My cockatiel won’t let me touch him

[PunkAnaOfBirds]

Hi! I am Ana and I have had my cockatiel since march. it is june now and he eats from my hand, attacks me when I touch him and gets his beak ready and open. He is slowly getting used to the things he was terrified of,he doesn’t mind my hand in the cage,but when I take my hand closer to him,he isn’t pleased. he is also specific in toys,he likes to chew and destroy a lot so he only has one destroying toy so far, please recommend me great quality chew toys if you can. I taught him target training but touching him, petting him freely is a problem. he also suddenly is aggressive sometimes,he opens his wings and screeches. If you could please tell me,how to touch him and gain his trust FULLY,I will be so so thankful!

 

[MayMaroa]

ahh, not all birds can be touched my birds are tamed and I can't touch them the birds you see on the internet owners touching birds, not all birds can be touched I have had my birds since last year (10months) and they still don't let me touch them whenever I try to touch them they would bite me so not all birds you may have seen cockatiels being touched by owners it's not about the breed of the bird it's about its peronsiltys so there is no way you can touch your cockatiel but maybe in the future but it's unlikely, even cockatiels are known to be friendly and cuddly and can be touched but not all cockatiels can be touched when I just got birds I used to think the same way.

But anyway nice to meet you

 

[PunkAnaOfBirds]

ahh, not all birds can be touched my birds are tamed and I can't touch them the birds you see on the internet owners touching birds, not all birds can be touched I have had my birds since last year (10months) and they still don't let me touch them whenever I try to touch them they would bite me so not all birds you may have seen cockatiels being touched by owners it's not about the breed of the bird it's about its peronsiltys so there is no way you can touch your cockatiel but maybe in the future but it's unlikely, even cockatiels are known to be friendly and cuddly and can be touched but not all cockatiels can be touched when I just got birds I used to think the same way.

But anyway nice to meet you

Thank you for answering! I watch many bird youtubers and they say that eating from the hand is already one step closer, so yeah, maybe it can happen. 😊

 

[MayMaroa]

pics?

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

If you're target training your little guy, you should be able to move the target closer to your hand until your bird is sitting on your hand. It'll take a while to get that way, but don't give up ! It can take upwards of a year before a bird can trust you enough to step onto your hand... in some of the larger parrot species, it can take even longer. Are you clicker training? You might get faster results if you clicker train. If you're not familiar with it, you simply take a clicker tool (Available in most pets hops) and click. The click is then followed by a treat your bird will ONLY ever get when they hear the click. I think there's a few people on the forum who clicker train their birds .

As for destructible toys - cereal, such as cheerios, on a shoelace is a fun way to get them to eat and destroy something new! Also old flyers scrunched up into rolls and stuffed with treats (Millet, seed, Nutri-berries, etc) is another interesting way to encourage them to forage and rip something apart! My guys can't resist a flier to shred

 

[BirdyBee]

Hi,I am Ana and I have had my cockatiel since march. it is june now and he eats from my hand, attacks me when I touch him and gets his beak ready and open. He is slowly getting used to the things he was terrified of,he doesn’t mind my hand in the cage,but when I take my hand closer to him,he isn’t pleased.

Some birds just don't like being touched.

My cockatiel also does the mouthing thing when I enter my hand in her cage, but as soon as I remove her from there she is the most loving thing... excluding her hissing and pecking .

he is also specific in toys,he likes to chew and destroy a lot so he only has one destroying toy so far, please recommend me great quality chew toys if you can.

Where are you located? What kind of toys does he like? If you prefer to buy toys I can try find some stores in your country.

I taught him target training but touching him, petting him freely is a problem. he also suddenly is aggressive sometimes,he opens his wings and screeches. If you could please tell me,how to touch him and gain his trust FULLY,I will be so so thankful.

It takes time. Sometimes it takes years to gain their trust. Patience is key.

 

[PunkAnaOfBirds]

If you're target training your little guy, you should be able to move the target closer to your hand until your bird is sitting on your hand. It'll take a while to get that way, but don't give up ! It can take upwards of a year before a bird can trust you enough to step onto your hand... in some of the larger parrot species, it can take even longer. Are you clicker training? You might get faster results if you clicker train. If you're not familiar with it, you simply take a clicker tool (Available in most pets hops) and click. The click is then followed by a treat your bird will ONLY ever get when they hear the click. I think there's a few people on the forum who clicker train their birds .

As for destructible toys - cereal, such as cheerios, on a shoelace is a fun way to get them to eat and destroy something new! Also old flyers scrunched up into rolls and stuffed with treats (Millet, seed, Nutri-berries, etc) is another interesting way to encourage them to forage and rip something apart! My guys can't resist a flier to shred

Thank you very much,😊 I haven’t heard of clicker training before, I will definitely check it out, thanks to you! Thanks for all those wonderful recommendations.🌹

 

[PunkAnaOfBirds]

Some birds just don't like being touched.

My cockatiel also does the mouthing thing when I enter my hand in her cage, but as soon as I remove her from there she is the most loving thing... excluding her hissing and pecking .

Where are you located? What kind of toys does he like? If you prefer to buy toys I can try find some stores in your country.

It takes time. Sometimes it takes years to gain their trust. Patience is key.

Thank you very much for your answer! 🌹

 

[PunkAnaOfBirds]

If you're target training your little guy, you should be able to move the target closer to your hand until your bird is sitting on your hand. It'll take a while to get that way, but don't give up ! It can take upwards of a year before a bird can trust you enough to step onto your hand... in some of the larger parrot species, it can take even longer. Are you clicker training? You might get faster results if you clicker train. If you're not familiar with it, you simply take a clicker tool (Available in most pets hops) and click. The click is then followed by a treat your bird will ONLY ever get when they hear the click. I think there's a few people on the forum who clicker train their birds .

As for destructible toys - cereal, such as cheerios, on a shoelace is a fun way to get them to eat and destroy something new! Also old flyers scrunched up into rolls and stuffed with treats (Millet, seed, Nutri-berries, etc) is another interesting way to encourage them to forage and rip something apart! My guys can't resist a flier to shred

I was also thinking of bringing the target closer to my hand,now that you wrote it, I am thinking about it more. So I i
will do it today,and thank you so much. that’s a clever idea, very thankful for all these sweet baby birb owners giving me precious advice!

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

I was also thinking of bringing the target closer to my hand,now that you wrote it, I am thinking about it more. So I i
will do it today,and thank you so much. that’s a clever idea, very thankful for all these sweet baby birb owners giving me precious advice!

The thing with Clicker Training is that you do things in small bits, so the animal doesn't see it as one big thing. Plus you break it down. If getting two inches closer to the bird is too much, you click at 3 inches when the bird allows you to stay at three inches. Clicker Training makes the animal, think, too

And you're very welcome for the tips . I've trained my dog with a clicker. SHe's not perfect, but she does some things that she couldn't do because of it!

 

[Oopsadaysey]

OK Munchkin was just flegded and flying when she was found in a backyard, she was instantly touchable and loves to fight play.
Our Galah was a wild bird, when my husband hit him in the car, but only a baby. We moved his cage into every room we were and left the door open and talking to him as if he was in the conversation - within a week he climbed out of the cage (broken collar bone) and walked over to the dining table and chirped. We picked him up and that was it, completely touchable. Every bird is different but sometimes just including the bird in your life does the trick.

 

[DeziandLucy]

Hi! I am Ana and I have had my cockatiel since march. it is june now and he eats from my hand, attacks me when I touch him and gets his beak ready and open. He is slowly getting used to the things he was terrified of,he doesn’t mind my hand in the cage,but when I take my hand closer to him,he isn’t pleased. he is also specific in toys,he likes to chew and destroy a lot so he only has one destroying toy so far, please recommend me great quality chew toys if you can. I taught him target training but touching him, petting him freely is a problem. he also suddenly is aggressive sometimes,he opens his wings and screeches. If you could please tell me,how to touch him and gain his trust FULLY,I will be so so thankful!

Hi Ana wow your cockatiel is adorable! has your bird had any trauma in being touched? (Wing clipping ect.) if so it Is quite the challenge for him to gain trust on people touching him again. I would recommend putting your hand at a safe distance where you cannot be attacked or bit at all and wait until he is calm and content. this is where you can click and reward him for calm behaviour around your hand. Urging closer you can possibly build enough trust for you to touch him. Be warned this is a long process with no shortcuts and patience will be needed and not all birds like to be touched in the first place. To build a bond keep doing hands off training, targeting, tricks ect. make sure he is on a healthy diet of fresh food and a healthy pellets with no artificial colours or fillers. Diet can solve alone thirty percent of behavioural issues. Include him as much as possible in everything you do. Cooking (if it’s safe) showers ect. A large bond can be built if you include your bird. If he is not exiting his cage you can make him target his way out. and use targeting to associate your hand positively. Bird tricks seasonal feeding system and pellets is amazingly healthy food. There toy boxes involve 100% quality destructive toys. I would reccomend there eight tiny toys box! There website is birdtricks store.com good luck with your little guy!

 

[HeatherG]

OK Munchkin was just flegded and flying when she was found in a backyard, she was instantly touchable and loves to fight play.
Our Galah was a wild bird, when my husband hit him in the car, but only a baby. We moved his cage into every room we were and left the door open and talking to him as if he was in the conversation - within a week he climbed out of the cage (broken collar bone) and walked over to the dining table and chirped. We picked him up and that was it, completely touchable. Every bird is different but sometimes just including the bird in your life does the trick.

Wow. You are lucky to live in a place where you can accidentally acquire a Galah cockatoo. They are so beautiful. I would love to have a cockatoo. I don’t know if I ever will.

 

[Oopsadaysey]

Cockatiels can be difficult and very feisty. They will guard their nest. Mine has never broken skin even when we are clipping her nails and she quite often puts her beak around my nail quicks, just letting me know. Also I don't take no for an answer, My father bred birds so I grew up with them and was always taught you are the alpha. no cruelty just include the bird in your life. Her favourite is a morning fight where she sits on my left hand and fights my right which I hold to her face. She ask for it in her way, then does a crazy flapping and calling with lift off from the hand to my shoulder. Then she is happy.

 

[Oopsadaysey]

Wow. You are lucky to live in a place where you can accidentally acquire a Galah cockatoo. They are so beautiful. I would love to have a cockatoo. I don’t know if I ever will.

Whilst galahs are technically a cockatoo they are a single species within the genus. If you ever get the chance, they are highly intelligent, long lived, very noisy and quite quite crazy and spontaneous. Ours had regular showers, like to burrow under our doona on the bed, and cackled madly when doing it. They are a force of nature, I have around 50-60 in my backyard at the moment as our lawn was just mown.

 

[HeatherG]

Whilst galahs are technically a cockatoo they are a single species within the genus. If you ever get the chance, they are highly intelligent, long lived, very noisy and quite quite crazy and spontaneous. Ours had regular showers, like to burrow under our doona on the bed, and cackled madly when doing it. They are a force of nature, I have around 50-60 in my backyard at the moment as our lawn was just mown.

Wow! That sounds incredible! I mean I hear they can be real brats, but still…amazing!

 

[PunkAnaOfBirds]

Hi Ana wow your cockatiel is adorable! has your bird had any trauma in being touched? (Wing clipping ect.) if so it Is quite the challenge for him to gain trust on people touching him again. I would recommend putting your hand at a safe distance where you cannot be attacked or bit at all and wait until he is calm and content. this is where you can click and reward him for calm behaviour around your hand. Urging closer you can possibly build enough trust for you to touch him. Be warned this is a long process with no shortcuts and patience will be needed and not all birds like to be touched in the first place. To build a bond keep doing hands off training, targeting, tricks ect. make sure he is on a healthy diet of fresh food and a healthy pellets with no artificial colours or fillers. Diet can solve alone thirty percent of behavioural issues. Include him as much as possible in everything you do. Cooking (if it’s safe) showers ect. A large bond can be built if you include your bird. If he is not exiting his cage you can make him target his way out. and use targeting to associate your hand positively. Bird tricks seasonal feeding system and pellets is amazingly healthy food. There toy boxes involve 100% quality destructive toys. I would reccomend there eight tiny toys box! There website is birdtricks store.com good luck with your little guy!

Thank you very much! And also, no, we have never clipped his wings. He is slowly starting to be in touch more, we always socialize with him. I am not rushing it and I try to make everything I do joyful to him too. ❤by the way, He never bitea.he usually just hisses and kind of "hits" me with his beak. It is not painful at all too, of course. 😄 he only bites when he is done something way worse by someone, and so far it's grabbing him, since we don’t fully have his trust. Thanks a bunch!