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How To Train Cockatiel To Sit On My Shoulder?

scrape

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So I want to teach Felix, my cockatiel, to sit on my shoulder. How do I go about it? He has, rarely, landed on my shoulder before, and I have rewarded him for it. But he doesn't stay long. I think he is a little afraid of faces. I have been working on desensitizing him through training kisses, so hopefully I will see progress. He hates my hair, so I will have to make sure to tie it away. He sits on my lap and the back of my chair. Sometimes on a nearby stand. And used to on my arm. But he gets bored on a stand and prefers to hang out on me. It would be convenient for both of us if he would hang out on my shoulder. He can step up on my arm, but no perch or hand. And tips or tutorials?? Thanks
:):tieln:
 

JLcribber

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Time and patience. There is no shortcut. You’ve got to “earn” the privilege of them “wanting” to be on you.
 

sunnysmom

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How do I get a cockatoo off my shoulder? :rofl:

I think it's a trust thing on both sides. You have to trust the bird, the bird has to trust you. With my tiels, I just put them on my shoulder if that's where I want them to be. Sometimes they want to stay, sometimes they don't. I never force it. Maybe try one of those bird toy necklaces to give them something to play with?
 

kayosa

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Have you been training set up using treats? If he steps up on you arm just ask him to get up on your arm closer to your hand until he’s confident to hop on your hand. Then train step down, Until you can ask him to get off your hand anywhere. Then ask him to step off onto your shoulder. Reward more then usual when he does. Then ask him to set up again, and as usual reward, and repeat. He will notice the shoulder has high value rewards.
take your time, watch his body language and don’t ask to much in training session or one day. Patience is key, repetition is good, reward everything with tiny bites so he wants to keep getting more.
 

scrape

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How do I get a cockatoo off my shoulder? :rofl:
I didn't know Elvis was so clingy!:roflmao: Well, I guess he is a Too.
He trusts me enough to pet him, but he has trust issues. I think he would like a paper/cupcake liner necklace.

Have you been training set up using treats? If he steps up on you arm just ask him to get up on your arm closer to your hand until he’s confident to hop on your hand. Then train step down, Until you can ask him to get off your hand anywhere. Then ask him to step off onto your shoulder. Reward more then usual when he does. Then ask him to set up again, and as usual reward, and repeat. He will notice the shoulder has high value rewards.
take your time, watch his body language and don’t ask to much in training session or one day. Patience is key, repetition is good, reward everything with tiny bites so he wants to keep getting more.
...Yes, to an extent. It's been hard to make progress. I've been training him easier tricks, in hopes it will help his trust and confidence.
 

scrape

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So a few days ago I coaxed him to fly on to my shoulder. I fed him lots of treats and briefly pet him (he tried to bite me) and he stayed there preening for a quite a while! Then (I think) he touched my hair and flew off. It's funny he dislikes it so much. Mark loves my hair.
Anyway, he also sat on my arm a bit. And I even got him to step on my hand AND moved it! He walked down to my arm, but just him stepping on my hand and staying while I moved was something he hasn't done!:thumbsup:
 

scrape

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Things are pretty well. It is challenging to get him to do the things I want, BUT if it is "his idea" he is more willing. He has been more comfortable with my shoulder, making the choice to fly/jump onto it rather than me put him there.



@sunnysmom I want to ask you about training him not to threaten me when I pet him? He loves head scratches, always askes me for them. But if he sees my hand/or just because, he will lunge at me. I am quick to draw away my hand so I don't get bit. It is random, so it is not related to how long I pet him. It kinda makes me a bit anxious, I know he's not a big bird, but I want it to be as positive as possible. Any tips for accustoming him to not try to bite me?
 

sunnysmom

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Things are pretty well. It is challenging to get him to do the things I want, BUT if it is "his idea" he is more willing. He has been more comfortable with my shoulder, making the choice to fly/jump onto it rather than me put him there.



@sunnysmom I want to ask you about training him not to threaten me when I pet him? He loves head scratches, always askes me for them. But if he sees my hand/or just because, he will lunge at me. I am quick to draw away my hand so I don't get bit. It is random, so it is not related to how long I pet him. It kinda makes me a bit anxious, I know he's not a big bird, but I want it to be as positive as possible. Any tips for accustoming him to not try to bite me?
I'm glad to hear things are gong well. So he lunges when you're scratching him? I wonder if you're maybe hitting a pin feather? Or maybe is that his way of telling you that he's done? I think tiels are really good at giving warnings before biting. The lunge, I think, is the warning. If he wanted to bite you, it would be a bite not a lunge. The only thing I can think of is to keep trying to figure out why he's doing it. And I would move your hand slowly away. Sudden movements are scary to them. So you might actually inadvertently be reinforcing his nervousness of hands by moving quickly. Perhaps make the scratching sessions shorter and end or take a break by hand feeding him something he likes- a bit of millet? A favorite seed? I think one way to get them to like hands is just to show that hands bring good things. :)
 

scrape

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I'm glad to hear things are gong well. So he lunges when you're scratching him? I wonder if you're maybe hitting a pin feather? Or maybe is that his way of telling you that he's done? I think tiels are really good at giving warnings before biting. The lunge, I think, is the warning. If he wanted to bite you, it would be a bite not a lunge. The only thing I can think of is to keep trying to figure out why he's doing it. And I would move your hand slowly away. Sudden movements are scary to them. So you might actually inadvertently be reinforcing his nervousness of hands by moving quickly. Perhaps make the scratching sessions shorter and end or take a break by hand feeding him something he likes- a bit of millet? A favorite seed? I think one way to get them to like hands is just to show that hands bring good things. :)
Thank you thank you! You always see things I don't. He doesn't do it all the time. It is one of two ways, he will lift his head up and begin to preen himself if he is done. Maybe I can treat him when he tells me he's done "nicely"? He is also more likely to put his head right back down if he lunges at me, whereas when he lifts his head up without biting he is usually ready for a break. I think why he's doing it is because he knows it's my hand petting him... and although he likes it, he is nervous about hands? At least that is my idea. He does not have any pin feathers currently.
That is a great point! I hadn't thought about it like that! I will definitely do that! Thank you!
 
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