How long does it take?

[Drake]

Hey guys!

So, I wanted to ask, how long did it take you to get your tiel to be cuddly and loving? I know its been only a month with my young tiel, and I'm patient, and I'm seeing progress (he stood on my finger to eat millet!),but still want to know what to expect

 

[JLcribber]

Takes as long as it takes. One step at a time. You can reasonably expect it to take a year or more to establish the kind of relationship you’re looking for. That is on the bird’s terms and if you don’t do something to break the progress made already. Some birds don’t like cuddly. It’s not a natural thing.

 

[sunnysmom]

Each bird is different. So the amount of time will vary. And not all tiels cuddly. My first tiel, Sunny, from day one wanted to me with me. We advanced to scritches in a about a week but it was months before I would say he was truly comfortable with being held and being away from his cage. I have 2 other tiels now. Scooter I got in spring of 2019. Rosie came to live with us in December. Neither of them will let me scratch them. Scooter steps up super well but really doesn't want to on you. Rosie does not like stepping up but once out of his cage, loves to sit on your shoulder. All of my birds came to me as senior birds though. And the amount they had been handled before me varied. Your tiel already standing on your finger is great! I think it's just important to try to move at your tiel's pace. It sounds like you're doing very well with him.

 

[CeciliaZ]

I have six tiels . My 2 females are very cuddly - one of which came from a hoarding situation. I was not expecting her to become like this at all! Of my 4 males - two of them are somewhat cuddly. My oldest tiel that I have had for over 19 years is not cuddly at all. He will not even accept any scritches. All are different - but if he is perching on your finger - I think you are making progress!

 

[Danita]

Hey guys!

So, I wanted to ask, how long did it take you to get your tiel to be cuddly and loving? I know its been only a month with my young tiel, and I'm patient, and I'm seeing progress (he stood on my finger to eat millet!),but still want to know what to expect

Whatever you do, don't force it. Let him make the choice of how close to you he wants. With mine, I always ask "Can I pet you?" they will show body language if they want it or not. If you always ask, they learn that is what that means. As your hand approaches, they may move away or not flinch at all. When you see a negative reaction, stop there.

 

[anurim]

Hey guys!

So, I wanted to ask, how long did it take you to get your tiel to be cuddly and loving? I know its been only a month with my young tiel, and I'm patient, and I'm seeing progress (he stood on my finger to eat millet!),but still want to know what to expect

I've also had my cockatiel for a month now. I'm still very patient with him, he seems a little more interactive let's say than yours. He has been stepping on my finger since 2 weeks ago I think, he wasn't so frightened of me. I recommend you to be patient, and give him space when he is scared. I have taken mine today for a vet check and I won't take him out as I usually do, because as I said, I want him to relax and calm down. That's how I did it for the other two times he got really scared, he wouldn't even let me touch him and the day after that he was so much more interactive and friendly. I recommend letting him fly around the room, so he will become more comfortable around you and his environment. I let mine after the first week he was here, maybe a mistake from me but he honestly seemed really bored, even tho he had toys. Mine does not like human contact, just stepping up. If he sees my finger anywhere near him, he will attack, but he is a gentle bird and doesn't bite at all, just puts his beak on my finger. I hope you're patient, and try to talk to him everyday, and try to play with him. Maybe give him a toy from your hand, or try giving him just one seed from you hands. Try it with a sunflower seed, keep it between your fingers and slowly aproach him. Mine didn't even think and immediately grabbed it from my hand! I hope you can bond with yours, and don't forget:it will take some time, so just be patient!

 

[Drake]

Well, i hope i didn't squander the trust just now He sat on my finger, i got closer and closer with him out the cage, keeping it steady and rewarding him. But the moment he was out, he paniced, and flew off in the room. Now this is a tall room, and he can sit on the curtain rods. And he wouldn't come down even after a few hours :-\ so i had to catch him with a towel.

 

[anurim]

Well, i hope i didn't squander the trust just now He sat on my finger, i got closer and closer with him out the cage, keeping it steady and rewarding him. But the moment he was out, he paniced, and flew off in the room. Now this is a tall room, and he can sit on the curtain rods. And he wouldn't come down even after a few hours :-\ so i had to catch him with a towel.

He'll be ok, just let him chill a little more. My cockatiel didn't come down too the first time, he didn't really know how to land from my tall closet to his cage, so I used my finger and he did step up. It's important to always take little steps. Let him alone for the day and try again tomorrow. Maybe don't take him out of the cage this time, and try gaining his trust. He will become more comfortable with time and he will begin to trust you and he will become curios of his surroundings. I don't think you really broke the relationship that much, I also had one of this moments when I caught him with my bare hands, keeping his head between my fingers but it was just for his safety and I think he understand when you don't want to hurt him. Talk to him more, sing to him, put music everyday, he will start to vocalize and be more comfortable for sure. Watch your body language, maybe he easily gets scared of little movements you don't even notice. Again, patience is key! Try feeding him more millet, maybe try touching him while feeding him the millet, but don't move your hand that much. I'm still trying to get my cockatiel to let me pet him, so I try this trick. I don't know if it will work, but he doesn't seem to mind it when he is eating. Try training him only in the cage for now, hope your training goes well! I can't wait to hear any updates!

