Raveien
New member
- Jan 15, 2022
- 1
- 1
- Parrots
- Cockatiel
Hello 
I got a female cockatiel beginning of November last year and when I got her she was between 9-10 months old. So we've had Loki had for just over 2 months at this point, I've given her a birthday of 3rd February as that'll mark 3 months since we got her. She was hand reared and was hand tame when I purchased her. She steps up fine, goes in and out of her day and night cage with no issues (she has a big indoor aviary downstairs and a smaller night cage in the spare room upstairs). She loves scritches, but she is often quite moody. She's been like this since we got her. She will bow her head for scritches, and take them fine, but quite often when she bows her head for scritches she will get nippy with our fingers, then bow her head again and then get nippy. I don't react when she does this and have been reinforcing positive interactions by telling her she's a good girl when she isn't biting. My question is, is it just hormones and she'll grow out of it when she's fully grown? She's losing the odd feather here and there and has a few pin feathers on her neck, I don't know if she's had a proper big moult yet. I'm aware as well I've not had her very long and the fact she steps up, will take scritches and just sit quite comfortably with myself and my partner is a good sign considering we've not had her long. Just wondering if there's any suggestions to help deal with the moodiness and the nipping and what's causing it?
Thanks!
I got a female cockatiel beginning of November last year and when I got her she was between 9-10 months old. So we've had Loki had for just over 2 months at this point, I've given her a birthday of 3rd February as that'll mark 3 months since we got her. She was hand reared and was hand tame when I purchased her. She steps up fine, goes in and out of her day and night cage with no issues (she has a big indoor aviary downstairs and a smaller night cage in the spare room upstairs). She loves scritches, but she is often quite moody. She's been like this since we got her. She will bow her head for scritches, and take them fine, but quite often when she bows her head for scritches she will get nippy with our fingers, then bow her head again and then get nippy. I don't react when she does this and have been reinforcing positive interactions by telling her she's a good girl when she isn't biting. My question is, is it just hormones and she'll grow out of it when she's fully grown? She's losing the odd feather here and there and has a few pin feathers on her neck, I don't know if she's had a proper big moult yet. I'm aware as well I've not had her very long and the fact she steps up, will take scritches and just sit quite comfortably with myself and my partner is a good sign considering we've not had her long. Just wondering if there's any suggestions to help deal with the moodiness and the nipping and what's causing it?
Thanks!
