Cockatoo biting out of nowhere

[UCY]

Hii so here is a little background.. Yuki the cockatoo is 3 years old this year. We’ve had him since he was 1 years old. We have no idea what happened to him in that 1 year but he’s afraid of literally everything; he’s afraid to take a bath, to go out, etc. However i am gradually trying to take that fear away.

Anyways, There are four of us in this household, and well, HE LOVES MY DAD MORE THN ANY OF US! He would get so excited to see him and he doesnt like to be separated away from my dad. When my dad leaves the room he would make noise and run back and forth. The thing is, my dad doesnt wanna hang out with yuki because when he perches on my dad or just chilling, he would get violent out of nowhere.. he would bite my dad’s ears or make violent attacks by biting his hands or arm. It’s totally out of the blue and this caused my dad to not wanna hang out with the bird as he bites really hard.. also, when hegets excited to see my dad, he wouldnt stay still.. he would run around, jump on person to another and thats also when he would just randomly start the biting..

im not quite sure whats the root cause of this behaviour because he does not bite me or anyone else.. he’s ok with the rest of us but he is totally obsessed with my dad but violent at the same time..

Any suggestions on what can be done?

 

[Shezbug]

@JLcribber

 

[JLcribber]

This pretty normal behaviour for a cockatoo. They are not like any other bird out there. Very complicated creatures. Give this read to start. It will provide insight into what’s going with ways to approach things.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

 

[sunnysmom]

My assumption is he's biting for attention. My 'too would do that with my fiance. Hanging out was not sufficient for him- he wanted direct interaction and when he didn't get it he started biting because that got him attention. I don't know if you can perhaps work on having your 'too on a playstand and working on teaching him some independent play? (Or maybe he does that already?)

 

[UCY]

This pretty normal behaviour for a cockatoo. They are not like any other bird out there. Very complicated creatures. Give this read to start. It will provide insight into what’s going with ways to approach things.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

hello, i have read the site and well, things still isnt ok.. i mean my cockatoo is definitely ok with all of my family members including me, except my dad. He LOVES my dad so much but he’s also the most aggresive towards my dad at times. He would bite my dad out of the blue till one time where his ear bled alot... he is on his very best behaviour when my dad is not around despite always asking for my dad by calling him but when my dad’s here, he starts getting aggressive, loud etc.. any idea how i could go about this behaviour of his?

 

[UCY]

My assumption is he's biting for attention. My 'too would do that with my fiance. Hanging out was not sufficient for him- he wanted direct interaction and when he didn't get it he started biting because that got him attention. I don't know if you can perhaps work on having your 'too on a playstand and working on teaching him some independent play? (Or maybe he does that already?)

I kind of figured that too..! Because of pandemic some of us are still going to work while some of us are staying home.. my family members and i are working and schooling from home while my dad goes to work so i figured his aggression came from lack of attention & interaction.. its like whenever my dad comes home from work he gets excited and jumps around and his aggression at times are sparked from there.. i heard that over excitement can cause aggression but i hv tried so many times to get my ‘too to calm down by taking him elsewhere or by distractions but whenever he sees my dad he gets excited all over again he does play on his own half the time as you’ve suggested, while the other half i would take him out and play with him and interact with him, sometimes we’d just chill and watch tv.. AND THE WEIRD PART IS, he is not aggressive at all so i can never quite understand why it is that he has to bite my dad despite his unconditional love for my dad and not bite the rest of us

 

[sunnysmom]

It's very possible that your 'too sees your dad as his "mate" and male 'toos are known to be aggressive towards their mates if they are sexually frustrated. It's a tough thing to control sometimes. I completely limit my 'toos interaction with my fiance. He is only allowed out with him if I am there to supervise, and I keep their direct interactions short. And I tell my fiance when Elvis is with him he has to give him his complete attention. No watching TV, being on the phone etc. How long ago did the biting start?

 

[UCY]

If only my dad listens like your fiancé does!! When i am there to watch my cockatoo when he is around me dad, my dad normally would just watch tv use his phone etc and just “multitask”, talking to the bird and all... not really giving complete attention towards my ‘too.. it started about late last year, but the bites were harmless cause it happened rarely.. till recently when he started biting my dad very often.. without fail, whenever he’s with my dad, thats when it starts.. just that this time, his bites are more painful and bloody..

