My cockatiel Ditto does the exact same thing whenever i put my finger near him. He will get on a stick that we hold in front of him and he gets on your shoulder but not your finger
Fabian isn't actually biting me here, just pretending that he *might* if I get too close. He's a big actor, really, and only does this inside his cage -- a territorial thing. Notice at the end when he happily "steps up" onto my finger. It's all just a game in which he can pretend to be a big, tough bird protecting his home. He's actually a very sweet, kissy little guy and only bites me for real when I clip his flight feathers or stop him from attacking his brother.
It's funny, though, as I'd had him for a year and already had him trained before he started this. He'll sit in his cage and play this by himself too, throwing the ball all over the place and screaming. Especially if I put him in there for a time out if he bullies and tries to hurt his brother, Elvis. If I roll a ball to Elvis, he just looks at me confused. No interest in the game at all. Fabian's really affectionate - sits on my shoulder and gives kisses - but man, does he play hard!
Ooo, at first I didn't think Fabian like the game or you for that matter biting and tail flared, but at the end he steps up on your finger very nicely. He was just playing "kill it" as we say in our house.
Yeah, it's weird-he likes to sit like that in the corner with his tail flared and lie in wait like a badger for his brother to walk past so he can attack him through the bars! Then he'll squawk at me and shake his food door to get me to come over and play this with him. If he gets bored with the game before I do, he casually climbs up to a perch and gives a happy chirp. The rest of the time he's really affectionate. He's just full of energy all the way around!
Crest up: scared or curious; crest down: NOT scared. Look again. Fabian is very affectionate and very high-energy. Even when he plays alone, his body language and vocalizations are exactly the same as in this video - shaking the toy in his beak and screaming like a banshee. He also acts just like this when he fights with his brother, Elvis. All I'm doing is gently rolling a toy to him. If he didn't like it, he'd just climb up to a perch. I would never do anything to harm or frighten my birds.
You have an amazing cockatiel.
Corpse312 7 months ago
@Corpse312 Thanks - I think he's pretty fabulous :)
guleslionrampant 7 months ago
My cockatiel Ditto does the exact same thing whenever i put my finger near him. He will get on a stick that we hold in front of him and he gets on your shoulder but not your finger
juliesmiles247 2 years ago
Interesting observations and analysis; I've seen similar things with my 'tiels too. Thanks much for the videos.
uploadJ 3 years ago
omg! my cinnomon is JUST LIKE THat!!!! my bff gave him to be and hes always on a killing rampage, LOL! he only let mt hold him ;)
ImSoWorthItXOXO 3 years ago
my cockatiel is just like this. i have peck marks all over my hands from tryig to pick him up.
sugarkitty2008 3 years ago
Fabian isn't actually biting me here, just pretending that he *might* if I get too close. He's a big actor, really, and only does this inside his cage -- a territorial thing. Notice at the end when he happily "steps up" onto my finger. It's all just a game in which he can pretend to be a big, tough bird protecting his home. He's actually a very sweet, kissy little guy and only bites me for real when I clip his flight feathers or stop him from attacking his brother.
guleslionrampant 3 years ago
It's funny, though, as I'd had him for a year and already had him trained before he started this. He'll sit in his cage and play this by himself too, throwing the ball all over the place and screaming. Especially if I put him in there for a time out if he bullies and tries to hurt his brother, Elvis. If I roll a ball to Elvis, he just looks at me confused. No interest in the game at all. Fabian's really affectionate - sits on my shoulder and gives kisses - but man, does he play hard!
guleslionrampant 3 years ago
Ooo, at first I didn't think Fabian like the game or you for that matter biting and tail flared, but at the end he steps up on your finger very nicely. He was just playing "kill it" as we say in our house.
searella59 4 years ago
Yeah, it's weird-he likes to sit like that in the corner with his tail flared and lie in wait like a badger for his brother to walk past so he can attack him through the bars! Then he'll squawk at me and shake his food door to get me to come over and play this with him. If he gets bored with the game before I do, he casually climbs up to a perch and gives a happy chirp. The rest of the time he's really affectionate. He's just full of energy all the way around!
guleslionrampant 4 years ago
He is cowering in the corner and scared; he isn't playing a game.
cylaisawesome 4 years ago
Crest up: scared or curious; crest down: NOT scared. Look again. Fabian is very affectionate and very high-energy. Even when he plays alone, his body language and vocalizations are exactly the same as in this video - shaking the toy in his beak and screaming like a banshee. He also acts just like this when he fights with his brother, Elvis. All I'm doing is gently rolling a toy to him. If he didn't like it, he'd just climb up to a perch. I would never do anything to harm or frighten my birds.
guleslionrampant 4 years ago