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SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!

SquawksNibbles

Rollerblading along the road
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Kiera
Cage setup sounds good! As for toys, what you have sounds good, but you could also try making your own foraging, preening, or shredding toys to encourage natural bird behavior. There are some really simple toy ideas that are extremely cheap to make!

You sound like you’re doing good with the diet. Just a reminder, if you notice he still is not eating pellets, do not only offer him pellets. As far as he is concerned, these strange pebbles are not good and shouldn’t be eaten. If you only offer pellets over a long period of time, there is a good chance he will starve rather than try them. However, I have no concerns with that, as you sound like you’re doing good with the diet.

You’ve already got some great advice on the vet visit, so I won’t even bother with that. :)

Oh, and that picture is amazing! Great progress! You are taking it slow and not forcing so that is perfect! I can’t stop thinking of how beautiful he is! I love Tiels. I’ve never had one, but have met quite a few in person, and they are quite adorable. There is one at my local pet store that is kept in a extremely dirty, small cage with 1-2 toys (one of them was a mirror). When I first saw him I wanted to take him home immediately. Despite his horrible care, he still wanted to interact with me. Anyways, enough of my blabbering, you’ve had Hercules, for what, nearly a week now? And look at how far you’ve gotten! Woohoo!!! :birdance::birdance::birdance:
 

TikiMyn

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About the pellets, have you tried soaking them? I mix my pellets with their frozen veggies, the pellets take up a bit of water, and voila they are way softer and enjoyed by my birdies! Also, which size do you have? I have seed sized pellets, if he is reluctant to try bigger ones, smaller ones could do the trick. In the meanwhile you could crunch the pellets a bit to powder and sprinkle them over his seed so he gets accustomed to the taste if you like. I have never done that, but others have had succes with that method I have heard! You could also sprout his seeds, there is a sticky thread about sprouting in the food court, it is really easy and the sprouts are very nutritious!
 

BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/15/18
Messages
159
Cage setup sounds good! As for toys, what you have sounds good, but you could also try making your own foraging, preening, or shredding toys to encourage natural bird behavior. There are some really simple toy ideas that are extremely cheap to make!

You sound like you’re doing good with the diet. Just a reminder, if you notice he still is not eating pellets, do not only offer him pellets. As far as he is concerned, these strange pebbles are not good and shouldn’t be eaten. If you only offer pellets over a long period of time, there is a good chance he will starve rather than try them. However, I have no concerns with that, as you sound like you’re doing good with the diet.

You’ve already got some great advice on the vet visit, so I won’t even bother with that. :)

Oh, and that picture is amazing! Great progress! You are taking it slow and not forcing so that is perfect! I can’t stop thinking of how beautiful he is! I love Tiels. I’ve never had one, but have met quite a few in person, and they are quite adorable. There is one at my local pet store that is kept in a extremely dirty, small cage with 1-2 toys (one of them was a mirror). When I first saw him I wanted to take him home immediately. Despite his horrible care, he still wanted to interact with me. Anyways, enough of my blabbering, you’ve had Hercules, for what, nearly a week now? And look at how far you’ve gotten! Woohoo!!! :birdance::birdance::birdance:
Thank you so much! I think you should go get him from the pet store! Just pray about it & God will lead the way! Great idea of making foraging toys! I think we might have a birdie day this weekend & male more toys! You inspired me! I do hide rid bits of millet & his seed around the cage. He's so smart so I have to mix it up a lot.

Today I saw him chew on a pellet! They are the small sized. I have been breaking them in half & adding about 3-5 pellets to his seed. I like the mashing idea using a little water. I will Def try that! Thank you for replying.

