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Cockatiel Tricks?

haze

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I have a 4 year old tame cockatiel. He learned a few tricks I taught him when he was a baby, such as step up, step down, shake, and gimme kiss, but I really would like to teach him something new to keep him engaged and excited. I just don't know what sort of tricks to teach besides that. He does not like to lay on his back or hang upside down, so anything like that is out of the question. What kinds of tricks can your cockatiels do?

Another thing: What is a good treat to train cockatiels with? He doesn't like sunflower seeds because they are too big for him to break open easily lol.
 

haze

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Oh good idea!!! He actually does love millet, I just forget because I don't feed it very often ! Thanks for the suggestion! :) I'll pick some up when I go to the pet store this afternoon.
 

Shezbug

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Big wings, foot or wing wave, spin, recall, go to perch/cage are all pretty common, helpful and also easy enough to put on cue. Target training is also an awesome thing to train that is very helpful.
 

Emma&pico

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Turn around you can do it both ways

flip around perch but if he doesn’t like being upside down may not work
Mango my lovebird refuses to learn this but indie and pico can both do it

wave he may not shaking hands though once learnt this pico did

tunnel I make a tunnel with my hand so pico does in between my hand tunnelled and arm

recall brill move further away each time pico comes when I shout him anywhere indie sometimes comes but I’ve got to be near
Mango comes if sees millet otherwise acts deaf haha :lol:

wings but pico only flaps his wings doesn’t hold wings up
 

Tara81

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I taught Alsing to ring a bell, fetch, spread wings, step up, turn around, wave, handshake, target a stick, bow head for cuddles. I tried to get her used to foot touching for nail trims, but she still dislikes it. The hardest trick was fetch, the easiest was step up and target the stick. She naturally wanted to chew the chop stick. Spread wings took awhile to teach her, I had to do it in four parts, and use a little luck like when she spread her wings upside down for fun. The first part was touching her wing for half a second. Then for a second. Then using two hands, index finger and touching the front of both wings. Then gentle pushing the wings out . Then she would lift her wings like a shoulder shrug, but still wouldn’t spread her wings out. Then I would start using one hand with my index and middle finger saying wings and move towards her wings. Lastly, in the evenings when she would go upside down and start spreading her wings for fun, I would say wings and show her my two fingers . Then she finally caught on, and spread wings on command :)
 
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WinniePooh

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None of your business :)
I taught Alsing to ring a bell, fetch, spread wings, step up, turn around, wave, handshake, target a stick, bow head for cuddles. I tried to get her used to foot touching for nail trims, but she still dislikes it. The hardest trick was fetch, the easiest was step up and target the stick. She naturally wanted to chew the chop stick. Spread wings took awhile to teach her, I had to do it in four parts, and use a little luck like when she spread her wings upside down for fun. The first part was touching her wing for half a second. Then for a second. Then using two hands, index finger and touching the front of both wings. Then gentle pushing the wings out . Then she would lift her wings like a shoulder shrug, but still wouldn’t spread her wings out. Then I would start using one hand with my index and middle finger saying wings and move towards her wings. Lastly, in the evenings when she would go upside down and start spreading her wings for fun, I would say wings and show her my two fingers . Then she finally caught on, and spread wings on command :)
Speaking of trimming nails. My birds nails seem really long but is it worth trimming them because birds nails arent trimmed in the wild and they are fine??????
 

Shezbug

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Speaking of trimming nails. My birds nails seem really long but is it worth trimming them because birds nails arent trimmed in the wild and they are fine??????
Birds in the wild eat the correct diet for their bodies, get the right amount of exercise and also have many branches (and other places they perch) on angles that means they actually use their nails properly which wears them down.
If you share a pic of Winnie's feet while he is stood on a table or other flat surface someone can tell you if they are too long or not. If your birds toes lay nice and flat on a flat surface (like if all the surface of his toes touch the table top) then the nail length is likely fine.
 
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