Rose Breasted Cockatoo- Sweet but unpredictable

[lovecoco]

Hi Everyone,


I adopted a Rose Breasted Cockatoo 4 days ago and he can be the sweetest thing, but he also bites.


I cant really read him and I know we have to build trust. He seems to like me and everyone in the home. No issues with birds either.


Only thing is that he goes from sweet to sour, really quick haha.


Any tips or advice would be appreciated. I'm working on gaining trust but wondering if this is something he will always do. I read so many negative things about cockatoos and their moods. He seems to not just bite from fear, its more to get his way. Like he pinches my skin to see if I will do what he wants. Btw, I have a goffin but she's more timid and calm.

 

[Laurasea]

Congratulations, I don't have advise, but would live to see a picture of your new baby

 

[Siobhan]

Do rose-breasted 'toos have a crest? Because Rocky's comes up and he bounces up and down just before he bites. It isn't enough time to get out of the way, but at least it's a warning. LOL Rocky's bites tend to be "DANGER, Will Robinson!" or "I have to poop NOW, put me down!" (I actually appreciate that one!)

 

[lovecoco]

They do have a small rounded crest. Funny thing is, he isn't biting when excited because I let him be. He bites just when I ask him to step up sometimes. He's doing better today. I'm reading him and he's probably reading me. I noticed that the lady that had him before me would physically grab him and say no biting. She wasn't hurting him or anything, but its not the way I treat my birds. I do it with love, firm voice or a nice tone, depending on behavior. I don't want my birds to see my hands as a threat. He was pushing her buttons and he wasn't with her very long, so she did the right by looking for a new home.

 

[Siobhan]

I touch Rocky's beak (the other birds, too) and say "no chomps!" or "don't you bite mama." Not that it works, but at least they understand it's not much fun for me. LOL Rocky usually gives me this wounded look like, "But I ENJOY biting, Mom!!!!"

 

[lovecoco]

I notice a couple of times, he really does know it doesn't feel good because its like he does it harder to get a reaction, which I try not to react to. I have to admit, it's very early since he's been here less than a week, but my feelings were so hurt yesterday when he bit my arm throughout the day. But he is also very sweet and lets me scratch his head. We've had a much better day today. Only one bite in morning so far. I already feel like I have love for him, so I guess that's why my feelings were hurt haha.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums! You and your RB2 are still in the "honeymoon" phase and he is surely testing you! No doubt your more nurturing stance is far more beneficial than the previous owner.

I'll link a few threads you may find beneficial. First is geared to building trust. You may find RB2s less stable and mellow than Goffins: http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Bite Pressure Training. Discussion begins in second post, and additional links are provided: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

 

[EllenD]

Oh, I absolutely love RB2's, but yeah, definitely not as "mellow" or laid-back as the Goffins are, that's for sure. They tend to be very forward with their feelings, lol. They are also much more forceful in their behaviors than the Goffins are. Mostly they are extremely stubborn in my experience, but every one I've worked with at the rescue has been an absolute joy after they settle-in. So right now he's figuring out how far he can push you, what his limits are, etc. And the fact that his prior owner was "grabbing" him when he bit instead of just putting him down and saying "No Bites" firmly, and then ignoring him/turning their back on him for 5 minutes, well, grabbing is never a good idea as punishment. All you're accomplishing by grabbing a bird and then yelling at them when they bite is making them afraid of hands and keeping them from wanting to be handled.

Just keep doing what you're doing, he'll settle-in, it's all new right now. As far as the biting goes, I've always found that the "shunning" technique works wonders, especially with Cockatoos because they hate being ignored and want attention so badly that ignoring them for 5 minutes really gets the point across. The idea is simple, whenever you've got him on your hand/arm or on your shoulder, etc. and he bites you, you say the same phrase in a very firm, strong voice, such as "NO BITES!", and then you immediately put him down onto the floor, and then literally turn your back to him, and totally ignore him in every way for 5 minutes. I've used this at the rescue I work at for years and years, and the Cockatoos, all species of them, learn this way more quickly than any other parrots, I guess because they just hate being ignored. I will actually walk away and out of the room for 5 minutes typically, like if I'm giving attention to a bird and they suddenly bite me, I say "NO BITE!" very firmly, put the bird on the floor, turn my back to him, and then either walk out of the room for 5 minutes, totally ignoring all of their screaming and any contact-calls they start making, or I'll simply turn my back to them and start doing something else in the same room, keeping my back to them for 5 minutes and totally ignoring them screaming and whining, and talking to me, trying to get my attention. Sometimes they actually walk across the floor to me and just stand there behind me whining, lol. It's pathetic, they just hate being ignored. But if you react this same way every single time they bite, it tends to work very quickly.