Go get that cockatiel in the pet store!:hug1:
 

BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/15/18
Messages
159
Day 7 Hercules
(if I count the first day & I do :lol:)

Today has been so amazing! Hercules was out on my hand, shoulder & his bird tree! He will NOT come onto my finger without millet as a bribe tho. It's kind of funny because I put my finger in & say "Want some?" He will walk halfway towards me, stop, look for millet & if he can't see the millet he retreats! Once he can see the millet then he comes right over & he now knows he has to get on my finger ir hand to have any. Smart bird
:bliss:
Today he came right on my hand (once he saw the millet) I started with slowly turning in a circle, away from the cage & back towards the cage. He didn't seem to care at all, so I walked around the house with him on my finger eating millet. So I attempted putting him on my shoulder & he was fine with it! As long as he has his millet. I had him step up onto his bird tree I made him. He thought it was pretty cool & checked part of it out. I have a Christmas cactus hanging next to his tree, I thought was mostly out of reach but he really was interested in it. He nibbled on it a bit, but I got worried because I didn't want him to actually eat it. (I know it's on the bird safe list, but I don't want to take any chances & i didnt think he would be ready for his tree so soon.) I am going to move it to a different part of the house so he doesn't think it's one of his toys to his bird tree. I got him to step up (with millet) and try out his bird swing! I wish so badly I could post a video. I take a screen shot of him tho. Also, I am going to modify his swing. I made it before you guys told me about possible getting strangled by string. So I am going to cover the braided siesel string with clear plastic staws. While he was out in his tree eating his millet, I was able to clean his cage & I rearranged it a little. It was still setup from before I brought him home, so was nice to switch things up a little to help him get around better & knowing what he likes. I didn't want to do it until he was comfortable & out of the cage so I didn't terrify him moving things. It worked out perfectly. Tomoro I'm going to repeat the process. Maybe have him out a little longer & gradually get him to be out whenever I'm home.

Hope you enjoy the pics!

First one is him on my shoulder!

Second- Here he is on his tree, you can see how the sun comes in from the west in the evenings, he seemed to enjoy the sunshine.

Third- I tried to stand infront of the sunlight for a better pic.

Fourth- Him on his swing (I am adding straws to the siesel string to prevent him getting strangled)


Question- will he or how do I eventually get him to come & hangout without chowing down on millet the entire time? Eventually when he is bonded to me, will he want to come out to be with me without the bribe of millet?
Also, he won't touch the frozen mix the breeder sent me home with.. it's a mix of veggies, pasta & rice.
He does like fresh broccoli, but that's it.. so right now his entire diet is seed, millet & broccoli. How do I get him to eat healthier?

:sunflower:
 

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BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/15/18
Messages
159
About the pellets, have you tried soaking them? I mix my pellets with their frozen veggies, the pellets take up a bit of water, and voila they are way softer and enjoyed by my birdies! Also, which size do you have? I have seed sized pellets, if he is reluctant to try bigger ones, smaller ones could do the trick. In the meanwhile you could crunch the pellets a bit to powder and sprinkle them over his seed so he gets accustomed to the taste if you like. I have never done that, but others have had succes with that method I have heard! You could also sprout his seeds, there is a sticky thread about sprouting in the food court, it is really easy and the sprouts are very nutritious!
Great advice! I will try them all!
Can you help answer questions in my last post? Also enjoy the pics
 

finchly

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So cute!

Are you offering the veggies more than once? Try the same one(s) for a week at a time. Baked Sweet potato, peas corn. Heat them up. Try them chopped, diced, bigger, smaller. Mix them, then separate. I offer mine on paper plates in little piles but the tiels will only partake of that if they are on top of the cages, little divas. If it’s in their cage it. HAS to be in a food cup.
 

BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
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159
So cute!

Are you offering the veggies more than once? Try the same one(s) for a week at a time. Baked Sweet potato, peas corn. Heat them up. Try them chopped, diced, bigger, smaller. Mix them, then separate. I offer mine on paper plates in little piles but the tiels will only partake of that if they are on top of the cages, little divas. If it’s in their cage it. HAS to be in a food cup.

Great advice! I have a dish just for veggies. I will try different sizes & keep up with a variety.

What about him coming to me & hanging out with me without chowing on millet the whole time? What can I do to get him to just hangout without millet the entire time?
 

