Why Is My Cockatiel Angry?

Cockatiels are very friendly birds. However, at times, they become grumpy. An angry bird may lose its temper and show little to no patience. The bird occasionally launches a full-fledged attack against a human, animal, or item.

Why is my cockatiel angry? Cockatiels mainly get mad if you fail to spend time with them. If your cockatiel loves spending time with you and you suddenly stop being around it, it might get angry. Also, taking away its favorite play thing may result in anger.

Avian rage symptoms can manifest in various ways, making identifying them challenging. Knowing your cockatiel’s personality can help give you an idea when it is angry. In this article, we will examine why your cockatiel is angry, what causes them to be angry and how to calm down an angry cockatiel.

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Your cockatiel gets angry when it does not feel you are giving it the same attention it has given you. Also, if you take away something, such as a toy your cockatiel has been fixated on, it becomes very upset and resentful.

When your cockatiel begins to act strangely, it may come as a surprise, and you wonder, “why is my cockatiel suddenly aggressive?” cockatiels are very obsessive, making them excellent pets. However, their obsessiveness can lead to you having to spend all of your time with the cockatiel.

In some cases, a cockatiel may be upset with you just because it does not want to associate with you at that moment. In addition, if the cockatiel notices something out of the ordinary in its surroundings, it may lash out.

Cockatiels also become irritated if they do not get enough sleep at night. Sleep is essential for birds. So ensure the cockatiel receives 12 hours of sleep at night, or else you will have to handle a grumpy bird in the morning.

What Causes Cockatiels To Be Angry?

Why is My Cockatiel Angry? - How Can I Calm It Down? 1

Let’s dive deeper into the reasons why your cockatiel is angry.

Anger due to fear

Cockatiels are prey birds, so it does not take much to scare them. In the wild, cockatiels do not show fear because fear can lead to predators seeing them as vulnerable. Instead, they mask their fear with anger.

Anger makes the cockatiel seem more intimidating enough to scare off the predator. Some things that could cause fear in cockatiels include;

Loud noises
Presence of another pet

Shadows moving at night
Strangers
Predator birds flying close to the room the cockatiel is in

Lack of mental stimulation

Cockatiels are intelligent birds; they can start getting upset and grumpy. They need something to stimulate their intelligence, e.g., a toy. The cockatiel ends up manifesting boredom as anger. So you should ensure your cockatiel has toys and puzzles to focus on and play with.

Changes in routine

If a cockatiel is used to a specific routine and you suddenly change it, it will become angry. A good example is a sleeping routine. A cockatiel needs 12 hours of darkness to sleep.

If you alter this cycle, the cockatiel will become restless and upset during the day.

Loneliness

Cockatiels are one of the most social birds. So if you want to own a cockatiel, you must be ready to spend a lot of time with them. Even in the wild, cockatiels live in large flocks, which means they are never alone. They do not thrive well when lonely.

If you do not spend time socializing with your cockatiel, it will get angry because it feels lonely and neglected.

Being forced to do something

Like all other birds, Cockatiels perceive everyone and everything as a threat. Therefore, if you compel it to perform something it does not desire, it may not comprehend your intent.

For example, if you want your cockatiel to get out of its cage. Suppose it does not want to, do not force it. Instead, give it space and time; your cockatiel will get out on its terms before you know it.

Jealousy

Cockatiels also get jealous, especially if you stop spending time with them. If you are paying more attention to a new pet or person, that might be why your cockatiel is angry with you.

Grieving

Anger could be a reaction to how a cockatiel grieves. If its companion dies or goes away, your cockatiel might lash out at you. Also, if you adopt a new pet cockatiel, it might get upset because you took it from somewhere it was used to.

It’s the age-old dilemma of feeling safer with what you know rather than taking a chance on what you don’t. Also, changes in the environment, such as a larger cage, a new room color, adding perches, or the relocation of the cage, might trigger anger.

Why Is My Cockatiel Always Angry?

There are several reasons why your cockatiel is always angry. Post-traumatic stress is one of the reasons why cockatiels are always mad. If your cockatiel has been in an environment where its previous owner mistreated it.

The cockatiel might have anger issues because it fears the same thing might happen. If you have such a cockatiel, you just need to give it time and space to see that you are not a threat to it.

Also, if your cockatiel lacks proper socialization, it might always seem angry because it does not know how to act in front of humans. Be patient with the cockatiel; in no time, it will realize that it is now part of the family. Feed it and do not linger around its cage so that it feels safe and cared for.

For example, some cockatiels do not like to be constantly touched or petted, so they will lash out whenever you try rubbing them.

If you just adopted a new cockatiel, try to understand its background. You may find out that the cockatiel was being abused in its previous home.

If you didn’t already know, caressing a cockatiel in certain spots can make it sexually attractive to you. The cockatiel will begin to regard you as a partner and expect you to provide its requirements. However, because you do not reciprocate the affection, the cockatiel will get angry at you.

How Do I Prevent My Cockatiel From Getting Angry?

Prevention is better than cure, right? As a cockatiel parent, you should anticipate and prepare for occurrences that may cause your bird to become angry. Be considerate when making any new changes because cockatiels do not like surprises.

According to research, if you must make a change, do it gradually so that the bird becomes accustomed to it with time. When there is a new pet or person in the family, ensure you prepare your cockatiel, so it does not get jealous and angry.

Allow the cockatiel to see new feeding bowls before bringing a new pet or bed cribs meant for a new baby. By doing this, your cockatiel will adapt to the mentality that someone else is about to come.

Some cockatiel owners talk to stuffed dolls around them so that even when a new person arrives, the cockatiel does not feel envious or upset. Also, ensure you do not stop spending time with your cockatiel, even when there is a new person or pet.

How Do I Calm Down My Cockatiel

If your cockatiel is already angry, take the following measures to calm it down.

If you recently made any changes in the cockatiel’s room, try to change things back to how they were. As we previously stated, make gradual changes, so the cockatiel adapts.
If your cockatiel has anger issues, just give it time and space. Time is the healer of all wounds. Your cockatiel will get used to you and forget its past stress.
If there is a new person around the house, introduce your cockatiel to them, not the other way around.

Watch the tone of your voice when talking to your cockatiel.
Do not pet your cockatiel in its erogenous areas. Stick to stroking its head and neck.
If your cockatiel is mourning the loss of its friend, be compassionate and join it on its grieving journey. Provide the cockatiel with its favorite treats to make it happy.

Train your cockatiel so that you can only spend a limited time with it so that it does not get obsessed with you. You can also provide it with various toys to focus on.
Feed your cockatiel its favorite food. You can hand feed it so that it gets used to you.

Conclusion

So, why is my cockatiel suddenly aggressive? Your cockatiel might be mad because it feels you are not giving it enough attention. Also, forcing it to do something it does not want might make it snappy at you. Ensure your cockatiel understands that you have other things to do, not only attending to it.

Train your cockatiel to be less dependent on you. Encourage other people to spend time with it, e.g., family or friends, to help it build its social skills. Your cockatiel will eventually settle down if you are patient and understanding.

Why is My Cockatiel Angry? – How Can I Calm It Down?

Why Is My Cockatiel Angry?