I’m having a Hard time taming my bird I have had for almost a year

Butter7342

New member
Oct 23, 2022
2
1
Parrots
Cockatiel
I got a cockatiel in December of last year when she was only 3 months old and from then to now I have been trying to tame her and have had very little luck with that. The most luck i have had was the fact that she’s comfortable being around me but won’t let me touch her and instead will walk away depending on how close I am.
Other than that I don’t have much progress and she is already a little over a year old and I haven’t been able to tame her. I spoke to the professional from which I got her, i have also read numerous articles and watched a lot of video and none of them have really worked. Big problem is that she won’t eat the millet i give her and she doesn’t play with the toys other than a ribbon she nudges occasionally. I’m getting to the point where I’m starting to give up hope cause very little progress was made and 2 months from now it’s going to be a year since I have had her and she isn’t tamed and I’m getting really concerned about her cause this also leads into my concern of not being able to clip her nails cause she isn’t that comfortable with me. all I want is advice on how to move forward with taming and training.
 

Littleredbeak

Well-known member
May 27, 2020
622
870
Have you tried other foods? My older Amazon and I bonded over apples in the morning (I'd have my coffee and shed have her apple slices).

Every evening I'd also read a bed time story aloud to everyone.

Showing videos of cockatiels being friendly to humans may also help.

How much continous time do you spend with her?
 

texsize

Supporting Member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Oct 23, 2015
3,900
Media
5
4,796
so-cal
Parrots
1 YNA (Bingo)
1 OWA (Plumas R.I.P.)
1 RLA (Pacho R.I.P.)
2 GCA(Luna,Merlin) The Twins
1 Congo AG (Bella)
5 Cockatiels
I had A cockatiel it took 2 years to get on semi friendly terms.
The trick with Pinky was my face.
She would shy away from hands but I could get up close and personal with my nose, mustache, and eyebrows.
Every morning I would let her out and rub her beak with my nose and let her groom mustache and eyebrows.
Eventually she would step up about 50% of the time.
 
OP
B

Butter7342

New member
Oct 23, 2022
2
1
Parrots
Cockatiel
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Have you tried other foods? My older Amazon and I bonded over apples in the morning (I'd have my coffee and shed have her apple slices).

Every evening I'd also read a bed time story aloud to everyone.

Showing videos of cockatiels being friendly to humans may also help.

How much continous time do you spend with her?
I try giving/introducing other foods however she only really eats pellets and her seed mix along with disguised broccoli in that same bowl cause she really only eats seeds and the pellets and some veggies cut down really tiny to look like seeds

the time is spend with her is usually 5 hours however lately it’s been around 2.5 cause of theater and her bedtime and thankfully by next week that will change by a lot (cause I won’t have any rehearsals, And that number will go up. When I’m gone this doesn’t really mean she is alone, my mom will come in usually come in once in a while to check in and talk to her but that’s really only because i get home later than I usually do, other than that, on a regular day she only would check in to make sure she’s eating and is safe.

it’s quite confusing cause my mom says she is always chirping for me and when I come home she wants to get near me but when I do she gets a little timid. However lately there have been times she had let me touch her a little bit but I don’t know how progressive that is when taming her

thx for the advice:)
 

HeatherG

Well-known member
Apr 25, 2020
3,893
6,966
I was able to pet my budgies and cockatiel with my nose long before I could touch them with my hands. I suggest letting her get close to your face first. Hands later. Hands are often scary for birds.

Maybe you could hold a sunflower seed in your lips and thus train her to come close and give kisses?

What about opening the cage and letting her perch on top while you study, then eventually offering a treat she likes? Even just let her watch you get the treat out and put it in her bowl teaches her that you are the nice person who gives treats.
 
Last edited:

wrench13

Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Nov 22, 2015
11,383
Media
14
Albums
2
12,567
Isle of Long, NY
Parrots
Yellow Shoulder Amazon, Salty
Try small pieces of pine nuts. My Salty would plow the back 40 for a pine nut.
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top