SquawksNibbles

Rollerblading along the road
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Kiera
Go get that cockatiel in the pet store!:hug1:
I wish, and would in a heartbeat! But I’m pretty sure my parents are set on no more pets, lol. They are not as pet crazy as my siblings and I, yet we have 8 pets (2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 birds, 2 hermit crabs) because of them. And anyways, I’m not sure how my family and I would do will all of the cockatiel dust all over the place!

Great photos! I wish all new parronts were as serious and dedicated to their new birds and their correct care as you are. :)

Great idea. I will try that tomro. I love him so much, I can't even explain it! :bluhug::ittalks!::ittalks!::ittalks!::tiel::tiel::vasa::tiel:
Parrots are what brought us all together. And we all have one thing in common - we love our parrots like our children. :fidmagic:
 

TikiMyn

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Little late but hey:D With Fëanor I used sunflower seeds, you could use individual millet ‘bundles’ I think, I kept reinforcing him every time he stepped up. In the beginning I Made my hand really steady, when he stepped up, I rewarded, and then he could step back down, or stay for a second and earn another treat. I still reward often when he steps up or does anything right to keep that behavior strong. Soon I started offering him little toys and foraging things when he was on my hand. Little foraging things he LOVES, so it could be a piece of wood, paper, anything Hercules likes. Spending a lot of time near him with just talking to him and doing my things helped a lot too I think, he soon became curious on his Own and came to me to see what I was doing. Keep going to way you are, and I think everything Will work out! Eventually he Will realize, hey even if I Don’t get treats this is fun!
 

BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
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Day 8* Hercules!

He is doing great! He has really improved in the last couple days. I taught him to climb up on my shoulder (with millet) then I stroll thru the house, stop, click my clicker & give him a few bites of millet, then continue walking. It's amazing how fast they learn. A couple times he tries to fly from me to his tree, but doesn't make it far because of his poor wings. When he glides to the floor, I wait a minute, then get him to step up & set him on his tree where he was aiming for. I think he's starting to realize I will return him to his safe place. He will try to nip if I attempt to have him step up without millet, but he's not earing millet the entire time on me. So it is a gradual process.

I got smaller pellets from Zupreem today, they are budgie size instead of cockatiel size. The pellets are almost the same size as his seed, so we will see if that helps. I mixed it in with his seed. Later I am going to try mashing it with some water like someone suggested.

He I'd also starting to relate the click with a treat. Might try target training tomro on his training stand. He seems comfortable on his training perch now, so might have to give it a try.

Hercules is awesome & everyday I love him even more!
 

BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
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159
HERCULES!


Another day of doing awesome! He's getting very comfortable outside the cage & on his tree. I brought 2 of my nieces over to help socialize him. I had them come in & ignore him. He didn't seem to care at all. So I brought him out of the cage & had him step up on one of my nieces finger & be rewarded with millet. We took turn with my two nieces & he was very comfortable. We them git him on thier shoulders & eventually on thier head. He did so well! Very impressed with my Hercules! My nieces were too!


Check out the cute pics!
 

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BigSkyMT

Walking the driveway
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159
You are doing amazing. Hercules has no idea that he is one of the few extremely lucky Cockatiels in captivity. You are a great parront.
You are doing great with Hercules. And you nieces are cute.
Thank you guys so much for saying that! I love him sooooo much! I get bummed when it's bedtime & he's ready for sleep :doublelol:

I just hope my story reaches someone like me, desperate for answers & to know, even the most shy of birds can come around. I am going to continue to post updates & his progress!

Hercules is my best bud for life!

:chipmunks:
 

SquawksNibbles

Rollerblading along the road
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Kiera
You are doing a wonderful job with the little guy! I’m sure Hercules will have many more great years with you and your family. :)

Cute pictures! Your nieces and bird are adorable together. And a great way to socialize him.

You truly understand what it takes to successfully bond with a bird. I wish every new parront was as serious and patient as you are.
 
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