Semi-Rescue Cockatiel

[scrape]

No hate please, just advice.
I have a cockatiel named Felix. He is semi-untame. He will sit on me and chill nearby. He doesn't want to be touched though, and seems to be your average wild aviary bird. The thing is, I've been trying to teach him step-up. And it works... for the most part. He screeches the whole way ( it sounds like the devil) and also screeches while eating treats spray millet. I just recently got a clicker, in hopes to help this. Also you can gently touch him while he eats treats he's so distracted. It's hard to describe...
Later on in training sesh, when he gets impatient on my hand (when I'm waiting for him to quiet down to click and reward), if my thumb is up (so he can't walk down my arm) he will bite a little. So we don't have very long training sessions.
I am being patient with him, but I will admit it's frustrating at times. Notes:
+He always steps up beak first (he never offers a foot, just paces on top of his cage)
+I just want advice, I'm never giving up on him. I believe he can be a handleable bird with work and I knew what I was getting into when not getting a baby.
+I usually ignore him when he bites or blow a puff of air at him.
Idk, the whole situation is not textbook. But I guess it never is. I have ideas of my own (I love BirdTricks) of how to help this, but I know I am far from an expert. I would very much appreciate helpful advice. Sorry for the long post, but I want the best for him.

 

[Fuzzy]

Hi scrape!

Glad you are keeping the training sessions very short. A lot of birds step up using the beak first as a tester to see if the object they are stepping on to is stable.

Is Felix stepping up because he wants to (has he learned contingency - ie. if I step up, then I will get some millet?) or are you forcing him to (by say pressing your hand into his chest)? Just trying to fathom out the reason for the screeching.

A clicker is just a bridge to mark the behaviour you want to see... and yes it becomes a reinforcer as it is paired with the reinforcing consequence. You can also use your voice as a bridge as in a "good!". The most important part of training is the reinforcing consequence.... in his case the millet. Is millet spray his absolutely favourite treat in the whole world?

Re the biting - it would be better to rearrange circumstances so that you avoid being bitten in the first place. Biting is communication - if he is resorting to biting, ask yourself why. The more he bites the more he is learning to bite - which you really want to avoid. It might be that the training session, although short, is still too long for him. You want everything about the session to be a positive experience for him so that he will look forward to the next session. Every positive experience is also paired with you, so he will also look forward to your presence.

It sounds like you have made some good progress with him. Amazing that he will sit on you and chill.

You might like to teach him to target first. Targeting is a great skill for both of you. It teaches the bird contingency and you timing. This is a great video to show you how:

 

[finchly]

Good post, @Fuzzy .

I just wanted to add... I doubt anyone here would ever suggest giving up on your bird! Most people will help you problem solve.

If you can, make a video so we can see him in action.

Some birds sit on you but don’t like hands. It’s ok not to pet your bird. We have to do what is comfortable for them.

 

[scrape]

I never force him unless it's an emergency. Yes, he has learned stepping up means millet. He hasn't tried a lot of foods. I'm working on introducing him to veggies and a more varied diet. I've offered him a fourth an almond once, but he immediately dropped it. And he's tried walnuts. He loves sunflower seeds, but I think millet is tops. So yes, millet seems to be his favorite treat until further notice.
Yes, I am very proud of him for coming this far
That sounds like a good idea, I will definitely try it. Thanks for all the advice.

@finchly Yeah, I kinda expected that, but I wouldn't claim to know the community. I know some people believe that they can't ever be an averagely friendly well-mannered bird. And I know that can be true, but that's no reason to just give up. I will try to get a video. Yes, I'm proud of him for just being as chill as he is with hands.

 

[cassiesdad]

It sounds like Felix and you are coming along quite nicely...kudos to you both.

The only advice I'd have is keep on keeping on...tiels, for the most part, are extremely flexible adjusting to their people...they really try to like us and want us to like them...

 

[scrape]

So I tried targeting and he's catching on great, but he complains during it just like stepping up. What am I doing wrong? Here's an example of training:

@cassiesdad Thanks. I'm very proud of him Not sure he likes me, but I really like him lol

 

[cassiesdad]

...some birds are going to be more vocal...the video is unavailable.

Awhile ago, we had three tiels...all with differing thoughts of people...Sunshine, who loves people- and head scritches...Igor, who seeks out human contact on HIS schedule- then flies off...then there was Mocha, who thought people wasted valuable oxygen by breathing it.

Mocha passed a few months ago, and I still miss that ornery guy every day...

