New tiels

[lichphanto]

Hello , yesterday I got 2 females cockatiel which are 3 months old (photos below), the owner said that he raised them with hands at first but then he added them to the other birds ... he didn't clip their wings so they are flying , they are not aggressive and doesn't bite at all even if I try to touch them but they are scared of me and don't let me touch them or get close to them ... how will I be able to bond with them if I can't even get them outside of the cage? I don't want to hold them from the top like the owner told me to do and force them , I didn't even transform them to their big cage

in the past I had a female cockatiel and when I got her at first she was fully hand raised and with clipped wings , I was able to hold her and put her in the hand since the day one , and she even was eating from my hand from the first day I got her and I got very bonded with her with time... but those two seems really scared and too far from letting me hold them or even get close to them .. so will I be able to get them to bond with me as much as the first one or they will be different since I couldn't hold them from the beginning like the first tiel?

 

[sunnysmom]

It's only been one day and they are babies still. And they're in a new place. Of course, they're scared. It takes time to build trust. Just be patient with them. And I am not sure what you mean by holding them from the top- but you're right you don't want to grab them. So, are they still in a small cage? Can you put the small cage door against or in the big cage for them to go into their new cage? I would start by spending time just sitting with them and talking to them. Even reading to them so they can get used to the sound of your voice in a nonthreatening way. If they're super scared, you can cover their cage on three sides leaving the front uncovered so they don't have to be on alert for "danger" on all three sides, for a couple days until they settle down more. Then you can try to start hand feeding them some food they like- maybe millet spray since it's long and most tiels love it. See the below chart and just be patient with them.

 

[lichphanto]

It's only been one day and they are babies still. And they're in a new place. Of course, they're scared. It takes time to build trust. Just be patient with them. And I am not sure what you mean by holding them from the top- but you're right you don't want to grab them. So, are they still in a small cage? Can you put the small cage door against or in the big cage for them to go into their new cage? I would start by spending time just sitting with them and talking to them. Even reading to them so they can get used to the sound of your voice in a nonthreatening way. If they're super scared, you can cover their cage on three sides leaving the front uncovered so they don't have to be on alert for "danger" on all three sides, for a couple days until they settle down more. Then you can try to start hand feeding them some food they like- maybe millet spray since it's long and most tiels love it. See the below chart and just be patient with them. View attachment 429686

Thank you for the advices and for the chart ! I will surely be patient with them , it's just because from first experience with the first tiel things were easier and different since she wasn't scared at all from day 1 so it felt strange now , is it because the first one was fully hand raised ?

yes they are still in small cage , I tried to put the small cage door against the big cage but they didn't go out from it they are just hanging out in the bottom , the only way was to grab them but I didn't want to and I don't even know how to do it correctly , so I'm just waiting until they feel more comfortable at least

do I have to cover the three sides with light blanket and should be black or it doesn't matter ?

I will start by reading to them from tomorrow , but I saw in some aticles that it's better to clip their wings at early age so that they can be tamed correctly and they can be safe and never escape , is this true ? the owner adviced me not to do it and the first tiel I had because of the clipped wings even when she grow up she didn't fly so well so I decided to not clip them , but should I have done it and let him clip their wings ? it will affect the way they would be tamed and bond with me?

also I wanted to ask , was it bad idea that I got two females at the same time ? it would make things harder to tame them and bond with them ?should I have gone for only 1 at a time ?
it's just that i couldn't decide between those two so i just picked them both and those two were the most quiet there

 

[sunnysmom]

If you decide to cover on three sides, a light blanket or sheet is fine. It's just to make them feel more secure until they get used to their new surroundings. I don't believe in clipping wings for taming purposes. It's really forced dependency, instead of building trust. It is much better for a bird mentally and physically to remain flighted. And yes, if a bird's wings are clipped before they are fully fledged they often never learn to really fly. I would advise against clippping their wings.

I think it's fine that you got 2. They will be company for each other. Once they settle in more, you might work on taming/training sessions with them separately. Some good resources for things like target training, taming etc are www.goodbirdinc.com and Pamela Clarke's website.

