Cranky Cockatiel.....

[Darth_Kitten]

just need some help from the bird lovers again....

Murphee got cranky today and yesterday too....do they have their moments?

Starting nipping at my finger....then I would say "NO", but would at times continue being the defiant brat. :(

hmmm....

[Cush]

1. not an expert but....

maybe you should have the cat put the rifle away? Gotta be freaking them out that you allow your kitty to be armed.

[blondeatlast]

19. Yeah, my kid gets pretty nervous when kitty is aiming . . .

[Another Bill C.]

2. If it's a male,

male cockatiels have a really active libido. If you put a small really smooth blanket on top of his cage he will take care of things a few times each day and mellow out. They also like sneakers. If you have an old pair of white sneakers, he will fall in love with them and mellow out, also.

If it's a female, I can't help. I don't know anything about females.

[Don_G]

3. New Home, Different Environment

With a sniper cat lurking in the background just waiting for a clear shot.

Of course, I don't know if you have any white-haired older male friends with a beard and moustache wearing a white linen suit and hat, carrying a cane with the distinctive odor of giblet gravy either.

[moosedog]

4. I have a male...

He is about 25 years old now. He has had those moments and the first time he got like that, I was so upset. He just was like crazy. He thinks of me as his mate. I have shown him that if he is like that, I will ignore him. They are so smart....he complains when we take him in the motorhome, because he wants to get to a camp and visit with people and show off. If we are just going shopping, he teases and screeches. Well, now Mr. & I talk before leaving and suggest leaving him home as he will just fuss. We took him and no more teasing. I swear...he knows everything that we say. He knows when I throw the covers off in the morning to get up even. You would think it was the queen coming out. He hates Mr Moose and attacks him if he is near me. Mrs. Moose

[7th_Sephiroth]

5. Just let

the sniper kitty get line of sight and...problem solved.

[Dookus]

6. important note about biting and the like...

do NOT make a scene when the bird does it. They like that. If he nips you, that's the end of playtime. Put him back in his cage. Don't scream, yell, make a fuss - that's entertaining to them, and they'll keep biting just to see the show.

It's also important to make sure you can pet him all over and touch his head.

[Darth_Kitten]

8. I think she really needs rest.....

I'm just leaving her alone now....I dimmed the lights in her area (I have a bachelor suite, we both eat/sleep/watch tv/etc. in essentially one room.

I just hope she has a good sleep. :) She looked a little dozzy a few minutes ago. :)

[sistersofmercy]

7. Circumstances? My parrotlet gets cranky when going through a

mini moult. Also, I've discovered he's got a thing for the bird pictured on his food canister.

[Kat45]

9. SOM, you have a parrotlet? I do too.

I absolutely love parrotlets--they are just so darn cute, and their behavior is just as adorable.

[sistersofmercy]

11. Love mine too..

His name is Loki which suits him perfectly (and the fact that I dig mythology and folktales etc) Great talkers! I got mine as a baby, hand fed him, so he thinks I'm the momma. Yes they are cute and have hilariously adorable behavior.

[Kat45]

13. Are you on any of the parrotlet email lists?

I remember somebody on one of the lists had a parrotlet named Loki. I respect anyone who hand feeds their bird, especially one as tiny as a baby parrotlet. I know that's something I could never do.

[sistersofmercy]

14. No not on the lists...

Handing feeding isn't as hard as you would think. It was my first time, I was very nervous but obviously did just fine. It's the neatest experience, mine weened himself, he did it when it was time to fly. It's like a protestation of "I'm a big boy, now!" I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

[Kat45]

16. Awwww! That's so sweet.

These little guys are so wonderful.

[sistersofmercy]

17. Yes and wow how they can talk!

It's amazing to me that they can say as much as some of the big birds, except maybe an African Grey. I love little birds, canaries and finches. Their life expectancy is a bummer, especially for the finches. my canary which passed away from cancer, I had taught to eat pieces of apple from my finger. Loved the apples! My parrotlet loves soft tortillas.

[flamingyouth]

10. Snippy beak

A constant problem. Be careful, they can draw blood. If your hands smell like food at all, that can be a problem.

Good luck.

[Kat45]

12. Yes, birds definitely have their moods.

Sometimes there's a good reason, like getting cranky during a molt. Sometimes we humans have no idea where their moods come from. Sometimes it's because of something we've done that they didn't like.

I've been trying to break my parrotlet, Grace, of her biting habit. She tries to bite me a lot, yet she can also be really relaxed and let me scratch her little head.

Birds are a challenge. They're smart, and they have their emotions and moods, their likes and dislikes. You might want to look for books by Sally Blanchard, a bird behaviorist, who talks about all kinds of bird behavior, including biting, and how to deal with it. Chris Davis is another good bird behaviorist. There are also a number of bird email lists, some general and some species-specific. I'm pretty sure there's at least one about cockatiels. (I'm on a list about parrotlets.) You can get a lot of good ideas on these lists from others with birds; of course, you have to read with a critical eye to separate the info of those who know what they're talking about from those who don't.

edited for typo

[Darth_Kitten]

15. She's usually such a sweetie....

loves to cuddle, especially under my chin....she's chillun' now....

I am still in the "crazy new mom" stage of bird ownership. :crazy: Still learning.... :)

[sistersofmercy]

18. Just so you know...

They can get overstimulated very easily, from loud noises like tv or stereo, and bright lights. Buy a buddy hut, it's a little tent for them and they will use it when they want to shut out the surrounding noise.