My cockatiel is suddenly biting. Is he hormonal or territorial?

Thanks for reaching out about Keke. He might have become frightened when you reacted to his biting your ear. It might take some time for him to returned to a stress-reduced state and for you to win his trust again. If the behavior continues, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess health. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out. Providing multiple food bowls around the cage could decrease aggression over food. Biting now can be due to the stress of re-locating to a new home, and time could be the cure. Try to offer treats to win his side. If the lighting is too intense, that is stressful also and can lead to the sudden attempts to fly. Try to lessen external stimuli and have patterns of daily routine to be consistent. Good luck.

Losing a mate or part of the flock can be traumatic. Try to gradually reacclimate him to you. Begin by simply sitting by his cage for ever increasing periods of time. Speak softly and move slowly around him. End each visit with a small treat. Once he is fine with that, place your hand in the cage for ever increasing periods of time. He may squawk and flap and move away at first. That's fine. Do not attempt to touch or pet him. Once he settles down, you can coax him closer to you using treats. It will take time and patience, but eventually you should be able to win him over and get him to per h on your finger.

What you can do really depends on what the cause is, so trying to find the cause is best. If you suspect illness, seeking out a vet appointment is a good first step to rule out any health issues or pain that can cause behavioral changes. Sometimes, aggression can be caused by boredom, stress or even an urge to mate. Adding in enriching toys or allowing Coco to explore his environment may help with boredom and keep him happier and occupied. Moving his cage to someplace quieter or without harassment by other pets and people can help reduce stress in addition to adding some fun toys or treats to play with. If he is trying to mate, sometimes changing the daylight hours and decrease protein amount in the diet can help, as well as distraction with interactive toys/ignoring/avoiding the behavior. If he does seem stressed and lash out, giving him a chance to calm down and relax before interacting again may also help.

Thanks for reaching out about Charlie and including photos. The female could be becoming territorial due to hormones, trying to protect her prospective nest. Agreed that cage in picture is too small for long term habitation. Can you place a divider in the cage, acquire another larger cage? You can even try re-introduction but with more perches, food/water bowls. Sometimes these are temporary squabbles until hierarchy re-established. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out and including photos. Training birds can be difficult, especially as they reach sexual maturity. Continue with the training process and establish a dominance hierarchy with you primary. A book titled "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" is a good start. Good luck.

He may be going through a hormonal phase. At 2 years of age, he's going through his "teenage" years on his way to adulthood between 3-5 years. His behavior may be temporary and will require patience on your part. Some cage aggression may also be responsible as well. Have someone else remove him from the cage and take him to another room when you have to clean his cage or refill bowls. Speak softly and move slowly around him. Offer small treats and rewards. Do not force him step up onto your hand or interact with you. This will lead to a bite. Make sure he has a variety of toys and adequate attention from other to keep him engaged. The preferences with people will change over his lifetime. Cockatoos are quite lovable and he should eventually come back around to you as long as you are there for him.