Our male cockatiel is about 9 yrs. old and he loves to explore in dark places. I took a 8 x 8 cardboard box and cut a hole in it and placed it on the floor. When I take him out to play and run around he has become so possessive over this box. He attacks you and screams if you come near it. He loves to go into and just pecks away at the cardboard and will come out in his own good time but refuses to allow anyone around it. He is an only bird, there is no mate. Are we confusing him into thinking this is a nest?
I used to watch a show called Dog Wisperer. Ever heard of that? Try watching that show on National Geographic channel if you have it. It helps me understand animal behavior. The cardboard box probably represents something in the mind of your cockatiel.
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No,. It’s just male instict. They become territorial very quicklly… Mine has a toy that he will NOT let anyone near. Rediculous….i know….but it’s just their insticts.
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Yes, obviously, he considers the box to be his nest. Birds in the wild fight over holes in trees.
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Could be, But he obviously sees this as home, maybe a place where he can (get away) ,,, you know what I mean, any way I wouldn’t worry. It may pass in time.
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Are you sure you want an answer?
After years of captivity a lack of mental stimulation can lead to unusual repetitions forms of amusements.
You’re lucky he doesn’t try to mate with your toes!
Move Along Little Doggie!
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YES! He does think it is a nest. Take away the box and his access to all dark places and he will return to normal in about 1-2 weeks. While it is fun to let them explore, they bond to humans and think they are going to mate with you and raise chicks. He is finding you a nest.
20 years of breeding and owning birds. 14 currently in the flock, 3 tiels, 1 IRN, 10 Lady Gouldian Finches.
For more bird care information and links, see the link in my profile.
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he wants a mate. it is his nest and he is tearing pieces off to try to make a spot for the eggs. he is possessive cuz he wants to protect it for when he gets a mate. or it could be a she and she is getting ready to lay eggs. they don’t need a male to lay eggs they just won’t be fertilized.
20 years of breeding and owning birds. 14 currently in the flock, 3 tiels, 1 IRN, 10 Lady Gouldian Finches.
For more bird care information and links, see the link in my profile.
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he is just protecting his nest and hoping a female will see what a great nest it is!
http://bdhamiltonmi.googlepages.com/cockatiels
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Hello, I’m new to the group, but not to cockatiels. I have 10, 7 of which we’ve rescued from people who didn’t want them anymore, so I’ve seen a number of odd behaviors, but we just adore them all. I’d say your little male has found the game of choice, seek and hold down the fort, LOL. frankly I think it’s cute. they can get some nutty ideas in their little heads. I have a hen that was a rescue, she’s a beautiful lutino pearl, and she insists on sitting on my shoulder and pecking at tiny little pieces of skin, she’ll kind of work up a minutte piece of skin in her sharp little beak and chew around on it, and it Hurts!! LOL, she thinks she’s cleaning me, doing me a favor. we have a rescue lutino hen that gets on a complaining, (scolding) jag, and just scolds the dickens out of all the other birds, really getting in their faces, showing them how tough she really is. but she’s an adorable little hen. I don’t breed my birds, We’re already picking up more rescues than we can take in. we’re having to fix new indoor aviaires for them all. Joyce
http://bdhamiltonmi.googlepages.com/cockatiels
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Birds sometimes have a condition where when they are raised they get confused and are sexually attracted to something in their environment. Usually, it is a toy, or the human raising them, although it can be something else, in this case the box. I would recommend NOT just taking away the box, as this can take away the birds trust in you, and put it into a screeching fit.
What I suggest is for you to get it some bird friendly toys, to keep its mind on, and just waiting until the bird destroys the box.
Remember that birds DO require constantly things to keep their mind busy. A bored bird is a sick bird, and it is just a matter of time until it starts biting at itself to find something to do.
I own birds, lots of them.
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