Cockatiels should not be petted on their head or faces and should never be forcibly handled. Cockatiels do not like movement from above, so it is best to put them on the neck, wings, and back. Petting a cockatiel's head can make it feel threatened and cause it to bite out of fear.
For most birds, this means petting them in places other than their heads. In particular, you should avoid stroking the wings or base of the tail, even if your bird seems to enjoy being petted in other areas. Watch for courtship behavior.
Cockatiels often genuinely like to be touched. They will beg you to rub the feathers behind their crest, against the grain of the feathers. They might like their cheeks rubbed, especially on their bright red cheek patch. They like you to scratch and help them unfurl pin feathers on their heads when those come in.
It's very simple: you can't punish a cockatiel for bad behavior, whether it's biting, screaming or anything else you may not appreciate. Yelling, prodding, shaking the cage, slapping, taking away food and similar actions simply do not work.
COCKATIELS HATE FINGERS
Most parrots hate fingers and are afraid of them, especially, when first being tamed. The only thing the parrot can see are these things wiggling coming towards them, no wonder the parrot won't step up, or go near hands.
Often, environmental changes, such as a recent move to a new home, new people or pets in the house, loud noises (such as from construction or thunder), or even a change in the location of the bird's cage in the house or of the color of paint on the walls, can stress or upset a bird.
THE DARK. Many parrots are afraid of the dark. Cockatiels are especially prone to night frights. Night frights are when your bird flaps and flails inside and around its cage.
The most important thing when working with a bird is to never grab the bird from behind. Cockatiels are prey animals and this is how a predator would catch him. Unless he is running away from you in a panic, then it is OK to gently press against his front to encourage him to step up.
Biting, hissing, screeching – General dissatisfaction. This could be due to anything from not getting enough attention to being scared of a new owner. Feather picking – The bird is usually bored or could be suffering from unease due to internal problems like infections.
Most cockatiels do not like to be picked up, especially if they are hand-fed. However, it is possible to train cockatiels to tolerate handling and being picked up with enough patience and consistency. If a young bird has been hand-raised in a home environment, then it may feel more comfortable being handled by humans.
You may ask: Is it okay to kiss your bird on the top of their beak or on their head? Yes, it surely is. Kissing or giving your bird a quick peck won't do any harm, and it surely is delightful to show affection towards them.
Frightened birds hold their feathers in close to their body. Cockatiels put their crests up. They might huddle in a corner or rock from side to side. Extremely frightened birds will threaten by snaking their neck out and hissing.
Positive reinforcement is the best way to discipline a bird and you can do it by rewarding your bird's positive actions with his favorite snack or treats. You may also shower him with praise and attention when he's behaving well so he'll realize how he should act.
Don't pet your bird anywhere below their neck, and only pet them gently on their head. Even if a bird's sexual organs aren't located in the areas of their back and beneath their wings, most birds still prefer being pet on the head and neck.
Vegetables like carrots, broccoli, beet greens, dried tomatoes, corn, kale, spinach, sprouts, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, mustard greens and turnip greens are all delicious treats. While most vegetables are better given raw, cockatiels prefer pumpkin and sweet potatoes cooked.
Parrots bond strongly to their primary person's face. If they are bonded to us and we allow them to sit on our shoulder, I believe their perception is one of sitting together with us on one moving branch. Our body becomes their territory.
Cockatiel bites usually don't hurt, but they can deliver quite a painful bite if they want to. These birds usually just nibble or bite lightly to show affection or communicate something.
While it's true that your cockatiel needs darkness to sleep properly, it's not completely dark in the wild. Cockatiels still get moonlight out there, which you can substitute with a dim light positioned near the cage.
Birds can get jealous and territorial, but with the right steps, it is possible to ease the tension and counteract your bird's jealously. Small birds can often become jealous of another bird in the household, a family member, or even one of his toys!