Cockatiels are often touted as the ideal pet bird. They are one of the most popular pet birds, some of the best birds for apartment life, and the list goes on and on. In fact, cockatiels are supposed to be so friendly that they are even considered to be one of the best pet birds for young children. Everyone seems to emphasize how social cockatiels are and how easy they are to handle. So what do you do if your pet cockatiel isn’t friendly?
1. Spend More Time With Your Cockatiel
Socialization is key to a friendly bird, and the popular cockatiel is no different. In fact, time for socialization is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a pet bird. If you don’t have at least one hour per day to set aside for spending time with your bird, then you don’t have time for a pet cockatiel. And this hour doesn’t include preparing food, creating enrichment, or cleaning. That’s all extra time you’ll have to invest.
Ideally, you should be handling your cockatiel every day. If your cockatiel is unfriendly, this may at first involve simply being in the same room or space as you build trust and socialize your bird. It is crucial that you don’t make handling a negative experience for your bird, as this will make their temperament worse.
Open your bird’s cage and extend your hand or, if your bird doesn’t prefer close contact, a comfortable perch. Do not reach into the cage; instead, stand outside the cage and let the cockatiel come to you, controlling the interaction. If you are able to handle your bird, make sure not to grab or restrain them. Additionally, don’t pet their back or under their wings, as this could cause hormonal flare-ups.
When you are gone, you can still offer positive sensory stimulation like leaving the TV, radio, or a noise machine on. The sound of human voices will continue to help socialize your bird and acclimate them to a human presence, at least in terms of auditory input.
2. Revitalize Your Cockatiel’s Environment
Besides spending at least one hour with your bird, they should have at least three hours outside of the cage every day. This means your cockatiel could spend upwards of 20 hours each day in their cage. A happy cockatiel is a social cockatiel, and you need the right cage set up for a happy cockatiel.
As such, it won’t matter if your cockatiel loves hanging out with you if they hate their cage. This will lead to biting, fighting, and general unpleasantness every time you try to put your cockatiel up. It may even lead to some hissy fits when you initially let them out of their cage. First, consider if you chose the right bird cage—no one likes to be cramped.
The cage should be big enough for your cockatiel to:
- Stretch their wings completely out without touching the sides of the cage;
- Move around and climb, which are necessary exercise;
- Get away from their waste and the areas where they eliminate; and
- Have areas specifically for eating, sleeping, bathing, and toys.
Next, you’ll need to make sure your cockatiel has all of their needs and wants met within the cage. This means necessities like food and water, but also plenty of perches, ladders, climbing ropes, nests, and calcium grinders. If your cockatiel is unfriendly, it’s possible they are under stimulated (e.g. bored) and taking it out on you.
3. Reinforce Positive Associations Between You and Your Cockatiel
One way of reinforcing positive associations between you and your cockatiel is by offering treats. Cockatiels actually have a varied diet, including fruits, vegetables, seeds, and even flowers. They even may accept insects, although cockatiels are primarily herbivores. Offer a special treat to your cockatiel every time you interact with them, especially when they display “good” behavior such as sitting calmly.
Praise is another way to create positive associations with your cockatiel. Like any animal, they will react to the sound of your voice. Make sure to speak in calm, upbeat, and happy tones, praising them when they act social. Do not yell, speak harshly to, or otherwise use negative vocal pitches. Negative reinforcement of any kind, including both verbal or physical punishments, will only make your cockatiel more aggressive.
Within the cage, offering enrichment can forge positive associations. Adding a rotation of new toys to your cockatiel’s cage is just one environmental enrichment idea for birds. Toys like puzzles, brain teasers, etc. are especially useful for keeping your cockatiel engaged and mentally satisfied. You can also encourage foraging by using treats and the cage as a whole to spread out food sources, instead of just dumping all the food into a bowl.
As you interact with your cockatiel, when they’re out and inside their cage, keep an eye out for triggers. For example, if your cockatiel starts biting when they are allowed on your shoulders, keep your bird on your hand, forearm, or otherwise at a lower altitude. By avoiding accidentally triggering your bird, you can create positive associations with your presence alone.
4. Get More Cockatiels (Yes, Really)
Many people are not able to individually keep up with their cockatiel’s socialization needs. This is why cockatiels are one of the many pet birds that should be kept in pairs or even groups of three or more. This ensures your cockatiel receives socialization all day, every day, in addition to reducing their reliance on you. Keeping multiple cockatiels is especially helpful for socialization if you are busy, have an unpredictable schedule, or had a recent life change (such as a baby), that now limits your time for pets.
