I need help..

[ellbell]

My cockatiel dosent want to come out of the cage and hisses, I leave the cage door open for hours on end and he dosent come out, when I go up to the cage a stick my hand in to see if he will step up he hisses and bites me, I don’t know what to do! If I need him to come out I end up just having to grab him and I don’t want to do that! What do I do?

 

[milliebird]

try putting perches around the door and make it look really fun outside the cage. to figure out what's going on we probably need more information about the situation like how long you have had him for, have there been any recent changes, and has he always been like that?

 

[Mizzely]

Don't reach in and take him out. You are losing his trust doing that. If you need to clean, clean around him, if you need to feed him, take out the bowl and bring it back filled.

What is the incentive for him to come out? What's in it for him?

One thing you can try to take his food bowl out of his cage and put it on the top of the cage to entice him to come out.

 

[ellbell]

try putting perches around the door and make it look really fun outside the cage. to figure out what's going on we probably need more information about the situation like how long you have had him for, have there been any recent changes, and has he always been like that?

I have had him for just over two months, I managed to tame him but he was lost trust, there have been no big changes at all, he loves going in the car though, so I put him in there and he seems happy, but other times he dosent All my family think I should get him a friend (even my mum, she really didn’t want this bird)

 

[greys4u]

You mentioned grabbing, how long and with your hand, if so he could be afraid of your hand. Let him go on his terms for now and start building a rountine so he will know what to expect. Sounds like the trust may have been broken. Why not give him some millet, just drop it in his bowl. When you go in the car is he in a travel cage?

 

[ellbell]

Don't reach in and take him out. You are losing his trust doing that. If you need to clean, clean around him, if you need to feed him, take out the bowl and bring it back filled.

What is the incentive for him to come out? What's in it for him?

One thing you can try to take his food bowl out of his cage and put it on the top of the cage to entice him to come out.

I usually put him in his travel cage while I clean because he botes and flaps but I will try cleaning around him the only times I take him out is when I try to tame him or when we go to the vet or on a road trip thanks for the advice!

 

[ellbell]

You mentioned grabbing, how long and with your hand, if so he could be afraid of your hand. Let him go on his terms for now and start building a rountine so he will know what to expect. Sounds like the trust may have been broken. Why not give him some millet, just drop it in his bowl. When you go in the car is he in a travel cage?

Thanks for the advice! When we go in the car yes he is in a travel cage

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Stop grabbing him right away, and never force him to do anything. You need to start over and earn his trust. Just be patient and respectful of his wishes. Save his favorite treat, like millet, just for training. See if he will take it from your fingers, but if not, drop some in his food bowl every once in a while. Set a perch up outside his cage door and put a play stand near his cage or on top of it with a rope or ladder leading to it. Put his favorite treat on the playstand and deck it out with some exciting toys and treats. Maybe you can lure him out of his cage with millet. You can start target training while he is in the cage, and eventually you can target him to go out of the cage. Are there any areas he perceives as a nest in his cage? Anything scary or new in the room he is in?

 

[Zara]

Coming out of the cage can be scary. Especially as you have not had this bird long.

Perches and toys outside the cage near the door are good steps to take as @Tiel Feathers said

Pictures - Thanks Zara!

@Zara you are a genius! I hung their "toy" on her cage door today (along with a millet bribe of course!) and Mabel came out almost immediately! The millet tempted her out but the toy piqued her curiosity and made her a bit braver! Usually she comes onto the branch, nibbles millet and goes back...

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@Khizz