Cockatiel cage aggression

[cthulhus_minion]

Are cockatiels naturally cage aggressive? He would kinda strike at me when I first got him but wouldn't bite and he got alot better where he didn't near as much but lately he has started the striking again. He doesn't really ever "bite" me but he does kinda go after my hand and was hoping I somehow didn't teach him to do that. Recently I started giving him treats when I'd take him out so he would associate coming out as a good thing and am afraid I accidently taught him to bluff at me. He isn't biting but I want to get this fixed before it goes to biting. I feed him on me and feed him by hand with treats when I have him on me. Any suggestions?

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[Sunny_the_tiel]

My cockatiel, sunny, started doing the same thing a few weeks ago. So I started telling him "step up" anytime I picked him up and "step down" any time I put him down. Once he got what the words meant the biting pretty much stopped. I do this so he knows what I'm doing and he loves being out of his cage so he's learned that it means good things.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

Thanks, I'll give that a try

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[LoveMyParrots]

No, not all cockatiels are cage aggressive, when I made my tiels, they have never bitten or lunge at me.

Take your tiel away from the cage, and then do some basic taming. It would help when he is away from his cage.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

He only does it while I'm about to pick him up, soon as he steps up he stops while in the cage. It would make more sense if he kept doing it the entire time but he stops and steps up.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

My friends male cockatiel will do this(he also gets mad when she's opening or closing his cage). We just ignore it and act like he's not doing it, he's not actually hurting us anyways and if we let his bluffing have power it will only encourage him.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

I still pick him up , its just sorta irritating, but like you said it doesn't hurt. I wasn't sure if ignoring it would be good or bad.

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