 

[Ripshod]

Sounds like he's just scared of being outside his cage. He will go back to his cage to eat as he knows that's where his food and water are, so for now no food outside of the cage. Just leave his cage open and let him come out on his own when he's ready. Encourage him out but don't get him to step up then bring him out - you're making him do something he doesn't want to do. Making him come out of the cage where he doesn't like being just wastes the treats you give him and sends the wrong message - 'If you let me scare you I'll give you a treat'. He absolutely has to trust you. In his position would you trust you?

 

[Lady Jane]

Train him to step on a perch so you dont use the dreaded towel.

 

[Stacy M]

Hi all - I've had my baby for about a month and am in a similar situation. He steps up well and will take a sunflower seed from my fingers if he's very relaxed. I take as a good sign that he will do the same for my husband and teen daughter as well, so we're building some trust. I can see my bird becoming more comfortable day by day. He comes closer to me when awake, naps near me, and is more curious about his surroundings. It helps that we've also established a pretty good routine based on his needs. Go at the bird's pace - you can't force "cuddly". I highly recommend watching some YouTube videos about parrot training - BirdTricks comes to mind.

 

[melissa68]

I have a pretty chill bird. I basically forced myself on him from the first day...I mean I couldn't stand his cuteness so I would shove my fingers near his feet and say 'step up' within a few hours of having him and he stepped up! I left his cage open from day 2 and he was free to explore at his own pace. He left his cage on day three, I believe. But every few hours I had my fingers in his space lol.

He was cuddling with me from day three I think. I have no clue how long it would have taken if I left it up to him.

When it gets warmer I want Henry with me on hikes, errands, to the park etc so I do what I can to not let him be afraid of people. I'm sure I'm doing everything all wrong but again...he's chill lol so I do things with him hoping to not have a scaredy bird

When we did our multi-state move and I drove with him for four days every time I stopped to potty at a rest stop I'd pop him on my shoulder and he would go in with me (his wings were clipped when I got him). I would go interact with the people that worked there answering questions for tourists and would plop him on the counter to interact with them. People would see him on my shoulder and comment on him so I'd stop and chat and if the person was ok with it I'd have them "step up" with him and he would usually go and scurry up to the new peoples shoulder.

I have brought him to the pet store just to be out and about to see new people and things.

When we went out of town for the holidays he traveled with his and stayed in the hotel.

I would do day trips to the park and sit on a bench just so he could get some vitamin D and a new experience.

I plan on having my hubs build a base of some sort that will hold a travel cage that will stay belted in my car permanently. The base will be high so he can see out the windows.

I am not a bird expert but I wonder if sometimes you just need to insinuate yourself into your birds space...make them a little uncomfortable and then back off. Maybe they will realize they didn't die that time and the next time you do that same thing they will be less uncomfortable?

 

[Davi]

So true about all birds being different. My cockatiels have all been VERY different one from the other in terms of how much contact they want. A couple of them, for example, only let me scratch their heads with my NOSE or CHIN - yes, you heard it here first! So take it slow and do your best to respect their own time and preferences. They will all reward you for your trust, just in different ways.

 

[Stacy M]

Hi all - I've had my baby for about a month and am in a similar situation. He steps up well and will take a sunflower seed from my fingers if he's very relaxed. I take as a good sign that he will do the same for my husband and teen daughter as well, so we're building some trust. I can see my bird becoming more comfortable day by day. He comes closer to me when awake, naps near me, and is more curious about his surroundings. It helps that we've also established a pretty good routine based on his needs. Go at the bird's pace - you can't force "cuddly". I highly recommend watching some YouTube videos about parrot training - BirdTricks comes to mind.

Update from our house - 2 months later and we've progressed quite a bit. Smokey loves to get scritches from our faces - nose, chin, etc - but fingers are still too scary. How typically cockatiel. Go figure. He's following us around the house on foot. That little call they make when you disappear is too cute. Such a baby =)

 

[JLcribber]

That’s a cockatiel.

 

[Stacy M]

Omg. Too funny ¡

 

[Drake]

Well, 2 months later, I only managed to get him to eat millet from my hand. Still super affraid of everything and everyone :-\

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

OH it's a cockatiel thing?!?! Phoenix recently only accepts scritches from faces.

 

[Stacy M]

Yesterday, my husband loosely restrained Smokes with one hand and scritched his neck with the other. I think he just needs to get it through his thick skull that fingers are useful that way.

 

[Stacy M]

OH it's a cockatiel thing?!?! Phoenix recently only accepts scritches from faces.

I love your birds' names! Zucchi and Pepsi are awesome.