New Cockatiel...advice?

Ximichi · Oct 11, 2015

I adopted another cockatiel! This is a female cockatiel, not sure exactly how old, but older than 3.
She doesn't have a name yet...her previous owner didn't give her one.
When I went to pick her up, she was in a small circular cage... I was told that she wasn't tame and they never took her out. She only had about 2 perches in her cage with no toys...
I need some help taming her. When I put my finger towards her, she starts whining/screeching and biting. I know that's normal, especially since she's been locked up. I was surprised that she would let me touch her head though. Any advice on how to get closer to her? She doesn't understand basic steps like step up. Sometimes she falls off my hand because she wont grip my finger..? That's odd, I've never seen that in any of the birds I've owned. Anyways, any help would be great.

Aquila · Oct 11, 2015

Offer her sunflower seeds or kernels, popcorn, a cheerio, or just some millet and hold it out to her or put it down and move your hand away a little bit. Let her see you work with your other cockatiel in front of the cage.

It took me about two weeks of casually working with a cockatiel that was found outside to teach her to step up on my finger. She still protests and squawks but will still step up if you tell her to. Just be consistent, she might get a little "beaky" but she never would bite me hard at all. If she really got agitated, I backed off and left her alone for a while.

Taw5106 · Oct 15, 2015

Does she enjoy and look for her head to be touched? If so give her a good head scratch often. Helps build the bond and comfort of touching too.

WilliamKenyon · Oct 16, 2015

Thanks for adopting her into your home

. After she has had a few days to get used to her new environment.Get her used to your hands by putting your hand into her cage and fiddling with something but not touching her

. After about a week of this you can then begin to try to get her hand tamed. To get her to get used to your hands put a bit of millet spray in your hand and allow her to eat the millet (often your bird wont start eating the millet first go but keep insisting until she eventually does). After doing this for about a week you can then try to get her to step up by holding a straight finger out with millet spray just behind it to give her more of an insensitive to step up. Say step up and press gently on her abdomen. When she learns to step up you can take her out of the cage. I hope this helps.

Ximichi · Oct 17, 2015

Taw5106 said:
Does she enjoy and look for her head to be touched? If so give her a good head scratch often. Helps build the bond and comfort of touching too.

She will tolerate petting but doesnt seem to enjoy or beg for it. I've been trying to get her to step up and she's been spending more time at my desk

MonicaMc · Oct 17, 2015

Unless you are scritching their head, it's not a good idea to "pet" birds.

I will say that treats go a long way....

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q88bN30qOjo"]Sunshine in the Morning - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9w9w8nMRmw"]Hesitant Faye - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH9ZWxhCSAE"]Not So Hesitant Faye - YouTube[/ame]

(ignore the third cockatiel crawling up my arm!)

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjKmHswgiHs"]Cockatiel Feeding - April 24th - YouTube[/ame]

New Cockatiel...advice?

Ximichi

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Aquila

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Taw5106

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WilliamKenyon

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Ximichi

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MonicaMc

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