Cockatiel Training

Cockatiels are one of the most affectionate types of birds. They’re usually happy and playful. The downside would be that they tend to be too perky to the point of being annoying. This is why it is important that bird owners know some basic cockatiel training techniques to handle your bird’s behavior.

One of the common issues of cockatiel bird-owners is dealing with the occasional biting.The usual causes of the biting habit would be boredom and stress. Many owners unintentionally reinforce the biting behavior by giving a strong reaction. For example, when the owner reaches in to take the cockatiel out of its cage and it bites him, then he screams and puts it back in the cage then that cockatiel is getting exactly what it wants – to be left alone in the cage. In cockatiel training, owners must not let it think it’s the boss.

Instead, the owner should offer his hand in a manner that it won’t let the cockatiel get hold of his skin. It can be done by gently pushing your hand toward your bird when they bite. It will take some retraining on the owner’s part and quite some time to master. It is important to bear in mind that cockatiel-owners must not react to the bird’s biting.

Another behavior in cockatiel training is screaming. Cockatiel owners will most likely deal with a lot of noises from the bird and in nature, cockatiels are loud birds and noises that they make naturally shouldn’t be bemused with shouting. In cockatiel training, it will not be difficult to train on screaming. Just like biting, when cockatiels scream, the owner should ensure that the behavior is not reinforced by giving them what they want. Most of the time, birds scream to get the owner’s attention. If the owner responds by immediately going towards the cockatiel’s cage and takes it out, the bird will habitually use screaming to notify the owner that it’s ready to play.

To have a better understanding of why Cockatiels scream owners should take note of the following common reasons:

• Loneliness or boredom
• Frustrated mating issues
• Stress and fatigue
• Poor diet

In cockatiel training, you also have to consider diet. For instance, assuming that a cockatiel is given proper nutrients, a well balanced diet with fresh fruits, vegetables, organic pellets, and are getting a good 12 hours of quality sleep each night, the bird is likely screaming because it’s bored, stressed, lonely or dealing with some sex hormones during adolescence.

One of the best ways to deal with all of these issues is to invest regular time training the cockatiel. It accomplishes several things and establishes a bond of trust between the bird and its owner, which helps both with the stress and even the hormones.

To effectively train Cockatiels, the owner has to have the commitment and the passion. Regular training sessions with Cockatiels for at least 30 days in a row can help owners achieve their goal of eliminating the bird’s unnecessary habits.

Cockatiels are exceptional birds and deserve the attention and commitment of a responsible bird-owner.