Another Random Tiel Question

[Jay Johnson]

I have come to discover I do not think my tiel likes baseball caps very much...the reason I say this is because I have noticed if my partner or I are wearing a baseball cap, the tiel hisses. Any insight is welcomed as to why the tiel may not like it.

 

[finchly]

Birds are suspicious of hats, sunglasses....red fingernail polish.

 

[Catherine89]

Teils are funny little things . They have no idea that it’s a cap and it won’t hurt them. They just know that’s its bigger than them and probably considers it a Intruder.

 

[Monica]

My cockatiel can be suspicious of hats, gloves and bright colors. Bright like orange!

New things can mean danger, so certain things they aren't familiar with they can have an adverse reaction to. Normal. If you work with them and teach them that those scary items aren't so scary after all, then they can get over their fear. Use lots of treats!

 

[sunnysmom]

A lot of birds don't like hats. My 'too will actually grab the hat off of my fiancé's head and throw it.

 

[Jay Johnson]

Thank you everyone for the insight!!

So even though we are wearing it, he still thinks of it as a intruder?

 

[Catherine89]

Thank you everyone for the insight!!

So even though we are wearing it, he still thinks of it as a intruder?

Well they at least have no Idea what it is . If I towel wrap my hair and then go and talk to my teils they hiss at me too

 

[Monica]

I wear a lot of dark or neutral colors. Browns, blues, greys, white, black.... so my birds are used to me wearing those colors.

The one time I walked in to my bird room wearing a bright orange shirt, all my birds freaked out! I immediately turned around, changed shirts and walked right back in! No issues!


Animals, especially prey animals, can be hypersensitive to things like that. If you really want to learn more about animal minds, then check out Temple Grandin's book Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior. It helps to give a different perspective of how animals think. There are some areas of the book that aren't necessarily pleasant to read (considering what Temple Grandin does for a living), but it really helps to point out how something so small and minute can have such a *huge* impact on animals!

 

[Marloz]

Birds are suspicious of hats, sunglasses....red fingernail polish.

My cockatiel doesn’t care if I wear sunglasses or wear red nail polish. He actually wolf whistle when I walk pass his cage

 

[finchly]

My cockatiel doesn’t care if I wear sunglasses or wear red nail polish. He actually wolf whistle when I walk pass his cage

 

[BirdManDan]

This is why desensitization is so important. Here is a link to a YouTube video on the subject.

 

[Tara81]

My tiel hissed at me for the first time when I wore a bright orange / yellow / red cap , but within an hour she got over it and wanted to chew it.

Now when i wore red nail polish, my tiel wouldn't go on my fingers all day.

 

[rocky'smom]

The reason they don't like baseball caps they can't see your eyes. My tiel boy hates ponytails he will attack my head in full fury. I have no idea why, more baggq from his former home.

 

[blewin]

See now Buddy doesn't mind my glasses, but she freaks out when I wear contacts or shave my beard.