Kim - need some advise!

[TooLover]

Ms. Cookie, my female U2, is 4 years old this year. She is my biggest talker of the cockatoos and normally the sweetest baby here. However, lately she has been a witch with a capital "B". She usually likes to sit on our shoulder and just hang out, however, lately she spreads her wings as if to fly; moves from shoulder to shoulder - she is restless. I know that she and Sassy, my Goffin's get along for the most part, however lately, Ms. Cookie has gotten aggressive towards her.
Their cages are side by side - do I move Ms. Cookie to another location by herself?
Another possible contributing factor is Buck Buck, my 12 yo male U2 - he has been very hormonal lately and wants to do the nasties on my hand - Buck will have nothing to do with Ms. Cookie.
I am clueless and not sure what to do with this situation.
I have also recently added a TAG to my flock, however, Pebbles is still a bit wild and not a threat to anyone.
I am at a total loss as to what may be happening.
Thanks for your help.

[KimBear]

There could be several reasons for Ms Cookie's restlessness, one of which is that she's feeling a bit hormonal herself. It's getting to be that time of year.
But think of other things that may be upsetting to her, such as any change in her schedule or environment that she's having trouble adapting to, which may also explain what she's going through.

Probably your best approach is to be patient very with her, keeping your own mood upbeat and confident so she doesn't sense any frustration that you may be feeling. Also try to provide some appropriate outlets for her extra energy: Games and activities that allow her to be physically active and also toys and tricks that help challenge her mind. Take her on outings if you can, even if it's just around the backyard. Keep her busy when she's having a rough patch, as this can give her something to focus on and allow her to be "good" instead of behaving like a lunatic. See if you can find a pattern to her bad patches so you can predict them and prevent them from happening in the first place.

Don't slack off on setting rules for her. It's tempting to let parrots get away with stuff sometimes when they're like this because it's challenging for us and quite frustrating, but really what may be better is to tighten up on some of their limits. For example, you may need to keep her off your shoulder when you sense that she's in one of her moods. Or, if she normally gets to play on the floor, and has become very bossy there, the floor should be off limits for a while.

Overall, she may benefit from some structured training that reminds her that she has certain "responsibilities", like to step up when asked, to step down when asked, and so on. Make training a fun experience with lots of treats and praise, and she will look forward to her schooling sessions.

There may be times when no matter what you try to do for her, you get to the point where you've just had it, and she may need to go back to her cage or someplace else where she can be out of your hair. Don't let her get the sense that she's being punished when she's doing something you don't like. Be calm and matter-of-fact about putting her away, shutting the door, and walking off. If she goes into a fit, do your best to ignore it. You don't want to accidentally reinforce any of this behavior. Remind yourself that she can't help a lot of what's happening to her if it's hormonal.

If you keep having trouble, contact me if you'd like a consult. I am getting a lot of calls about hormonal cockatoos lately, but I can't just assume this is what's going on, so it would be helpful to get more information.

[TooLover]

Thanks Kim!
Last night was a little bit better. She wasn't quite as restless, though she is still being a bit witchy. She refuses to step up, and has nipped a few times. Each time she nips she goes to the floor, and she hates it on the floor.
I may be calling you for a consult if this doesn't pass soon.
Thanks again.