Beaky baby cockatiel--how to respond to biting

[beakycheekie]

My cockatiel hen is 6 months old. She's very "beaky" and I think I'm using that word right. She mouths everything, biting and licking and chewing but not "biting" in an aggressive way. I'm assuming that's normal for a baby her age, right? What I'm wondering is, how do I teach her to not beak hard? Sometimes she gets a little rough and it hurts. She's especially gotten rougher when she "kisses" me and I don't know why because she used to be very soft. I don't want to scare her or respond in a way that will frighten her but I also don't want her to start actually biting or to hurt me. When I say "ow" in a normal voice she is oblivious, she doesn't get it so I feel like I need to do something to indicate to her that she's gotten too rough. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

[Wolf]

Beaking is a very normal process that they will actually use their entire lives since their beak is ofthen used as a hand and for exploring what any item, especially a new item is. They do sometime begin to get too rough in the amount of pressure that they use and at that point the harmless beaking become nipping and biting. Many people try to keep a stiff upper lip, so to speak and not respond or react to this. I am not one of those people. My entire relationship with my birds is based in mutual respect and honesty so if my bird is hurting me I let it know that it is. If my bird bites me I respond with a louder " ow" or " ouch" or whatever pain induce exclaimation happens. At this time I pick out a word or phrase to use and use only that word or phrase for this, it is usually something like " no bite" or " gently" and when I say this word or phrase I sit the bird down on the closest safe place that I can see right away and refuse to talk or interact with the bird for a couple of minutes up to five minutes. It may take several times for the bird to make the mental connections for this to be effective but with persistence and by being consistent they will learn this and listen to you.

[liz]

Wolf gives great advice. I use "owe" with Myrtle and she will stop. One day while writing checks and paying bills she chomped on my neck. I was busy and ignored her since my mind was on the bills. She leaned forward and asked "Owe ?"

[beakycheekie]

Ok, thanks Wolf and Liz. That makes sense. I've been so focused on developing a positive relationship with her that I'm afraid to do anything that could be negative or scary to her but I do think that you're right, I need to let her know when she is doing something that hurts. I'll start doing what you're suggesting.
Liz, that's so funny about your bird. It's amazing how smart they really are!!

[liz]

I use the same method with my critters that I did with my kids. It has worked so fare except with that Knot Head miniature horse in the back yard. Indiana is a gentle giant of a horse and seems to know what I say. Hinder is a pain in the butt. My method should be working by now but he still tries to bully me.

[seagoatdeb]

With female cockateils, everyone I have ever had was what you would call beaky but they did not touch you in a way that even hurt. Male cockatiels are more aggressive, but as a species Cockateils tend to be the ones that you will take less bites from. But they will put on a show with their beakiness, thats one of the things about them. I got allergic to the dust of cockatiels, so can never have them again, but they have always been one of my favorite parrots. unless you are getting bites that hurt or break skin, dont worry about beakiness. They will always be beaky.

[Wolf]

While I don't have any cockatiels, I never get concerned about anything that they do with their beak unless it hurts, at that point I try to teach them to be gentle but I do not try to eliminate the behavior altogether as it is part of their natural manner of exploring the world around them.

[seagoatdeb]

Wolf I think they must have a lot of feeling in their beak. I have always encouraged human touch on parrots beaks, but Sunny, my Meyers has decided he loves to have his beak rubbed sometimes and he will keep putting his beak on my finger until I rub it and he gets a look in his eyes like it is so very pleasurable.

[Wolf]

They do have a lot of nerves in their beaks and that makes a lot of sense to me as they use it so much and in so many ways to explore the world around them. Kiki's favorite thing is to beak between my thumb and forefinger, that way she gets her beak rubbed on both sides at the same time in exactly the manner that she likes, She will keep this up foe 30 minutes to an hour at a time with both of her eyes half closed. She looks like she is experiencing ecstacy the whole time that she does this.

[liz]

I have only had one cockatiel that would bite every time I went near her. He name was Rosie but her nick name was Pit Bull. She would chomp down on the web between forefinger and thumb where it is really sensitive then shake her head trying to get a chunk. Nothing I did would stop her and she would actually come after me.
Solution: don't go near Rosie.
Myrtle chews on me like a teething baby.

What feels really weard is that big horse Indy in the back yard. If I am in the field and not paying attention to him he will "lip" up and down my arm.