 

[scrape]

I completely understand that, but I don't think this is just vocals. But if it is, feel free to correct me
Aww, sorry for your loss.

 

[Fuzzy]

Video (both of them) says unavailable to me too. You might have to make it "public" on YouTube so that we can watch? Not sure.

 

[RatTails]

Wow that is a weird noise! Sounds like a dinosaur (but not the hungry Dino noise babies make).

Video works fine for me so hope others can see it and maybe offer advice but yes that seems weird behavior to me.

 

[Fuzzy]

Strangely (and luckily) I was able to watch on my phone! Weird sound!!! My first thought was that it was similar to the noise my Red Lored Amazon makes when she is hormonal and wants to mate with me. It also reminds me of the noise a small bird makes when hating being toweled etc. BUT there is no accompanying body language to give any clue. My last thought was that it is an overblown baby begging noise. Again no body language to go with it.

My instinct says that the noise says he wants something, but I'm not sure what. The noise could have been reinforced by his previous owner or maybe other birds. He's great at stepping up etc - you are a good teacher. My feeling would be to constantly monitor for any clue what the noise might be for, but to also not be over concerned about it. I am betting it will fade out gradually as you get to know each other and will hopefully slowly get replaced with other sounds and behaviours. Nevertheless, I would suggest taking him to a vet for a check up just to make sure he's healthy and not in pain.

 

[Fuzzy]

Just watched again - the noise becomes more urgent when she is reaching for the item you are reinforcing her step up/down with. What if you try reinforcing with something else like a treat?

 

[Fuzzy]

Sorry - not sure if he is a he or a she. I think you said good girl in the video!

 

[cassiesdad]

...watching the video without sound...Felix's body language really doesn't show any aggression, anger, or fright...it is just unusual, indeed.

My instinct says that the noise says he wants something, but I'm not sure what. The noise could have been reinforced by his previous owner or maybe other birds. He's great at stepping up etc - you are a good teacher. My feeling would be to constantly monitor for any clue what the noise might be for, but to also not be over concerned about it. I am betting it will fade out gradually as you get to know each other and will hopefully slowly get replaced with other sounds and behaviours. Nevertheless, I would suggest taking him to a vet for a check up just to make sure he's healthy and not in pain.

I tend to agree...and yes, you are a good teacher...

 

[scrape]

Thanks for the compliment guys! I was worried I was doing everything wrong.
@Fuzzy I'm actually using millet in the video, but am also holding a clicker with the same hand if that's what you saw. The thing is, he makes that noise with anything associated with treats. If he thinks you're going to give him a treat he will do that, or if he is getting a treat, or if he's realizes he's working for a treat like stepping up or targeting. Also, the old owners had been told he was a she, but he looks like a he (yellow head and no stripes on his tail), and other people had told the old owners he looks like a he. So right now he's a he until further notice.

 

[cassiesdad]

The thing is, he makes that noise with anything associated with treats. If he thinks you're going to give him a treat he will do that, or if he is getting a treat, or if he's realizes he's working for a treat like stepping up or targeting.

...maybe that's the reason for the vocalizations...food...

 

[scrape]

I agree @cassiesdad
To me, I thought it was an irritated sound. Like he's angsty? Or just impatient? I am not sure obviously, as I am new to bird language.
Here's another example of him just taking treats

 

[cassiesdad]

To me, I thought it was an irritated sound. Like he's angsty? Or just impatient?

...could be either..or both!

Buddy the Conure grumbles...a lot...but she grumbles even louder when she eats. I think she's commenting on the food...or that she enjoys eating ...or something.

I am new to bird language.

...we've had Buddy here for a little over three years now...and she's been communicating (grumbling) the whole time...I sometimes wish I could understand the nuances of the grumbling...I haven't got there yet...but I keep on trying...

 

[scrape]

So I should just ignore it? Won't that make it worse? What if he starts biting?
Also, he doesn't do it with just food, I think it's the combo of hands and food. He doesn't make that noise if I just put food in a bowl and just set it down.
I want him to be comfortable and chill when training, not demanding food or acting agitated.
I guess it may not technically be a problem (if he's just doing it to be doing), but if it is aggression/anxiety how do I combat it?

 

[cassiesdad]

So I should just ignore it?

I would..the vocalizations, by themselves, really aren't physically hurting anyone...they're more of a curiosity (to us, anyway )

if it is aggression/anxiety how do I combat it?

...again, right now, Felix's body language doesn't show escalation to either...and I think that's the first way he's going to start showing you that something is bothering him. My advice is to keep on working with him...at a deliberate pace...watching for body language clues...