. Otherwise he'll just want to be with you. That's how much he has bonded to you. He sees you as "his."

3.Tiels are scared of things they don't recognize. You'll have to keep showing him that things aren't scary. As to the playing, that's normal for babies. He sounds like he doesn't know what toys are, so that's something else you'll have to show him. Play with them in front of him, it'll make him curious.


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## carrotandlogan (Oct 21, 2012)

Thanks for the replies! ^^ I was scared because I've never bought a bird at a young stage before, so this is all new to me. I will get him to see new things more often and try to make more games to play with him.


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