Moodiness

by jay
(Manchester, UK)

Hi from the UK, im just asking a simple question. Any idea why 2 cockatiels who got along fine suddenly started to fight?

Last week i had to take the male to emergancy vet as he was bleeding from the eye.. luckily it was ok and just a small vessel (it looked like the eye was falling out)

Anyway sadly here the vets are not well trained and cant give an explaination how or why this happened and were too busy trying to to to the dogs and cat owners to care about our questions

So have you any ideas on the change?

I noticed the following the the last few days:

After re-introducing the male into the cage with female, she chirped as if to say "OMG YOUR OK" and they huddled on the top perch together

2 days later.. i had to quickly grab the male out of the cage as she started to attack him on the wings...

I was there this time to find out the cause of his injury.. he was asleep and making odd eeeeeeee" noises.. she seems to have found this threatening and pecks him on the wings.. only he increases the sound (now awake) and she then attacks him like made until he stops (when i get him on my finger)

Any idea what to do? i feel sorry for the male having to stay in a small cardboard box at night .. this has happened 2 times now and shes getting moodier with me too. she never let me touch her or on the finger and pecks a lot.. (although if from behind i can stroke her back until she sees my finger she then attacks) but now she REALLLY bites me or the male cockatiel if anyone goes near her


Sadly i cant pick her up to check if any medical signs.. as she already ripped the 2 pairs of thick gloves..

the male is a softy compared to her bites.. in fact im sure a lion is softer then her bites! lol

any idea what can be causing her moods? first thing i thought was "is it hormones? do females get pregent hormones or teenage ones?" (this is the first time having cockatiels)

nothing has changed in the room or clothing.. i but an old cardigan on when going to the cage (in case of poo) .. however!!! i do admit due to pre-xmas ive had no money for toys.. so the toys have stayed the same for 2 months ... could this be the reason? shes very playful with 2 yellow sticks that held up treats around it (eaten now of course) and shes recently broke the mirror pecking and chewing a lot playing. IS the mirror the reason or is it lack of new stuff?

Hopefully 2 weeks time i'll have been paid enough for a month supply of food and toys again, but for 2 weeks what can i do to help keep her calm

PS: SHE IS ONLY MOODY WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO DUSK TIME. During the day or when the daylight light bulb in my room is on she is ok.. its when it gets slightly dark and both cockatiels go up to the top "sleeping" perch that she gets like this..

(I will also be buying a winter snuggling home thing for them, feecy home.. will this make things worse or better do you know? if they are arguing. and also could it cause her to use it as a nesting place?

thanks.. sorry for long email!