August 4, 2023
Cocktail Behavior
I recently adopted a single cocktail bird, she not at all active and acts very weird.
Eats less, some gets scary at food tray. So worried
Question:
Answer:
Hi,
If she was tame, friendly and active when you got her and then her behavior changed, then something could be wrong with her so you should take her to an avian vet. But if she has been this way since she came to your home, she just needs more time to settle in. Has she ever been tame? Is she an adult? Female cockatiels are not always very social. If you are unsure of her history, then she may have been treated badly in the past. Be patient with her, talk to her a lot and until she learns to trust you, do not try to handle her. Cockatiels are prey animals, so if you reach for her, she feels like a predator is trying to catch her. You need her to learn to trust you and that can take time – weeks, months or longer, it’s up to her. I’m going to give you the links to our pages on behavior and training to help you better understand her and how to work with her.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
