Reasons Why Cockatiels Bite

Below are common reasons why a pet cockatiel may bite. Simply click on the biting topic below for more information. If you cannot determine why your cockatiel is biting with the information provided , please post your question on our parrot forum under the cockatiel section or head on over to our main cockatiel area.

• Reasons Why Cockatiels Bite
• Fearful Biting from a Cockatiel
• A Cockatiel Biting Out of Jealousy
• Cockatiel Territorial Biting
• Juvenile Biting in Cockatiels
• Reinforcement of Biting Unintentionally in Cockatiels

Reasons Why Cockatiels Bite

A pet cockatiel will bite for many reasons and it is usually different for each bird. Though the exact reason why the bird is biting might take some time to resolve, there is a standard way to determine the possible cause and how to best eliminate this negative behavior in a cockatiel. Once the owner has determined the cause, usually by recording the biting instances and looking for behavior patterns, the owner can then begin to apply a best-approach solution. It is important that the owner understand which approach is best.

If the right approach has not been accurately identified, it can cause the bird to continue the negative behavior, or worse yet, can possibly accelerate it. That is why it’s highly emphasized that an owner log down the bird’s biting instances and look to see if a pattern develops before applying an approach. In order to effectively remedy a bird’s biting problem, this is extremely important.

Biting is a way that a cockatiel communicates. These birds usually are biting because they are trying to get a point across. For example, if an owner reaches into the cage of their pet cockatiel and the bird strikes and bites, the owner will most likely remove their hand from their cockatiel’s cage and cease interaction with the pet bird altogether. Over time, this repetitive pattern will condition the cockatiel to bite because it has learned that biting is a way to control their owners and the situation; all the more reason for an owner to be aware and understand when a bird is agitated and doesn’t want to be handled.

Another reason why a cockatiel may bite is because it has not been tamed. Most untamed cockatiels bite out of fear because they believe their life is in danger. If an owner is dealing with an untamed bird, it is important to work towards taming the cockatiel to minimize biting and also to better handle the bird as a pet. More importantly, the owner should develop time slots to hold and spend time with their bird as these animals need this type of interaction to become more social and not be scared of their owners, thus eliminating biting situations. Bird interaction should be part of a daily routine for an owner of a cockatiel.

It is important to note that cockatiels very rarely use biting in the wild because this is considered an aggressive behavior. Usually biting is reserved for threatening situations. In most instances, birds in the wild will only have quick scuffles and the losing bird then flies away. In fact, most wild birds expend their energy is finding food and little effort is put into fighting. In the wild, birds usually show aggression mostly during times when protecting their nesting sites from intruders or when trying to protect their mates due to distrust of other cockatiels.

Because captive cockatiels have been forced to adapt to our ways of living, they have also begun to modify their behaviors to coexist. Unfortunately, biting is a learned adaptation of being kept in captivity. Cockatiels who bite excessively are usually those who have not been well socialized, have been unintentionally reinforced to bite, and do not understand the “flock dynamics” (house hold rules). For this reason, the bird needs to be reconditioned and household rules taught.

Although difficult as it may be, when bird biting is excessive, the owner should always ignore this behavior until a solution to eliminate this conduct can be identified. Many times owners yell at their birds not to bite but remember that this is counterproductive. This yelling tells the bird that he has gotten your attention and will in fact make the bird want to continue to bite because in his world he has communicated with his owner. If the owner
should get bitten, they should continue to hold the bird as if nothing has happened. Although, it is uncomfortable and may hurt when getting bitten by a pet bird, the owner’s overall goal should be to show the bird that biting is not an effective way to communicate. Eventually the bird will catch on and the biting will be minimized.