Parrot Puberty

Almost a year ago (or more), you purchased a cute little bundle of feathers. The breeder assured you it was handfeed, meaning that this was the tamest bird in the whole world. You cuddled it, snuggled it, fed it bird treats, and it adored you. Then, one day, it turns into a monster. What happened?

For smaller breeds of birds, such as parakeets and parrotlets, sexual maturity comes at approximately one year of age. Larger birds, like cockatiels and quakers, may mature at fourteen to eighteen months. My pionus, Braynon, whose sexual maturity sparked this article, was born in December 1997, and exhibited the signs of sexual maturity in January 2000. I believe macaws and large cockatoos, may even take longer.

Each bird displays the change to a mature, adult bird in different ways; however there are some general symptoms. First, your bird, especially if it is a hen, may bite more often. Your bird may appear cranky, unloving, vocalize excessively, or display other "odd" behaviors. Independence is also a trait of maturity.

My parrotlet, LittleHawk, suddenly became independent and loud. When he stepped up onto my finger, he would fly across the room as much as his clipped wings would let him, then stand there as if to say, "now you can pick me up."

Braynon, however, was the classic story of a parrot hitting puberty. He screamed, loud. My quiet and loving pionus suddenly turned into a noise machine. He bit - hard. My baby boy drew blood. He became very aggressive, then suddenly would arch his neck and fluff his feathers, demanding scratches.

How do you handle a teenaged bird? The same way you would handle any other bird, only with more love. Continue the nurturing guidance. If you've established a strong relationship with your bird, including consistent use of the "up" command, then your bird may need a few reminders, but should make it through puberty relatively unscathed. Be patient with your bird. His (or her) hormones are raging, and although instinct has taken over to some extent, he may be feeling the same feelings of uncertainty any human teenager feels.

With Braynon, I reinforced his earlier "up" training. Since he is not finger trained, I used a perch to get him to step "up," In his moods, he would attack the perch, but better he bite the wood, then me. I would say "no bite," then perform the "up" command. It didn't take long for him to step up, and once on his perch and away from his cage (he also became very territorial) he was the loving little bird I knew.

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