My Cockatoo abuses me

[KAtchley]

Hello! This is my first post! My husband and I have adopted my Uncle's Cockatoo due to him no longer being able to care for her. Sasha is 17 years old and he had her since she was a baby. We have had her for a few months. There have been a lot of adjustments. She screams a lot. We got her a giant cage, about 4 times the size of her old cage. I read they have a lot of energy so we thought a big cage with lots of toys would help. She is still adjusting to the cage, but I think in time she will love the extra room and toys.
My biggest issue with Sasha is that she bites me. I mean draws blood kind of bites and it is very often. I'm getting to the point where I don't want to hold her because I never know when she is going to get aggressive. She is wonderful with my husband. She never bites him hard. He can love on her, hold her on her back, trim her nails, and she is fine. Just nibbles him. With me she will be all sweet and fine, and then out of nowhere bite the crap out of me!
Any suggestions on what we can do to see it coming, or better yet, stop the abuse!
Thanks!

 

[Betrisher]

My word! I'm just going through exactly the same situation with my Dad's Galah! Take heart! If you keep on communicating quietly and gently and offer treats etc all the time, the bird will warm to you. She may never be your best friend, but things will improve. I understand how hard it must be with a beak that size!

First and foremost, don't allow occasions of biting to happen. Let the bird approach you, but never *ever* approach her or she'll bite you. The only forewarning I get with Dominic is a sudden (and I do mean sudden) flattening of the crest feathers. Then, wham! Chunx of flesh and blood and that awful feeling of betrayal. Sigh. It's hard! Mostly, I don't see any warning before the bite, though, so I've made up my mind that I will allow for one bite a day, then give up.

So, what I've been doing is just allow my husband to build a relationship with Dom. This means he (Dom) has a safe place to be and someone he trusts (which is, really, more important than my desire to make friends with the bird). I always approach Dom slowly and quietly and usually with a treat (seed or fruit) in my hand. Oddly, he'll allow me to scratch his head without biting me. If I offer my arm or hand to step up: CHONK! So I don't.

When Dom's relating with my husband, I'll often lay my arm on the table and allow him to walk on it if he wants (Dom, not the husband...) Sometimes, he'll bite first, sometimes afterward, but he did eventually learn to walk on my arm. After that, he eventually came to step up on me. He would usually bite at some point and I always put him down after that and leave him to my husband. The most useful piece of advice anyone ever gave me is: a bird can't bite you when his mouth is full. If you use a chopstick or pencil or something to engage the beak, you can often achieve things that you wouldn't otherwise. It's the only way I can feed Dom. I give him a chopstick to savage while I shoot his clean food and water into the cage.

After roughly six months, Dom trusts me a lot more and will sit on me for short periods. He'll even snuggle into my shirt front and 'dance' for me. But my husband is still his best mate and probably will always be. Interestingly, Dom has befriended my son, but not my daughter. Go figure!

I wish you luck with your bird. Try hard to be patient and remember the bird has lost a great deal and has many difficult adjustments to make. If you help her develop trust and a sense of safety, she may well come around for you in time. Do keep us up to date with your progress, won't you? We love to hear how members are doing!

 

[KAtchley]

I’m sorry you get bit too, but it is nice to know I’m not the only one going thru this! I will def try bonding over treats and things I can put in her mouth as a distraction!
It really does hurt my feelings when she bites. We are trying so hard to give her a good home and make her happy. I know she has gone thru a lot losing my Uncle as her owner, being in a new house, and now in a new cage. Our thought is that if we make her happy it will reduce her aggression and screaming. Hopefully we can make her happy!
I will also let my husband know that rt now his relationship with her is important and hopefully they can bond like your husband and bird have.
Thanks for the reply and advice!

 

[Kimmied]

The best thing you can do is allow your husband to build a relationship with the bird. Birds are usually male or female birds (meaning they like that sex of human). I think your bird likes your husband because she/he is use to your father. I would start slowly with her. Leave the cage door closed and read a book softly. Also don't try to handle the bird with your husband there. She will bite you just to drive you away from him. My U2 does that to my husband all the time. We can't be in the same room together. But separately she has grown to except him. Try soft music to. It DOES work lol. Whatever you do do NOT flip out when she bites you. I know it hurts but believe me these little guy love drama. Tell her no and put her on top of her cage. If she comes over and bites you again. Tell her no and make her step up then step down into the cage so u can tell her she is a good girl and give her a time out for 20min to 1/2 hour. With soft music. No yelling at her and always make sure when she gets put in her cage it's on a good note like stepping down so she is a good girl. Sorry to write a book it's just I've been where you are