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Hello,
I am new to the community and am hoping that I may call on all you cockatiel owners and enthusiasts for help. I must admit that I am desperate.
My male cockatiel is nearing ten years old and is a truly wonderful, friendly, and affectionate bird when he’s not hormonal. Unfortunately, he spends most of the year hormonal and is awful when he is. He’s always been easily triggered but he’s presently the worst he has ever been. I have done my best to read everything that is out there to try and reduce his hormonal surges but nothing helps and I’m really at my wits’ end.
To give you a fuller picture, he’s on a 50/50 mixture of pellets and seeds. He’s flighted and caged. I cover him and ensure that he gets 12-15 hours of darkness/sleep. I continually give him an assortment of toys but he either doesn’t play with them or begins to masturbate with them. Once he begins masturbating with the toy I remove it. He also masturbates with fruits. He also masturbates with vegetables. He masturbates with his perches, his food bowls, even his cage when he’s in the mood and he’s often in the mood. Surprisingly, he has never been in the mood on me or my spouse and I am grateful for that.
He has spent the last few years in a spare room because whenever he sees my spouse he begins screaming for him (he appears to have bonded with him even though I’m the one that feeds him/plays with him/cleans his cage). Also, if his cage is not in an enclosed space he’ll start screaming. I try to take him out for at least an hour a day but when he’s ultra hormonal as he is at present he gets territorial and lunges at me.
I read that most birds are rehomed due to hormonal behaviour and I can empathize. His incessant hormonal sounds and frequent screaming causes much anxiety. My vet offered for me to surrender him.
Thank you for reading my plea for help and for any insight/advice/suggestions that you may offer!
I am new to the community and am hoping that I may call on all you cockatiel owners and enthusiasts for help. I must admit that I am desperate.
My male cockatiel is nearing ten years old and is a truly wonderful, friendly, and affectionate bird when he’s not hormonal. Unfortunately, he spends most of the year hormonal and is awful when he is. He’s always been easily triggered but he’s presently the worst he has ever been. I have done my best to read everything that is out there to try and reduce his hormonal surges but nothing helps and I’m really at my wits’ end.
To give you a fuller picture, he’s on a 50/50 mixture of pellets and seeds. He’s flighted and caged. I cover him and ensure that he gets 12-15 hours of darkness/sleep. I continually give him an assortment of toys but he either doesn’t play with them or begins to masturbate with them. Once he begins masturbating with the toy I remove it. He also masturbates with fruits. He also masturbates with vegetables. He masturbates with his perches, his food bowls, even his cage when he’s in the mood and he’s often in the mood. Surprisingly, he has never been in the mood on me or my spouse and I am grateful for that.
He has spent the last few years in a spare room because whenever he sees my spouse he begins screaming for him (he appears to have bonded with him even though I’m the one that feeds him/plays with him/cleans his cage). Also, if his cage is not in an enclosed space he’ll start screaming. I try to take him out for at least an hour a day but when he’s ultra hormonal as he is at present he gets territorial and lunges at me.
I read that most birds are rehomed due to hormonal behaviour and I can empathize. His incessant hormonal sounds and frequent screaming causes much anxiety. My vet offered for me to surrender him.
Thank you for reading my plea for help and for any insight/advice/suggestions that you may offer!
