Consider the following: Can you commit the time to care for a cockatoo? But they require diligent care.Įnsure you are comfortable with their quirks, personality traits, and long life expectancy before you get a cockatoo. They are great pets, especially for experienced and committed bird owners. Is a cockatoo the right pet for you?Ĭockatoos have outgoing personalities and soft feathers. The hormonal changes will pass after adolescence. Introduce your bird to new people and situations to prevent fear of strangers and territorial behavior. Not enough socialization, jealousy, hormonal changes, or other factors can make your bird aggressive. Why would my cockatoo suddenly become aggressive? Be careful when handling your feather friend, as larger parrots can break finger bones. If the bite causes bleeding, medical attention may be needed, and in some cases, you may require stitches. Are birds bites dangerous ?Īll parrots have sharp, strong beaks that can cause damage to the skin. Aggression and biting isn’t a natural fighting behavior for parrots. Perhaps when your pet bites your hand, you are not being bitten, but beaked. When a bird bites you, what does it mean?Ĭockatoos use their beaks to grasp things and maintain their balance. Psittacosis affects the lungs and may cause pneumonia. What is psittacosis ?Īn uncommon infectious disease is transmitted to humans through exposure to infected birds, especially parrots, cockatoos, and similar pet birds. If the bite gets infected, you may need antibiotics to avoid parrot flu or psittacosis. If in doubt, see your doctor and get it checked out. You may be at risk of permanent injury without the proper treatment. Larger cockatoos and birds can cause fractured fingers. Bites caused by larger parrots may require an emergency room visit for stitches. It would be best if you washed the wound thoroughly if the parrot bite draws blood. A properly placed bite can draw blood or cause pain. There are no incidents of a cockatoo removing a finger however, larger birds could cause serious injuries. They can injure your face or hands when being handled. Put the bird down and withdraw your hand slowly, repeating “no.” What to do if your cockatoo bites youĪlways remember that parrots are wild animals. Give your pet a firm “no” or “no biting” command. If you do get bitten, don’t yell or quickly pull back. Then wait a few minutes before trying to handle your bird. Try to distract your cockatoo by talking calmly. Warning signs your bird may biteĭon’t ignore these signs. Once you understand what triggers this behavior, you can avoid being bitten by reading your parrot’s body language. Like other animals, your cockatoo will not try to bite without giving warning signs first. There is no way to stop hormonal biting or general aggressiveness, so avoid handling your pet when it appears his hormones are surging. However, cockatoos are affected by hormonal changes more than other parrot species. Sexually mature parrots go through hormonal changes brought on by the breeding season. Your cockatoo may become territorial of you and try to bite you or a rival for your attention. If a bird is territorial of his cage, he will try to bite if you attempt to take him off his perch. Many parrots can exhibit territorial behavior around their cage or favorite person. An injured cockatoo may bite you, even if you are his favorite human. Just like us, our feathered friends are not themselves when in pain or sick. If your pet didn’t get a good night’s sleep, he would be tired and cranky enough to try and bite. Parrotts generally need 12 hours of quiet in the dark to be fully rested. StressĪll parrots will bite if tired or stressed. Observe your cockatoo learn his body language to avoid being bitten. Body language can vary from one bird to another.
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It would help if you remembered that parrots, like people, are all different.
Bite your thumb how to#
You must know how to read your bird’s body language and avoid handling him if excited. Cockatoos or parrots are prone to this behavior. Overstimulation or playfulness may cause a bird to bite. Your bird may not like you and will attack and bite out of fear. It is possible that your cockatoo is afraid or simply doesn’t like certain members of the family. However, anyone your parrot doesn’t know or trust could get bitten.
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Here are some reasons why a cockatoo bites: Fear or distrustĪn adult cockatoo will see some family members as their “flock” and consider them trustworthy. Anyone who is planning to own one needs to understand this. These traits will remain even if they have been hand-reared.īiting is a natural behavior for birds. A parrot, or cockatoo, is a wild animal with the instinctual traits of a wild animal.