Chiptuner
Checking out the neighborhood
- Joined
- 5/21/18
- Messages
- 3
Hi everyone, I would love to hear your advice on a tiel we've taken in.
A local petshop had two tiels that were never for sale - they hung out on top of their cage and one, Cookie, would get scritches from everyone.
The petshop is going to change ownership, and they asked if we would be able to take him on (we'd been coming in to pet him weekly for a year).
Of course we agreed, as we adored the guy.
Shoulda realised that all the people who claimed he 'hated' them were women, like me.
He's 5-6 years old according to the guys at the shop. I don't know whether he was hand-raised or not. He was housed with another tiel, although they ignored each other.
He likes scritches, but doesn't know how to step up. He seems to dislike hands too - I'm sure he's had a lot of grabby people.
He was always OK to me in the shop, but since he's been home he seems to dislike me more and more. It's day 4 now. He adores my fiance and will flock call like crazy when he leaves the room. He hisses and lunges at me if I go near the cage, and I don't warrant a contact call ever.
I've been trying to lure him with millet - but he has absolutely no interest in it, even if I leave it in his bowl. I think the seed mix he's used to contains it (we're supplementing with pellets and veggies as well).
He doesn't seem food motivated. If we offer food by hand he lowers his head for scritches and ignores the treat.
He likes to nibble on spinach, but if I offer it now he's more focused on lunging at me. He doesn't lower his head for scritches from me anymore either.
Oh, and he sometimes paces frantically when he's eating, but only then. Has anyone seen that behaviour before?
I'm finding it really hard to get him to see I'm not the enemy. I had a BHC who adored food before, which made training a breeze.
It's very childish of me, but I'm really sad that he seems to hate me now, and won't give me the time of day.
I don't know if we've bitten off more than we can chew here. Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to help him come round to me, if he ever will? On how we can start training? Any similar stories?
Thank you for reading to the end!
A local petshop had two tiels that were never for sale - they hung out on top of their cage and one, Cookie, would get scritches from everyone.
The petshop is going to change ownership, and they asked if we would be able to take him on (we'd been coming in to pet him weekly for a year).
Of course we agreed, as we adored the guy.
Shoulda realised that all the people who claimed he 'hated' them were women, like me.
He's 5-6 years old according to the guys at the shop. I don't know whether he was hand-raised or not. He was housed with another tiel, although they ignored each other.
He likes scritches, but doesn't know how to step up. He seems to dislike hands too - I'm sure he's had a lot of grabby people.
He was always OK to me in the shop, but since he's been home he seems to dislike me more and more. It's day 4 now. He adores my fiance and will flock call like crazy when he leaves the room. He hisses and lunges at me if I go near the cage, and I don't warrant a contact call ever.
I've been trying to lure him with millet - but he has absolutely no interest in it, even if I leave it in his bowl. I think the seed mix he's used to contains it (we're supplementing with pellets and veggies as well).
He doesn't seem food motivated. If we offer food by hand he lowers his head for scritches and ignores the treat.
He likes to nibble on spinach, but if I offer it now he's more focused on lunging at me. He doesn't lower his head for scritches from me anymore either.
Oh, and he sometimes paces frantically when he's eating, but only then. Has anyone seen that behaviour before?
I'm finding it really hard to get him to see I'm not the enemy. I had a BHC who adored food before, which made training a breeze.
It's very childish of me, but I'm really sad that he seems to hate me now, and won't give me the time of day.
I don't know if we've bitten off more than we can chew here. Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to help him come round to me, if he ever will? On how we can start training? Any similar stories?
Thank you for reading to the end!