my family just got a new cockatiel. They don't know how to put him back in his cage so when its time for him to be put away, my mom has to grab him around his body and quickly toss him back in his cage. He now has aquired a fear of my mom and bites her whenever she puts her hand up to him. Am I right that he fears her because she is the one that has to put him away? also Is there a more gentler way of getting a bird back in its cage without using as much force. and lastly, do you as bird owners think it's okay for this style of handling to go on? or do things need to change?
Birds do not like being grabbed or held ( as predators do that) so it is most likely your bird does have a fear of your mum and her hands. This is not good if you want to hand tame him. There are two ways to go about this. You can learn to hand tame him so he loses his fear of hands and will perch on your hand on command or you just wait for the bird to return to his cage in his own time. Google hand taming parrots for how this is done.
Yes, it is very normal for a bird to become nervous because of behavior such as this. Birds do not like to be restrained. The best thing to do is train your Cockatiel to do the "step-up". The "step-up" is a trick where you train your Cockatiel or other parrot to step up on to your hand or finger at the command "Step Up". Also, a more humane way to catch your Cockatiel is to throw a light towel over him if he lands on the floor and then quickly but calmly place him back in the cage.
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Well things need to change ...
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
1.) Your mom's hand or anybodies hand has become your birds worst fear.
"Why?" Well your hand or suppose to be a loving thing. Nothing that should ever hurt your bird or ever want to. Or well that is what a bird is suppose to think like about it. Now your bird is feeling your hand is a treating thing.
2.) You need to tame your bird before letting him out of his cage. There is many ways to I will give you a few websites on how to. Although they are for budgies, Cockatiel may react the same way as mine did.
http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/articles/bird_hand.html
3.) Hopefully your mom doesn't get mad at the bird when it bites her. How would you like all your life to be be savagely graved and tossed into your bed every day when you need to go into your room or whenever your parents tell you too. Not a good feeling huh. The same way with your bird. Plus it is only instinctive of them to do that it is nothing to blame your bird about but your mom herself.
