Andy and Alby here :)

[Albanysdad]

Hello! my name is Andy, I'm new here and looking for bird community and friends.
I have a cockatiel named Albany, Alby for short, he's 9 years old this summer, and an only child. I'm a bit nervous to post on here, because I've had him for so many years, and I feel a lot of shame for not reaching out into any community sooner.

I first got him in 2016, as a 22 year old I wasn't fully prepared for what being an adult was like, let alone having a bird with his own needs along with mine. It's been quite the adventure, and not always peachy. Now that we live in a house without dogs barking and parents who want the bird to be silent at all times, things have definitely improved. I've finally been able to work towards making a space for Alby that is less stressful for both of us. I would like to continue to build the best life I can for my little feather child.
I currently have Alby on Harrison's bird food, and I share my food with him that he's allowed to have. I don't trim his wings, so he gets to fly around the house in the morning when I get ready for my day (which can make me late to work some mornings when he prefers to be gargoyle on top of the cupboards instead of going inside), and when I come home from work. As a treat for both of us, on sunny days, I like to roll his cage out onto the back porch and we watch the wild birds and soak up the sunshine together. One of his favorites games is to Pitter-patter back and forth across the top of the fridge and make little peekaboo sounds when I meet him at a corner.
He's such a sweetie, but sometimes I feel like I don't understand what he's communicating when he gets upset. He has a lot of feelings around my hands and anything Im doing or not doing with them. I'm working on rebuilding hand trust with him, when he first showed up, I didn't understand bird body language very well, and I think that really did a number building a healthy foundation of trust. It's a slow journey now, I feel, to make up for the messy early years, but there's no time like the present. One thing I know for sure is I love my little guy, and I want him to have the best life possible.
I'm getting a new cage for him soon, and I'm open to any suggestions anyone might have for toys and perches that are enjoyed in your homes.

 

[LaManuka]

Hello! my name is Andy, I'm new here and looking for bird community and friends.
I have a cockatiel named Albany, Alby for short, he's 9 years old this summer, and an only child. I'm a bit nervous to post on here, because I've had him for so many years, and I feel a lot of shame for not reaching out into any community sooner.

I first got him in 2016, as a 22 year old I wasn't fully prepared for what being an adult was like, let alone having a bird with his own needs along with mine. It's been quite the adventure, and not always peachy. Now that we live in a house without dogs barking and parents who want the bird to be silent at all times, things have definitely improved. I've finally been able to work towards making a space for Alby that is less stressful for both of us. I would like to continue to build the best life I can for my little feather child.
I currently have Alby on Harrison's bird food, and I share my food with him that he's allowed to have. I don't trim his wings, so he gets to fly around the house in the morning when I get ready for my day (which can make me late to work some mornings when he prefers to be gargoyle on top of the cupboards instead of going inside), and when I come home from work. As a treat for both of us, on sunny days, I like to roll his cage out onto the back porch and we watch the wild birds and soak up the sunshine together. One of his favorites games is to Pitter-patter back and forth across the top of the fridge and make little peekaboo sounds when I meet him at a corner.
He's such a sweetie, but sometimes I feel like I don't understand what he's communicating when he gets upset. He has a lot of feelings around my hands and anything Im doing or not doing with them. I'm working on rebuilding hand trust with him, when he first showed up, I didn't understand bird body language very well, and I think that really did a number building a healthy foundation of trust. It's a slow journey now, I feel, to make up for the messy early years, but there's no time like the present. One thing I know for sure is I love my little guy, and I want him to have the best life possible.
I'm getting a new cage for him soon, and I'm open to any suggestions anyone might have for toys and perches that are enjoyed in your homes.

Hello @Albanysdad and Alby, and a belated welcome to the forums to you both! Thank you for sharing your "story so far", you might want to share some photos as well cos we LOVE baby photos around here!! I look forward to following your and Alby's journey, he is one lucky little sweetheart to be so loved by you, and I'm glad you are both here.

 

[Albanysdad]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome! It means so much i can definitely post some pictures of Alby to share.

 

[Cali&Pilot]

Hello and welcome, and don't feel bad about not joining a Bird community sooner, and welcome to the forums, this is mostly a no judgement zone and we try to help each other the best we can, I personally am a budgie owner I currently have a female named Pilot and am saving up for another that I am going to name Echo. Don't feel pressured to post your Alby, you'll probably get a lot of "awws" though and a lot of us will often share photos of our birds for fun. There are photo of the month contests every month where there is a theme and you can put in a photo of your bird that you think fits the theme but its not required.
A toy that Pilot enjoys is this wood latter that i can drape across her cage. She is obsessed with it and spends most of her time on it. I don't know If Alby would like something like that but that is pilot's favorite thing at the moment. And she dosen't let me pick her up with my hand and she wont step up so I pick her up with a shirt

 

[Cali&Pilot]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome! It means so much i can definitely post some pictures of Alby to share.

So cute

 

[LaManuka]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome! It means so much i can definitely post some pictures of Alby to share.

Awwwwwwwww those pics are so sweet!! Nothing nicer than when a birdy trusts us and wants to be close and have skritches - thank you for sharing

 

[rheashard2]

Welcome. That's a real cutie you got there!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Alby's gorgeous! Welcome.

 

[wrench13]

Welcome and be welcomed. Realize that anyone who has scratching privileges with their bird is well on the way to better hand 'manners'. Go at his pace and not the pace of your expectations.

I'd suggest that if he is out in direct sunlight , place a towel across part of the top of the cage, to offer him the choice of some shade if he wants it.

New cages can be a bit traumatic for parrots. Try for the same color, and similar shape. Some take to new cages easily, some need to be gradually introduced into them.

 

[AprilRobin]

Welcome to the forum! Albany is a handsome bird.

My husband and I have two Cockatiels, and we earned their trust slowly. You should go at the bird's pace with any species, but Cockatiels are somewhat known for being dramatic and timid. Don't worry if he does not want to be on your hands right now. Pepper, after two and half years of being with us, still does not prefer our hands some of the time. He wants to sit on our shoulders, back, or the top of someone's head. Or sit right beside us, e.g. on the back of a chair.

If Alby is doing certain things near you, such as preening, sitting on one foot, clacking his beak, or falling asleep, those are good signs that he is comfortable around you. And the pitter-patter game sounds funny!

 

[AprilRobin]

Also, about toys: I still buy some pre-made toys, but I now buy a lot of parts from bird toy websites and make them myself. Our Cockatiels especially like cardboard, pine wood slices, palm stars, mahogany seed pods, and anything paper-y or grassy. I use natural jute cord to string parts together. You can find lists of other bird-safe cords online.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I think a lot of birds, even hand raised ones, don't like human hands because they know that hands try to control them and they don't like being controlled.