Cockatiel troubles

Sebastian is the sweetest cockatiel if you're giving him kisses, or talking to him. However, if you put your hand anywhere near him, he will bite and bite... just last night he made me bleed. He just recently started this "fear of hands" and he's never, ever been hit or anything similar. I've read birds can take up to years to get over emotional damage. Does anyone have any suggestions? Unfortunately, the only way you're able to hold Sebastian is if you're wearing tough gloves or if you wrap him up in a blanket. Attached is a picture of him and his brother. ;)

I have never figured out what triggers that biting mode to set in, either. My Roger can be very gentle one second and then start the biting the next. And it hurts, doesn't it? Imagine what it would be like with a larger breed!

I usually offer my finger to Roger and ask him to "step up". If he doesn't do it right away, I usually back off because that is the time he is most likely to nail me.

Roger's "wife", Milly, has only ever bitten me once and it was when she was sitting on eggs. She is very gentle, otherwise.

Is he any better in different environments? Like..out of his cage and such? If he bites in the cage, like mine does, he may not like you around "his" stuff. They also recommend you don't put a mirror in his cage.

If not I'd say it's out of fear. Then you would need to take the steps on hand taming.

See: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art37897.asp

Unfortunately, Sebastian is like that inside and out of his cage. In order to hold him out of his cage, you have to literally "chase" him inside of his cage which is very stressful for him, but he would never come out willingly if we didn't do that. He used to step up and he was fine being on and near our hands.

Logan, it certainly does hurt. The Nanday Conure in the picture with him, Dante, is bi-polar. ;) One second he'd be giving kisses, the next, he's really biting you. You can usually tell by the look in his face though, right before he bites.

I'm so jealous of you! I really love conures. My next future bird is a Patagonian Conure, but right now my flock only consists of budgies and a tiel very much like your own.

Was your Sebastian parent-raised? There are methods to tame the baby bird while being parent-fed, but most breeders don't have the time. It just sounds like your tiel is just being normal :) One thing that I noticed is that Bailey, my tiel, would be much more curious and willing to step up when he was on or near the ground. Every now and then I take his cage outside to hose the bottom and he'll just be the sweetest thing, trying to cozy up to me through the cage. There's been speculation that birds, like pack animals, can more easily be tamed when they are clearly subordinate - like having their cage low to the ground. I also have to "chase" Bailey around his cage to take him out, but I simply gave up with that. I found that it infliced fear more than anything else.

Now, I just take out his cage, open the door, and put it on the ground. I'll sprinkle treats outside his cage and he'll eventually come out by himself. Lastly, I always recommend Mattie Sue Athan's book. I might have already recommended it to you, but her book is simply invaluable. Just have lots of patience and maybe a few band-aids, too ;) Good Luck!