Do Cockatoos Bite? How to Stop Them From Biting?

Cockatoos are very moody parrots, and their behavior changes very quickly, like the weather. In one moment, they are behaving very nicely, and the other moment they may bite you. In this article, we will discuss whether cockatoos bite and, if yes, then how to stop them from biting. 

Cockatoos are famous for their gentle and loving nature, and they love their owners. But sometimes, when they attack by biting their owners, it has some reasons behind it.

Cockatoos can bite because of many reasons, like when they are depressed or annoyed by something, when they do not get their desired food or when they want to come out of the cage, but owners are not taking them out.

There are many reasons in which they bite, but by adopting some measures, we can make them stop biting. Let’s discuss these points in depth.

Cockatoos Can Bite:

Cockatoos can bite but not frequently because they are affectionate and loving parrots. But never ignore that these parrots are susceptible and moody, and their behavior can change in one moment. They usually bite on the fingers of their caretakers when they get irritated by them or do not get their desired food or something. 

Cockatoos are like children. When they are not controlled, they get adapted to that behavior. To stop cockatoos from biting is very necessary. It includes many ways. Never irritate your cockatoos and do not forcefully catch them; otherwise, they can attack you.

Cockatoos are known as excellent pets, but they can attack their caretakers and their mates. They also bite their toys because it is their natural instinct and they chew and bite the wooden boxes

Cockatoos bite because of many reasons; let’s explain the reasons behind their biting briefly.

Irritated and Depressed Cockatoos can Bite:

Cockatoos are very affectionate and Social parrots, but when they get irritated or depressed about something, they try to bite their owners or even any family member. When cockatoos attack their fellows, they do not show that they are powerful and want to hurt someone, but the real reason is hidden in their feelings.

Cockatoos are very talkative parrots, and when they want to talk or interact with their caretakers, but no one is available, or they are alone, they get sad and depressed, make aggressive attacks, and are ready to bite someone. No matter who comes near to them in this situation, they will bite them.

Irritated and Depressed Cockatoos can Bite

When these parrots are annoyed and depressed because of something, they act like this. For example, cockatoos become aggressive and try to attack or bite their owner when they feel improper socialization and isolation.

Cockatoos are true chatterboxes in nature, and when they feel alone, they get depressed and become aggressive, which results in bite attacks on the hand or fingers of their owners or even their favorite person. Sometimes, when cockatoos do not get their desired food or do not like the food, they get aggressive. When the owner gives food by hand, cockatoos bite their fingers which is why it is very important to stop them.

Biting of Irritated Cockatoos can be stopped:

Cockatoos’ bad attitudes can be stopped with love and affection.  They act aggressively when they are depressed or angry and bite their peers. But their attacks can be stopped with love and attention. They make such gestures and behave aggressively when their loved one ignores them, but it can be normalized by talking to them and spending more time with them.

Biting of Irritated Cockatoos can be stopped

Don’t approach them when they are aggressive. Give them their favorite food, change their source of entertainment, and slowly return to normal. They can be happy if you switch on the TV and can play the music or beat which they like.

Cockatoos Bites are Common During Breeding:

Sometimes cockatoos become aggressive all of a sudden, and they bite their fellow mates. Cockatoos bite suddenly, but during breeding, they become aggressive because of their Hormonal Drive. During the whole breeding season, cockatoos become furious, especially.

Male cockatoos even attack their female mates. They bite on the legs and head of female cockatoo and pluck their feathers during breeding. This behavior, which is mainly observed in Male cockatoos, is due to their hormonal imbalance.

In the wild, cockatoos behave like this, but in captivity, they behave rudely with their owners instead of their mates because it is natural in them. When their caretakers serve them food, they attack their fingers and bite them if they do not like it. 

During their Breeding, the aggressive attitude of these parrots is typical. More specifically, cockatoos get annoyed when someone tries to capture them forcefully or wants to make them sit on their hand. At that time, cockatoos bite that person badly.

Cockatoos’ Bite Can be Stopped by Taking some Measures:

During breeding, cockatoos bite because of hormonal imbalance, but stopping them is necessary because it can hurt the female cockatoos. Their biting behavior in breeding is natural so providing some measure in order to escape female cockatoos is very necessary.

Cockatoos’ Bite Can be Stopped by Taking some Measures

Attach another small house for female cockatoo, because if male cockatoo bites their mates, they can escape themselves in the other house of the cage. They can also bite their owners in the breeding season, so don’t try to catch the cockatoos when they are in a cage and not coming out by themselves. 

Never ever force your cockatoo to eat that food which they do not like and give them attention and love to make them normal.

Conclusion:

Cockatoos can bite because it is their natural behavior, they are very gentle and humble by their nature, but these behaviors can also be expected from them. Cockatoos are very moody parrots, and they can bite suddenly. In order to make them stop biting, you need to take some above-mentioned precautionary measures. Many people deal with them forcefully when they do not eat something, but never handle them rudely because they can bite you unexpectedly. 

Also Read About: Are Cockatoos Mean?

Bilal is an aviculturist who loves to write in free time. His personal experience with bird care and breeding enables him to share valuable tips. So far, he has contributed more than 100 blogs to this site. His goal is to promote bird-keeping and save endangered species.

2 thoughts on “Do Cockatoos Bite? How to Stop Them From Biting?”

  1. Do cockatoos become aggressive as they age? Fred is a 37-38 years old Goffins Cockatoo his life span is 35-40 years. I’ve had him since he was 1 year old. He has been very loving except of the last year or so. He has been biting both of us so severely that he draws blood, sometimes quite a bit, 3-5 times a week. It has gotten so bad I am considering having him put down. We are 60 and 67 years old and I am a 4th stage cancer patient, and he is becoming too difficult to be around, with the constant biting. Please help.  

    Reply
    • Yes, cockatoos can get aggressive with age. That’s because they often develop health issues in old age, which changes their behavior. As you have mentioned, this change started occurring over the past 1 year; possibly something particular has changed in his environment that might be making him aggressive. Maybe try changing his room, getting him some toys, giving him more fruits and vegetables, and slightly reducing the seed content from his diet. Also, take him to a vet for a health examination. Otherwise, if you post about him online, someone experienced from your region might want to adopt him.

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