New cockatiel mommy needs help

[Cockatiel1992]

Yesterday I adopted a senior cockatiel, from a rescue, who's owner passed away and apparently she did not know a bird could be handled and never took him out of the cage. He is taking treats out of my hand but will not move out of the corner of the cage. I sit and talk and whistle and he sings and talks back. I have seen him drink twice but not eat. Are there any pointers anyone can give me? I work from home and I am willing to try anything to make my new baby as comfortable as possible .This is my first cockatiel I had a highly attached love bird in the past but he was highly aggressive with my family. Should I take him out for times so he feels more confident about being out of the cage even if he does not want to? Please help a new mommy! He is 25 years old

 

[finchly]

He is old. He's been in that corner for a long, long time. Please be very patient. He clearly likes you already. hang out near him, read aloud or sing, play music, talk to yourself. Let him get to know you.

If you can take him out, do so. Move slowly with him out and give him treats.

 

[CeciliaZ]

Welcome and thank you for bringing this tiel into your home. Please do not force him out of his cage. It is all he knows...poor baby. I would leave his door open when you would like him to come out and when you are there to watch him...I imagine he would not be able to fly after all these years. Continue to talk to him, whistle...happy to hear he responds to you. In time he may come out of his cage - try offering him a treat - millet? Would he be willing to come out on a perch?

 

[finchly]

that's what I did for Ernie, my avatar. He's not a tiel but - he was cagebound after 18 years of being in the cage. He'd sit on one perch and stare. No movement, no play. Toys terrified him. I opened the door and it never closed again. I put a perch on the outside. It took a very long time to earn his trust.

Now he is almost 22 and he rides around on my shoulder, climbs all over the cage, occasionally plays with toys. He goes to the art center with me... and he's terribly possessive of me.

 

[Mizzely]

Bobber was cage bound for much of his life; it took him a few weeks to come out on his own. I just kept his cage door as long as I was home and it was safe to do so, and he eventually came out on his own. About 2.5 years later, he is now flying all over, playing with toys, etc. He doesn't care to be handled, but he loves to chat!

 

[AviMom]

Welcome. You are very sweet to take this poor bird in. Sounds like you are very committed to making him comfortable and happy. Youre already on the right track. Everyone here is very supportive, and have lots of experience. Time and patience with your new friend and you'll do fine

 

[Lady Jane]

So glad you joined us. What is his name? Please show us a photo or two of your new companion. There are nutriberries for seniors that are good for them. Rope perches would be comfortable in his feet. Please update us on your progress.

 

[greys4u]

@Lady Jane in his feet, they would look like stilts for birds

 

[Mizzely]

Oh yes, my Hahns had arthritis. You can help him out by giving her Senior Nutriberries, adding turmeric to his food, giving sips of dilute tart cherry juice, and giving rope perches, thick round perches (I usually gave her 2" perches), and flat perches. All help give some relief to gripping a small perch

 

[Cockatiel1992]

Thank you very much everyone for your kind support! This is not his original cage he is in I purchased this one. He seems to love saltines. Is that something that is ok to give him? He came with the name Peaches.

 

[CeciliaZ]

He's so cute - looks like he trusts you! I would skip the saltine crackers - too much salt.

 

[Cockatiel1992]

He was not happy to get brought out of the cage but once he was he was ok. I realized after I should have waited till he was ready. I have not brought him out since. That was the day I brought him home. What is a healthy good treat that is good for him? I heard dried fruit possibly?

 

[CeciliaZ]

Tiels are not big fruit eaters...for treats - I give them millet or nutriberries. I only give them a small piece of millet at a time - not the whole spray. You can also find freeze dried veggies - corn, peas, etc. Avoid human treats - potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels.

Foe healthier food - try sprouted seeds - mine love sprouted wheatberries. There are lots of assorted sprout mixes you can buy.

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome to the forum. My cockatiel Sunny came to live with us when his owner passed away. He was 15. We believe that he too wasn't taken out of his cage. He was very, very, attached to his old cage. So a new cage for your senior tiel might be a little traumatic for him. It took over 3 weeks before my tiel would come out of his cage. I would just sit with him and talk to him. I even read magazine articles to him. Senior tiels seem to be slow to accept change. For instance, I would have to put a new toy outside of his cage for a few days for him to see it. Then hang it on the outside of his cage for a few days. And then move it inside his cage. With time, my tiel became a complete love bug. But I had to take things slowly and do everything at his pace. Thank you for taking this bird in. I adore senior tiels. Also, if you can get him to eat them, I gave my tiel senior nutriberries. They have a lot of good things in them for senior birds. My tiel also adored millet spray. With time, he also grew to love chopped up raw broccoli, cooked mash sweet potato, lettuce and snap peas. He also loved Higgins Worldly Cuisine mixes. As a treat, I would give him an organic Cheerio-type cereal. (Actual Cheerios are too high in iron.)

 

[Cockatiel1992]

Thank you for that. I did purchase nutriberries today. He has not tried it yet

 

[expressmailtome]

Thank you for that. I did purchase nutriberries today. He has not tried it yet

Some birds take a while to get used to them.

 

[BirdManDan]

Lara

THE .
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE AVENUE!! WE'RE A BUNCH OF ANIMALS HERE!! HOPE YOU FIT RIGHT IN!!

 

[Sylvester]

From observing those photos above, I would say he already trusts you.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[Cockatiel1992]

Here is another question. I bought a outside cage for the Senior Cockatiel and he won’t get back in his large cage. He is eating properly and seems much happier but the cage is very small it is meant for just outside! What do I do? What is the proper cage size for a cockatiel. I will post both cages. The big cage hestayed on one perch and never played.