I need some advice guys. Please help me.

[shamans]

First of all, I have stopped posting on this very "prominent" cockatiel forum because they were really rude and I find you guys more understanding.


Long story short.


I bought two cockatiels from the pet store in hope that they would bond, breed and give me chicks so I could tame them.


at first, I found out they were both males so after 2-3 months I returned one of the males and brought a female grey instead.

The female grey was sick on arrival (shopkeeper conned me..) and died after 3 days.


The problem now is that the cockatiel has always been very afraid of me and I don't think he'll ever get used to human interaction. His only company was the bird(s) he had.

He is now, lonely in his cage all the time. He has stopped chirping (rarely does it) and just sits there sadly on his perch.




What should I do


I'm thinking of getting it a female from the bazaar asap

or I'm thinking of letting him free, but some other bird will just kill it because this is a bird of captivity.




also It has been four months and I still don't have a parrot I can touch! I'm waiting for IRN babies to be born in mid/late march but I've been reading on them and people say they are difficult to keep tame.


No one sells cocaktiel babies as well so that's another problem.



What should I do people?

How can I solve the two problems of keeping my yellow lutino happy (not bored) and getting a parrot I can touch for a change.

 

[Kiwibird]

It sounds like you've just gotten off on the wrong foot with your cockatiel, and there is absolutely no reason you can't start making some positive changes to better your relationship with him. Parrots of all sizes can and do make wonderful companion animals, you just need the right guidance since you are new to birds (and I'm sure you'll find all the advice you need here, a lot of very knowledgable bird owners).

For the moment, I think you need to focus on the bird you have, and hold off on a second until you've formed a trusting bond with him and gained some experience. I notice you didn't give much description in the way of his living conditions. All parrots need an adequate sized cage (which often isn't the one the pet store suggested), a variety of toys for mental stimulation, and a proper diet of either a high quality seed or pellet mix with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies daily. As their carer, you also need to be willing to put in the time and dedication to socialize your bird, which is a slow, but rewarding process. For starters, make sure his cage and diet are appropriate for his species. If he seems bored, change up the toys in his cage or introduce them if he's never had them before. Lucky for you, small parrot toys are a lot less expensive and easier to find than large parrot toys, so any pet store should have a good selection. Most parrots enjoy chewing toys, "thinking" toys and foraging toys. Foraging is important for parrots, as it gives them something to do that mimics natural behaviors as well as teaches self rewarding behavior. On your part, start talking softly to the little guy through the bars, offer him treats when he "chirps" and bring his cage from room to room with you so he can watch you do your daily activities and feel included. You also didn't mention his name, which makes me think he may not have one yet. Really, a bird needs a name, as they do eventually catch on to what you call them and it opens another door to bonding with them. This will start the bonding process with him, and once you've started gaining his trust more, you can move on to training him to step up and taking him out of his cage. Just keep working with him, and within a year, I'm confident you can make big steps in the right direction with him. Keep asking questions along the way too, it never hurts to ask for advice. Best of luck!

 

[crimson]

Welcome to the forum....I know what u mean, the other forums are no where near as great as this one!....I love this one, everyone is so understanding and friendly!!!

sorry to hear about your female, how sad.

You can provide new toys, I know cockatiels LOVE dangling toys, you know, the ones that hang down, bells, ladders etc....

One thing I have added to all my cages is Timothy Hay. My birds go crazy for it, and keeps them entertained for hours throughout the day.

DO NOT let him go, he will not survive.

I have bred many cockatiel babies and they are adorable.
You should consider being a bit more selective where you purchase your birds from.
Kijiji is a great place to start looking, or Craigs List( I prefer Kiijiji)

the health and condition of a bird is the single most important factor when breeding.

can you post a picture of your handsome bird and cage?? plenty of members have great suggestions on how to keep a untamed bird happy in the cage.

I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason, maybe there is a future female waiting to be adopted by you

 

[shamans]

It sounds like you've just gotten off on the wrong foot with your cockatiel, and there is absolutely no reason you can't start making some positive changes to better your relationship with him. Parrots of all sizes can and do make wonderful companion animals, you just need the right guidance since you are new to birds (and I'm sure you'll find all the advice you need here, a lot of very knowledgable bird owners).

