Cockatoos are one of the smartest birds in the world and they have an amazing memory. They remember everything from the time when they were babies up until now. But sometimes they get aggressive and bite people or child who isn’t familiar with their behaviour. If you want to train your cockatoo not to bite then this is the right article for you. In the previous article, we discussed how to train a cockatoo to talk. In this article, we will discuss how to train a cockatoo not to bite.
Why cockatoo bite?
Cockatoos are very smart animals and they can be trained easily. They are also very friendly towards humans and other pets. They love to play with children and they do all kinds of tricks. They are also very loyal to their owners and they don’t like to leave them. They are also very affectionate animals and they always try to make friends with everyone. However, there are some cockatoos who are aggressive and they might start biting someone if they don’t know about their behaviour. It happens because they think that they are being treated badly by their owner or they feel threatened. In such cases, they want to protect themselves and start to bite.
How to train a cockatoo not to bite
You should understand that it takes lots of patience to train a cockatoo not to bite. It needs to be taught slowly so that it won’t get frustrating. Here are some tips which will help you to train a cockatoo not to bite:
1. Start training early:
It is better to start training your cockatoo as soon as possible. If you wait for a long period of time, your cockatoo may become too old and it may forget what you taught it. So, it is better to teach your cockatoo before it grows up.
2. Teach your cockatoo to trust you:
Your cockatoo has to trust you first. When you take it out of it’s cage, it must follow you everywhere. Once your cockatoo trusts you, it will never bite anyone again.
3. Always treat your cockatoo nicely:
It is very important to treat your cockatoo well. Don’t scold it while teaching it not to bite. Also, don’t hit your cockatoo. It will only make things worse. Instead, show it love and affection.
4. Never punish your cockatoo:
Punishing your cockatoo will only increase its aggression level. It will make them more aggressive and they will start to bite others. So, never punish your cockatoo.
5. Make sure that your cockatoo is safe:
Before starting to train your cockatoo, make sure that it is safe. Check its cage every day and see whether it is healthy or not. Clean it properly and give it fresh food and water everyday.
6. Reward your cockatoo:
After each successful attempt, reward your cockatoo with something special. For example, you can give it a piece of meat or a toy. Try to give rewards at least once a day.
7. Be patient:
It is very difficult to train a cockatoo not to bite. It requires lots of patience and dedication. It may take some time but eventually, it will learn.
8. Avoid doing anything wrong:
Do not do anything wrong while teaching your cockatoo not to bit. You need to avoid hitting it, yelling at it, scolding it etc. These actions will only make the situation worse.
9. Keep calm:
This is one of the most important rules in training any animal. If you keep calm, then your cockatoo will also remain calm.
10. Give positive reinforcement:
Positive reinforcement means rewarding your cockatoo when it does good things. For example, if your cockatoo tries to sit on your hand, pat it gently on the head.
11. Use toys:
Toys are very useful in training an animal. The best thing about toys is that they can be used both for fun and for education purposes.
12. Learn how to handle your cockatoo:
Learning how to handle your cockatoos is very important. A cockatoo is very intelligent and it can sense danger quickly. So, you have to be careful while handling your cockatoo. If you don’t know how to handle it, it might hurt itself or someone else.
What to do if your cockatoo bite?
If your cockatoo bites someone, there are many ways to deal with this problem. But, we recommend these two methods:
- Take your cockatoo to a vet immediately: First, take your cockatoo to the vet. The veterian will examine your cockatoo and he/she will tell you what to do next.
- Get rid of the cause: Next, try to get rid of the reason why your cockatoo bit someone. Maybe your cockatoo was scared because of another dog nearby. Or maybe it was hungry so it ate too much. Whatever the case is, find the reason behind the biting and remove it.
Can cockatoo bite children?
Yes, cockatoo can bite people, especially children. Children are usually smaller than adults and they are easy targets for cockatoos. So, always supervise your kids carefully when playing with your cockatoo. And remember to teach your cockatoo not bite before letting your child play with it.
Should I punish my cockatoo for biting?
No, punishing your cockatoo won’t solve the problem. Punishing your cockatoo will only make it more aggressive towards other animals. Instead, try to understand why your cockatoo did that. Maybe it was scared by another animal. Or maybe it was just curious. In that case, you should let your cockatoo explore its environment safely.
Is it dangerous to leave my cockatoo alone?
Cockatoos are very smart and they can sense danger easily. They can even attack humans if they feel threatened. So, it is better to never leave them alone. Even though they are cute, they can still harm themselves or others. So, always watch over them closely.
What happens if my cockatoo gets sick?
A cockatoo’s health is very important. You have to feed your cockatoo healthy food. Cockatoos love fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, etc. Also, give your cockatoo plenty of water. Make sure that your cockatoo has enough space to move around. It is also important to clean their cage regularly. Cleaning helps prevent diseases from spreading.
Final thought
It is true that cockatoos are beautiful birds but they can also be quite mean. If you trained it properly it will not bite people or other animals. In this article, we discussed why cockatoo bite and how to train them not to bite. We hope you can get some new knowledge and it will be helpful for you to train your own cockatoo.