 

[JLcribber]

If only my dad listens like your fiancé does!! When i am there to watch my cockatoo when he is around me dad, my dad normally would just watch tv use his phone etc and just “multitask”, talking to the bird and all... not really giving complete attention towards my ‘too.. it started about late last year, but the bites were harmless cause it happened rarely.. till recently when he started biting my dad very often.. without fail, whenever he’s with my dad, thats when it starts.. just that this time, his bites are more painful and bloody..

I'm sorry to say that the solution to this whole situation is going to lie with your dad. If he is not willing to step up and put in a concentrated effort to learn how to handle/interact with him and dedicate real attention to him then you will have to limit his exposure and time with your dad. When dad is not in the picture he does not act the same as you know.

I'll save you a lot of trial and error. Mostly error. You will come to realize in time that these complicated birds need to be "managed" just like a zookeeper looks after their animals. This involves learning/understanding their natural behaviours as well as learning and becoming familiar in reading "your" bird's body language. This bird will need a safe/secure "environment" that is not his cage but includes the cage as home base. This is for everyones sake. They can NOT be left unsupervised and we can not possibly watch them every minute. Thats means locked in the cage. That "area" serves the same purpose but still allows some freedom.

 

[UCY]

i co

I'm sorry to say that the solution to this whole situation is going to lie with your dad. If he is not willing to step up and put in a concentrated effort to learn how to handle/interact with him and dedicate real attention to him then you will have to limit his exposure and time with your dad. When dad is not in the picture he does not act the same as you know.

I'll save you a lot of trial and error. Mostly error. You will come to realize in time that these complicated birds need to be "managed" just like a zookeeper looks after their animals. This involves learning/understanding their natural behaviours as well as learning and becoming familiar in reading "your" bird's body language. This bird will need a safe/secure "environment" that is not his cage but includes the cage as home base. This is for everyones sake. They can NOT be left unsupervised and we can not possibly watch them every minute. Thats means locked in the cage. That "area" serves the same purpose but still allows some freedom.

I couldn’t agree more honestly.. i was hoping to find alternative options then to do what i’ve been doing — limit my too’s interaction with my dad. Though, limiting my too’s interaction with my dad meant that my mom and i have to deal with my angsty, cranky cockatoo.. he’d be running back and forth calling for my dad and at times screaming, and would hardly eat as much as he normally would which is why i thought maybe there could be an alternative option because my dad too is an issue, he talks more thn he does them and its very difficult to get someone to do sth they have no interest in, like giving all his attention to my ‘too! Thank you all though, for your suggestions and help.. i might just have to find a way that would shift my ‘too’s focus!

 

[BirdG1rl]

I'll tag @Just-passn-thru to give you some additional help. Good luck!

 

[BirdG1rl]

Oh, and @cassiesdad as well.

 

[UCY]

Oh, and @cassiesdad as well.

Thank youuuu

 

[cassiesdad]

I'm sorry to say that the solution to this whole situation is going to lie with your dad. If he is not willing to step up and put in a concentrated effort to learn how to handle/interact with him and dedicate real attention to him then you will have to limit his exposure and time with your dad. When dad is not in the picture he does not act the same as you know.

I'll save you a lot of trial and error. Mostly error. You will come to realize in time that these complicated birds need to be "managed" just like a zookeeper looks after their animals. This involves learning/understanding their natural behaviours as well as learning and becoming familiar in reading "your" bird's body language. This bird will need a safe/secure "environment" that is not his cage but includes the cage as home base. This is for everyones sake. They can NOT be left unsupervised and we can not possibly watch them every minute. Thats means locked in the cage. That "area" serves the same purpose but still allows some freedom.

I can't say it any better.
Good luck with your 'too...these birds are intelligent,sensitive wild animals...

 

[sunnysmom]

Does he have something that he likes to play with? My 'too loves playing catch. So, I'll let him go to my fiance for a little bit. Then, I'll get his sock and we'll go and play. That seems to distract him sufficiently that he doesn't care that he's not with my fiance. Then, I will let him be in his cage near my fiance afterwards.