Ask Lafeber

Sassy cocketeil

I have a male cockatiel 1-1/2 years old. A pretty friendly chattering bird . The past few days he had been frolicking in his little food dish and picking on the seeds. Any explanation?

Hi,

This sounds like hormonal behavior and he is trying to establish a nest. Are you sure he isn’t a female? Males will nest, too. The best thing to do is take out the food bowl and replace it with a smaller one, to prevent him from trying to use it as a nest.  Do not give him anything he can use as a nest as this can cause aggression and even some health concerns.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda