Taming Two Cockatiel Mates

[claypokemon]

Hi there, first time poster desperate for some advice.

Like most people I didn't do enough research before getting my birds. Me and my boyfriend really wanted a cockatiel, since his grand mother had one that was very friendly, we spend months waiting for someone to sell them as we had no pet shop or rescue centres close to us, and then we saw a post of two with a cage for a very good price. BUT they were mates and probably there only interaction to humans was of them taking there baby bird away.

I simply didn't ask the enough questions, as all the taming videos online seemed to make it look very simple, and I had no idea that the birds being partners would make it a million times harder for them to be tamed. I had no idea I was buying them from breeders who only used them so they could get a baby bird to hand tame from birth inside. while the parents stayed outside in a shed in a small cage.

But anyway, I got them when they where about a year and a half old and I've had them for about 9 or 10 months and progress has been VERY slow. They got a nice big cage, lots of toys, they both play and sing, they're out the cage every single day and fly too. And they're gorgeous.

But still no progress with being able to pet or stand on my finger. And I'm worried that I will never be able to touch them which would be very disappointing. I start by putting my hand on the cage and tried to keep to a schedule but it never worked out I found it better to just do a bit when ever I can everyday. I make sure not to stare directly at them. I've now began holding mullet up to them and most of the time they'll eat it, I've tried holding it in a way that makes them have to get quite close to my hand, and even if they accidentally touch me they'll get startled and immediately move away. They never freak out and fly around the room, they're thankfully very comfortable out of the cage. But I seem to only be able to feed them mullet and nothing else. And I've been doing so for a very long time and they just don't seem to want to bond any further with me. Is there any hope? I was so disappointed I even researched flooding or separating them but that just seems far too cruel.

Thank you very much for reading and any advice would really be appreciated.

 

[SailBoat]

Hi there, first time poster desperate for some advice.

Like most people I didn't do enough research before getting my birds. Me and my boyfriend really wanted a cockatiel, since his grand mother had one that was very friendly, we spend months waiting for someone to sell them as we had no pet shop or rescue centres close to us, and then we saw a post of two with a cage for a very good price. BUT they were mates and probably there only interaction to humans was of them taking there baby bird away.

I simply didn't ask the enough questions, as all the taming videos online seemed to make it look very simple, and I had no idea that the birds being partners would make it a million times harder for them to be tamed. I had no idea I was buying them from breeders who only used them so they could get a baby bird to hand tame from birth inside. while the parents stayed outside in a shed in a small cage.

But anyway, I got them when they where about a year and a half old and I've had them for about 9 or 10 months and progress has been VERY slow. They got a nice big cage, lots of toys, they both play and sing, they're out the cage every single day and fly too. And they're gorgeous.

But still no progress with being able to pet or stand on my finger. And I'm worried that I will never be able to touch them which would be very disappointing. I start by putting my hand on the cage and tried to keep to a schedule but it never worked out I found it better to just do a bit when ever I can everyday. I make sure not to stare directly at them. I've now began holding mullet up to them and most of the time they'll eat it, I've tried holding it in a way that makes them have to get quite close to my hand, and even if they accidentally touch me they'll get startled and immediately move away. They never freak out and fly around the room, they're thankfully very comfortable out of the cage. But I seem to only be able to feed them mullet and nothing else. And I've been doing so for a very long time and they just don't seem to want to bond any further with me. Is there any hope? I was so disappointed I even researched flooding or separating them but that just seems far too cruel.

Thank you very much for reading and any advice would really be appreciated.

Well, you are proving the point that two is far more than twice the problem than one!

At the age they are at, it is highly unlikely that they are yet, mated pair! In addition, there is the question of whether you in fact have a male and a female. That is normally something that a Tiel Snob can provide you clearer information.

Working with 'Two' Parrots is problematic! You need to provide 'them' a reason to be interested in the two Humans in the room! You need to create a want for them to seek you out and be interested in you. At present, they have none! Well maybe one; FOOD! First meal of the day could be provided by the Humans either by hand, or at first, one piece at a time into the dry food bowl. At some point fairly quickly they will make the connection between Humans and the arrival of Food.

There are other approaches, but this will at least get your stated.

- Only Good Things Happen When the Humans are around!
- Humans are the provides of the Food!

Change the viewing point of your relationship! It is NEVER the fault of the Parrot! It is ALWAYS the fault of the Human. When you change to this vantage point with all your interactions, you will more quickly find what you are doing wrong and can quickly change it!

Enjoy!

 

[claypokemon]

Thank you very much for the advice.

I know for a fact they are both male and female as there previous owners used them for breeding, and they had at least one baby together. Sorry for using the word "mates" I just thought that was the best way to describe them.

They seem to get very scared when I change there water and give them fresh food for inside there cage. I do have a perch just outside which has food and water too, should I only use those ones? Also should I take there food away when there about to sleep so that I can give it too them by hand in the morning?

Also I was wondering if I'm doing the right thing by giving them millet from my hand?

Thank you!

 

[clark_conure]

anything you do with personal interaction is good. They need to acclimate to you, your hands etc. It's much easier with a single bird because you because you become their social interaction. I've had 3 cockatiels and all where very social but the first, the female was the most interactive. I'd suggest getting her away for a bit of time and socializing with her, then move on to the male. I can't say definitively if that will work but its a step in some direction.

 

[itzjbean]

I have a mated pair of cockatiels that started out hand tame to begin with so they have remained fairly tame since I've had them. They have produced babies for me so they are a mated pair and are 5-6 years old. They were both hand-fed as babies and tame before becoming a pair, so that really does help. They are not skittish when I approach the cage, in fact both will run right over to the edge of the cage where I am when I refill their food and water. Both will step up, but they aren't huge on cuddling or letting me pet them very much.

Agree with everything everyone else has said - make very single interaction a positive one. Truthfully if they were breeders, though, they may never really fully come around the way you want them to (stepping up, allowing you to pet them), that is just the way it is sometimes.