need some tips taming my new fearful cockatiel!!

[3.7]

HELLOOO!! this is my second ever beg for help on this website, everyone has been so nice ) im not a veteran bird owner... nor am i fully educated and im always looking to learn about cute little birdies. I have 2 cockatiels, one is named tequila, 4 months old, and she's adorable. she came tamed, so it only took 1 day for her to warm up to me and step up, but i decided to get her a friend! Bones is a year old bird. hes adorable but he came untamed and im simply not used to it since usually i buy from breeders that tame their birds. im not wanting to give up, but its been about 3 weeks and bones still hasnt warmed up to me. i put my hand in his cage everyday for about 5-10 minutes so he gets used to my hand but he's still very scared and sometimes will run away or hiss. ive tried feeding him millet, the little boy doesnt like millet and wont eat anything but his pellets! he wont eat from my hand, and hes scared of everything. i desperately want him to trust me but he wont even entertain the idea of my hand.... I really hope someone can give me some help! what to do what not to do, tips, i know older birds are hard to tame but still i want to be bones' friend <333

 

[sb sigmund]

Congratulations on your new birds! The first thing I will say is that three weeks is a very short time and he's still just settling in. I would advise against sticking your hands in the cage because a cage is a birds safe zone and sticking your hands in can be scary. I would do training on top of the cage or on a perch etc. Definitively try target training! And give your new friend a month or two to come out of his shell. Good luck!

 

[3.7]

Congratulations on your new birds! The first thing I will say is that three weeks is a very short time and he's still just settling in. I would advise against sticking your hands in the cage because a cage is a birds safe zone and sticking your hands in can be scary. I would do training on top of the cage or on a perch etc. Definitively try target training! And give your new friend a month or two to come out of his shell. Good luck!

thank you so much!! (づ๑•ᴗ•๑)づ♡ ill definitely tone everything down and give him more time, its just that my mom is so impatient and wants Bones to start loving everyone immediately lol. bones looks just like your Sigmund!!

 

[Parutti]

I agree with target training

I was shocked when my super-hand-shy foster cockatiel picked up on targeting right away!

He did like millet though so that helped - I had a little metal bowl on the top of his cage, and we practiced targeting while he was outside his cage. When he touched the target I said "yes!" then dropped a piece of mullet in the bowl, so he didn't have to take it from my hand.

You could try offering different seeds in his food to see if there's anything he really likes, to use for training.

My foster guy was tame and very friendly but shy with strangers at his previous home. It took him a few months to trust me enough to approach him. He did start approaching ME much earlier but was still skittish. It was hard at first to back off and let him choose the pace, since my other cockatiel buddy was my buddy right away.

Give your little Bones more time and let him lead the way and he'll come around

 

[Kamoebas]

I'd say when bones starts to get defensive, Let him be for about an hour to calm down. I'm sure he'll be your friend! Be as patient with him as you can. When bones lets you pet him, don't approach from above. Pretend to eat seeds from a seedbowl (if he lets you) So he'll think you're part of his flock!

 

[3.7]

I agree with target training

I was shocked when my super-hand-shy foster cockatiel picked up on targeting right away!

He did like millet though so that helped - I had a little metal bowl on the top of his cage, and we practiced targeting while he was outside his cage. When he touched the target I said "yes!" then dropped a piece of mullet in the bowl, so he didn't have to take it from my hand.

You could try offering different seeds in his food to see if there's anything he really likes, to use for training.

My foster guy was tame and very friendly but shy with strangers at his previous home. It took him a few months to trust me enough to approach him. He did start approaching ME much earlier but was still skittish. It was hard at first to back off and let him choose the pace, since my other cockatiel buddy was my buddy right away.

Give your little Bones more time and let him lead the way and he'll come around

thank you so much for the advice!! every bit means so much (*^‿^*) but can i ask how exactly to target train? i know it involves sticks and clickers and i often target train tequila, but i dont let Bones out of the cage yet since when he gets out, he flies around the room, falls, and it takes hours to gently get him back in his cage should i be training him while hes inside the cage??

 

[sb sigmund]

thank you so much for the advice!! every bit means so much (*^‿^*) but can i ask how exactly to target train? i know it involves sticks and clickers and i often target train tequila, but i dont let Bones out of the cage yet since when he gets out, he flies around the room, falls, and it takes hours to gently get him back in his cage should i be training him while hes inside the cage??

You can target train through the cage as well if he will accept a treat through the bars. Basically just take a chopstick or something similar, offer it to then, and once they touch it reward with a treat. I found a video of someone target training their budgie through the cage. Also, I would target train all of your birds- bones might see the others doing it and want to try!

Meet my new baby budgie WOODSTOCK- i have started target training !

I want to add the clicker next

youtube.com

 

[sunnysmom]

 

[Parutti]

@sunnysmom that graphic is so good!

 

[sunnysmom]

@sunnysmom that graphic is so good!

Thanks. It's a slide from the standards of care class the rescue I help with teaches. I think it's a helpful reminder that most birds really take some time to settle in.

 

[Aestatis]

Vista was parent raised and totally unhandled besides being grabbed to go into a new cage or the carrier. She was totally terrified, but by 6 weeks she was trusting enough to go on my hand if I had treats. She would not go on my hand without a treat, and she still shies away if I offer a hand even though we are at month 2.

It sounds like you've already made progress. I agree with being cautious about hands in the cage, but if he willingly comes towards you I think it's ok. It's tough that he doesn't like millet, but at least he's eating healthy pellets! I think if he won't take pellets from your hand right now then it's worth taking a step back. Try feeding him pellets through the cage bars. If he eats roudyboush then the mini's stick-like shape makes this easier to do. You could also try getting some Lafeber's Pellet Berries.

If he's still too scared then you can try getting a flat perch and put a few pellets on that. Put the flat perch near a place you can sit. Put some pellets down and see if he will eat with you close by. Place the pellets as close to the bars as he will eat when you are sitting by. Try your best not to stare or look at him directly. Once he will eat pellets next to the bars you can try putting your hand nearby. Don't stick any fingers inside. Try a flat and or a closed fist and slowly move close to the bars. Stop if he gets too nervous to eat - that's your current line.

Once you can have your hand close to him eating his pellets you can try holding onto it through the cage and work from there.

Sorry if this is long, but sometimes you have to take tiny baby steps! Once the new guy is out of quarantine Tequilla will be a big help too. He will see how tame she is and will learn by observation. My new tiel Vista is still wary of hands but she has started asking me for pets because she has watched my tame tiel get them.

 

[flannel]

View attachment 441494

This is a great graphic and a fabulous reminder, thanks!!