Defender

[Dinosaurus]

My sulphur crested cockatoo is an absolute joy but he is so defensive of his cage. He has bitten me several times when I get too close to the cage. The door is always open so he has free Rome. He rarely leaves the cage but when he does he is a joy. He steps up and will sit on me for a long time. How do I get him of the cage so I can play more with him. Cockatoo bites are no fun. Lol

 

[JLcribber]

It needs to be more "rewarding" to come out of the cage than to stay in it. Bribery, treats, praise whatever. It is that simple.

Or you could build an indoor aviary where you can join him in his world.

Cage Aggression

To a large adult parrot that has been forced to live in a cage most of its life, the "cage" is a major factor in their undesirable behavior. If there was any abuse during that time the problems will just be amplified. Taking the cage out of the equation goes a long ways to helping that bird and...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Destiny]

I agree with JLcribber - the very best solution for cage aggression is removing the cage. Birds of all sizes benefit from access to bird rooms or indoor aviary setups.

If you do not have the room for a walk-in aviary or can't dedicate a whole room to the bird, another solution is to switch to a two-cage system. Instead of one cage for sleep, play, and food, provide the bird with a large "play" cage with lots of toys during the day and a smaller more sparsely furnished "sleep" cage at night. In the wild, parrots will roost in a safe place and then travel around their territory during the day to find food and other necessities. Feedings can be done either inside one of the cages as an incentive to switch locations or outside at a designated play stand to encourage the bird to view the entire room as "his" space, not just the two cages.

It might seems counter-intuitive that the solution to cage aggression might be giving the bird even MORE cage ... but expanding your bird's territory allows you to more easily transition him between cages so you can perform necessary maintenence and gives him greater security both in and out of his cage. And it can help him to see the entire room as a safe space and your presence as a normal part of his environment, rather than an unwelcome intrusion.

 

[Dinosaurus]

It needs to be more "rewarding" to come out of the cage than to stay in it. Bribery, treats, praise whatever. It is that simple.

Or you could build an indoor aviary where you can join him in his world.

Cage Aggression

To a large adult parrot that has been forced to live in a cage most of its life, the "cage" is a major factor in their undesirable behavior. If there was any abuse during that time the problems will just be amplified. Taking the cage out of the equation goes a long ways to helping that bird and...

forums.avianavenue.com

Thank you. He is 40 years old and I have had him for about 6 months. Maybe he was caged most of the time.

 

[Lexusblond]

Wow taking on a 40yr old male in any species is tough...go you but I bet if you watch real close he will have a routine, he will do the same thing at the same time everyday...watch for an opening to introduce some new but keep it low key so he thinks he could add it to his routine and little by little he will come out of his shell and then be prepared for a world of crazy love...

 

[Lexusblond]

Oh and where your pics at...

 

[macawpower58]

The 6 months is a short time. He is still adjusting, you're not a trusted member of his flock yet, he's still learning about you.
He may always be cage defensive, but this may also be because of a new environment he's not sure of yet.
Go slow and see what happens over time.
In a year or so, he may be inviting you inside his cage.

 

[Dinosaurus]

Oh and where your pics at...

 

[Dinosaurus]

As you can tell I am not good with a camera. He is great and getting better everyday

 

[Lexusblond]

Gorgeous

 

[MR. Mango]

He's such a pretty boi!

 

[SeñorBirb]

I love his facial expression on the second one

 

[scrape]

He is so cute! I love how every SC2 crest is unique!