Is my bird just moody or trying to be dominant.? 10pnts.

Question

since im a new cockatiel owner and also adopted him, my 4 yr old cockatiel can get ....like mood swings. he was very attached to his first owner so now i have to try and get him to like me. i dont think he does though. its hard for me. im trying to be paitent and get him to trust me but i feel like everything im doing is wrong. he just got his wings clipped yesterday, and keeps falling. he thinks that he can fly and falls. is he going to get really hurt??!! and now whenever i get near him he swaks and not bites but opens his mouth and attempts too. i have to grab him to get him out of the cage. when hes out he falls sometimes and still tries to bite. WHAT should i do?! is he trying to show me that hes dominant and scare me? how do i make him like me too.

thank you so much 10pnts too best answer

thanks

Answer 1

Firstly, my own birds try to fly when they get their wings clipped but they never fall they just flap to the ground so I would take him to get his wings clipped elsewhere. And when he tries to bite, don't be afraid because they rarely bite hard, thier bites are mostly like little pinches that don't draw blood. Sometimes mine gets moody, but if you get down to his level and whistle to him he will feel less insignificant, my conure does this a lot. Don't try to pick him up for a day and keep whistling. Then when he is less aggressive approach him slowly while whistling or talking, put one finger directly under his chest so that he steps UP to your finger and your finger is not pushing his legs. This has worked on my two birds so I hope it can help you. Good Luck!!  

Answer 2

Your cockatiel is clearly bonded with his former owner.  It's usually best to get a bird when it's very young - the younger, the better.  4 years old is a lot of time, and it may take years for him to fully trust you.  You mentioned that you have to "grab him to get him out of the cage".  OMG, this is BAD.  He's scared of you now, and it's no wonder that he's biting.  No offense, but grabbing him is not good.  His cage is his security zone.  The aggressive behavior that you're seeing is self-defensive, and it's motivated by fear.  Your hand needs to be gentle and positive.  Work gradually with him.  Talk to him, and hand-feed him.  Coming out of his cage should be optional, not mandatory.