Ask Lafeber

Bonding pt2

Thank you so much for the information. Sorry I didn’t mention but my parrot is a cockatiel.

Hi Goda,

That helps a lot! Your bird’s behavior is very typical of a lot of female cockatiels. Some female cockatiels can be super sweet and love being handled. But most are more stand-offish than the males, and while they may tolerate some degree of handling, they often will not allow any petting – even just a head scratch. With your bird, this is most likely her personality and how she is always going to be. She may not bond in the way you are expecting, but if you can adjust to what makes her happy, she can still be a good pet. Cockatiels, like all parrots, are prey animals. Possibly that instinct is stronger in females because they defend their nest and chicks. There is no way to know for sure why the females tend to be less social. No matter what kind of parrot you have, there is no predicting what the bird’s personality will be. Even with species that are known for being very social, some can be naturally flighty and not like being handled. It has nothing to do with rearing or handling when a bird is like this. You can have a clutch of parrots raised by the same person, and each one may have a different personality and bond with humans on a different level. It has mostly to do with the fact that even when domestically raised, they are still a wild species and retain most of their wild instincts.

Thanks for the update!

Brenda