 

[lovecoco]

Thank you so much for all the great advice. Yesterday and today he's been giving me little nibbles on my hands, not painful just like testing to see what hurts? Actually, its almost very sweet. I feel he really likes me and I really am starting to feel a bond. I know its early, but you feel that heart warmth haha. He did a couple stronger ones but I said, "No Bite" and perched him on his tree. I have other birds and they are all really special and smart. They are all so different, but I have to say, this guy is definitely the comedian. Can anyone tell me how to post a pic? I've done it in the past, but for some reason its asking for a URL. Thanks again everyone. Amazing advice.

 

[LeaKP]

The RB2 is one of my dream birds. They’re so quirky! My grey has only been with us 2 weeks and we’re still settling in, i think you’re in that phase too. As time goes by your new one will find his place and be just fine. Congratulations!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scott]

Can anyone tell me how to post a pic? I've done it in the past, but for some reason its asking for a URL. Thanks again everyone. Amazing advice.

Best method for posting pics discussed here: http://www.parrotforums.com/technical-support/6287-how-post-pictures-6.html#post718293

 

[wrench13]

Same as EllenD we use the " just putting him down and saying "No Bites" firmly, and then ignoring him/turning their back on him for 5 minutes" technique with Salty. You need to do this immediately after the bite, so they can connect the bite with you shunning him. No eye contact and with your back to him. ANd be consistent. Nothing confuses parrots more than an inconsistent trainer.

 

[rangerktc1]

It took me awhile to read Bianca. At different times of the day she acts differently. She's a little raucous in the morning but settles down after she eats. Mid day she's usually very quiet and relaxed. Later in afternoon she gets a little rambuctious, then eats and wants to be playful. This is when she's the most fun. She likes to dance, bobbing her head in different directions and will give out an occasional screech. Her crest will be fully open during this time but it means that she's very happy. She'll then quiet down for a little while. Eventually she'll squawk a bit which means she wants to be cuddled. She'll relax with me for a bit but eventually will begin to get fidgety. She will "charge" at me and give me a "nudge" with her beak-not really a bite (I've never known her to bite myself or anyone else very hard). This is her sign that she wants to go to bed. She willinging goes back to her cage-I turn off the lights and we start over the next morning. It took close to a year to get to know her routines and what her actions meant.

 

[lovecoco]

He's been really good, except for today when he got me good because he didn't want to go back in cage while I stepped out. It was a hard bite (didn't break skin), but I didn't react and he just kept digging with his beak. He had a reason for doing it and I understood that, but I still put him in. When I returned he was as sweet as ever and he cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc is soooo sweet. He makes loud kissing sounds and I kiss him. I have to say I lucked out. Good Boy! Btw, all the C's are his doing with beak, didn't want to delete haha.

 

[MonicaMc]

The only bite that can't be rewarded is the bite that never occurs. By "allowing" a bird to bite, you are reinforcing their need to bite. If you get bit, the best thing to do is to get the bird off of you! It doesn't matter where you are, just get the bird off, gently, of course! Set them down on the closest thing, be it a table, a chair, a couch, or even the floor! Don't ignore, don't punish, just get them off. Then spend a few moments to think "What went wrong?". What happened before, during and after the bite? What can you do in the future to avoid bites?


http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html

 

[lovecoco]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to update everyone. We named him Jell-O or Jello. He is doing really well and seems to really love all of us, but of course I feel the extra goes to me. He is such a great pet and we've gotten over the fear of getting a bite. I haven't received any hard bites like the first 2 days, which is when I asked the first question. He seems to trust me and I trust him. That's not to say that he wouldn't bite if he wanted to get his way, but I just feel we are reading each other just fine and enjoy each others company. He started saying wings, which is something my other cockatoo says while also lifting her wings. I thought that was pretty amazing and goes to show how smart he is, because we've only had him 3 weeks. My Son also heard him say Hi, Jello. He is super cute, super smart and an awesome bird.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I have a Nanday Conure who is the exact same way. He's sweet and want pets but then he'll chop down on my and act scared suddenly and it's really unpredictable. I'm hoping he grows out of it one day because he's young yet but he has some other issues so it might just be "him". Yours probably just needs to gain trust with you, mine trusts me but still does it.