These things can frighten your bird
Getting a new bird, especially one of the smaller birds such as cockatiels or love birds, can really brighten up your home. When your pet bird goes from cuddly and lovy to shrieking and hiding however, it can be a somewhat puzzling experience.
Just like you might need to leave the lights on after watching a horror flick or having a close call, your bird can easily be frightened too. The things that frighten birds however, are a bit different from what frightens us. Here are a few examples of things that can scare your new bird.
Grabby hands
Your bird’s cage is his safe space, so imagine how he might feel when huge hands reach in to grab him. Even if he knows you and loves you, the experience of being grabbed can be very uncomfortable, and mimic predation in the wild.
Instead, train your bird to step out of his cage onto a perch, and spend a lot of time away from the cage conditioning him to view hands as a good thing. The more experience he has with handling, the more likely it will be that he views your hands as a fun experience, rather than a scary one.
The Dark
So called “Night Frights” are common in birds, who often face predators at night. Leaving a night light on for your birds can help. If you wake up to your bird suddenly panicking in the middle of the night, turn your light on and speak to him soothingly until he goes back to his roost.
Night frights are most common in cockatiels, so be prepared for this if you own one.
New toys
Rotating out toys for birds is a common practice. It helps keep birds from getting bored, and provides necessary enrichment. Most of the time a new toy is received with great joy by birds, but sometimes a new toy might spook them instead.
If they’re avoiding the toy or obviously worried about it, try removing it and placing it on the other side of the room. In a week or two, move the toy closer to the cage, and then closer again. After the toy has been right next to the cage for a couple of weeks, try reintroducing it again.
Other novel objects
It’s not just a new toy that can be frightening. A new shirt, a funny hat, or any new object can cause your bird a sudden fright. Birds are prey animals, and though they are also intelligent and curious, it’s not surprising that they find things scary from time to time.
Birds can see into the UV spectrum, so a new shirt might look very unusual to them indeed. Other scary items include the introduction of ceiling fans, which appear to loom above them.
If your bird is frightened by something, take the time to introduce it in a slow manner so they can realize it isn’t scary. Your bird will appreciate the help in keeping their home a safe, fun place to live.