For the moment, I think you need to focus on the bird you have, and hold off on a second until you've formed a trusting bond with him and gained some experience. I notice you didn't give much description in the way of his living conditions. All parrots need an adequate sized cage (which often isn't the one the pet store suggested), a variety of toys for mental stimulation, and a proper diet of either a high quality seed or pellet mix with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies daily. As their carer, you also need to be willing to put in the time and dedication to socialize your bird, which is a slow, but rewarding process. For starters, make sure his cage and diet are appropriate for his species. If he seems bored, change up the toys in his cage or introduce them if he's never had them before. Lucky for you, small parrot toys are a lot less expensive and easier to find than large parrot toys, so any pet store should have a good selection. Most parrots enjoy chewing toys, "thinking" toys and foraging toys. Foraging is important for parrots, as it gives them something to do that mimics natural behaviors as well as teaches self rewarding behavior. On your part, start talking softly to the little guy through the bars, offer him treats when he "chirps" and bring his cage from room to room with you so he can watch you do your daily activities and feel included. You also didn't mention his name, which makes me think he may not have one yet. Really, a bird needs a name, as they do eventually catch on to what you call them and it opens another door to bonding with them. This will start the bonding process with him, and once you've started gaining his trust more, you can move on to training him to step up and taking him out of his cage. Just keep working with him, and within a year, I'm confident you can make big steps in the right direction with him. Keep asking questions along the way too, it never hurts to ask for advice. Best of luck!

Welcome to the forum....I know what u mean, the other forums are no where near as great as this one!....I love this one, everyone is so understanding and friendly!!!

sorry to hear about your female, how sad.

You can provide new toys, I know cockatiels LOVE dangling toys, you know, the ones that hang down, bells, ladders etc....

One thing I have added to all my cages is Timothy Hay. My birds go crazy for it, and keeps them entertained for hours throughout the day.

DO NOT let him go, he will not survive.

I have bred many cockatiel babies and they are adorable.
You should consider being a bit more selective where you purchase your birds from.
Kijiji is a great place to start looking, or Craigs List( I prefer Kiijiji)

the health and condition of a bird is the single most important factor when breeding.

can you post a picture of your handsome bird and cage?? plenty of members have great suggestions on how to keep a untamed bird happy in the cage.

I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason, maybe there is a future female waiting to be adopted by you

Thanks for the advice guys.


His name is Guido

The only reason I'm just not confident when socializing with him is because even infront of me the pet owner was handling him like a total *******.

after that experience you'd be crazy to trust a human hand. Since he's lost his partner and all it just seems like it will be almost impossible for him to get back to his proper self.


The cage size... I forgot the exact measurments but I THINK it's 18 inches long and proportianatly high and wide as well. I'm sure it's alright for him? it even has some extra space with that nest box I had bought for breeding.



I have given him a toy. It's like a thread he tries to undo and chew on but I'll definitely try to check out some hanging toys!! I make all my toys at home though since I can't find any here.


I'm really inclined on getting him a female though. I think it would be much easier to have the kids tame but the process of breeding will be tough. From what I'm reading, the weaning period seems to be not so simple.


And just to confirm. Is it true that a bird with another bird wont be that attached to you? and do cockatiels make pairs for life?

 

[MonicaMc]

You *can* tame an older bird, but it's not a matter of days or weeks... it's a matter of months. With the right training, you can accomplish a lot within a couple of weeks.

An 18" square cage is "ok" for one cockatiel, but is not ideal for two, especially a breeding pair. You'll need a much larger flight cage, at minimum.

Birds need a minimum of 3 toys in the cage, if not more. Shreddables, foraging, beady toys, rope toys, destructible toys, etc.


Many people believe that parrots, or birds for that matter, "mate for life". I think it's complete and utter BS. It's not to say that they can't, but that not many birds do. Many are, in fact, promiscuous. They can also have "divorces" and two males may fight over a hen, even if one male is already bonded to her.



If you are willing to take the time to train him and work with him, then we can help you. If you aren't interested, well, that's entirely up to you.



Pistachio is my most skittish cockatiel and tends to take off flying if I make any move towards him. He can whistle, but he has/had no interest in human contact. However, I've worked with him to get him comfortable enough to fly to me for food. With a simple interaction of feeding him by hand every day, he's no longer as skittish of me as he used to be. I gave him the choice to come to me with some encouraging rewards, and he did of his own accord. I worked with him while also working with other tiels that he lives with. All flighted.

I didn't clip them and I didn't separate them.