 

[lichphanto]

If you decide to cover on three sides, a light blanket or sheet is fine. It's just to make them feel more secure until they get used to their new surroundings. I don't believe in clipping wings for taming purposes. It's really forced dependency, instead of building trust. It is much better for a bird mentally and physically to remain flighted. And yes, if a bird's wings are clipped before they are fully fledged they often never learn to really fly. I would advise against clippping their wings.

I think it's fine that you got 2. They will be company for each other. Once they settle in more, you might work on taming/training sessions with them separately. Some good resources for things like target training, taming etc are www.goodbirdinc.com and Pamela Clarke's website.

Thank you for these sites ! I will make sure to lake a look at them

they actually seems to learn how to fly already because before I got them I saw them flying in the big room that the guy was letting the birds in so I guess they are fully fledged now , If I get them out of cage now they will probably go fly like crazy , but I think I should tame them first so that I would be able to let them back in the cage right ?

and as I understand , clipping the wings wouldn't necessarily means that the bird would make me get close and bond with him more? I read in some places that without clipping it won't be safe for birds at home since they might fly randomly and get hit in dangerous places , this is not always the case ? if they are tamed then they won't do that ?

also I found a tiel that look exactly the same like my first one , she wasn't in the big room where the other birds were , she hasn't been weaned yet and she is with their mother feeding her and she don't fly yet too ,but the owner told me if I want her then he can take her to his home and continue to hand raise her for this 7/10 days before she is weaned and giver her to me before he put her in the room with other birds , would this make her not scared of hands if he gets to feed her in these 7/10 days before she is weaned? would it be easier for her to get used to me if she get introduced to humans right before she is weaned ? and would it be a problem if I add a third tiel and could be too much ? I have the time to take care of them , but I just need to make sure that I'm not doing the wrong thing

sorry for lot of questions but I just need to know these stuff to be prepared

 

[sunnysmom]

Whenever I let a new bird out of the cage for the first time, I do it in a smaller room that I have bird proofed. I also do it when I have time to spend in case there's an issue with the bird going back in the cage. Whenever a bird is flighted, there's a chance they can crash into something. This is why it's a good idea to have curtains on windows or put decals on windows so birds don't think they can fly through them. However, it's natural for birds to fly. It's much better for them physically and mentally for them to fly. As birds learn the house and how to maneuver around they shouldn't be crashing into things. My goffin is an amazing flyer and can dodge around anything. My cockatiel Scooter can do 90 degree turns. It's amazing to see. It's not really even a case of them being tame or not tame, it's more of them developing their flying skills and being comfortable in their surroundings.

As for the new bird, I don't think it necessarily means that the bird will be more or less afraid of hands if she's handfed for a week or so. I usually like to see birds in even numbers so one isn't the odd man out so to speak but sometimes a trio works. It really just depends on the birds. Perhaps since you just got the two new ones you should spend some time with them first? But if you heart is really set on this third one, I don't want to dissuade you. I would definitely read up on taming/training though. And make sure this new bird is fully weaned before you would bring him home. Baby cockatiels don't wean until 8-12 weeks and it's pretty common for a newly weaned tiel to regress and need some hand feedings.

My experience with baby tiels is pretty limited. I will tag some people to get their opinions too. @CeciliaZ @Tiel Feathers @Ripshod

 

[CeciliaZ]

@sunnysmom has given you good advice. Give them time to adjust. let them come out of their cage on their own. Talk to them, offer treats. Their cage is their safe space. Let them feel safe around you - they will learn to trust you and bond to you. I do not clip any of my birds - 5 tiels and 2 budgies. Years ago, i did have my birds clipped - a "cosmetic" clip where they left the long flight feathers but cut the inner ones. I was told it would just slow them down. I found my tiels would have more problems trying to fly and had more accidents flying into the wall. They were not able to maneuver well at all. It has been a long time since I had baby tiels. My "baby" tiels are almost 14 yrs.old. Good luck!

 

[lichphanto]

Whenever I let a new bird out of the cage for the first time, I do it in a smaller room that I have bird proofed. I also do it when I have time to spend in case there's an issue with the bird going back in the cage. Whenever a bird is flighted, there's a chance they can crash into something. This is why it's a good idea to have curtains on windows or put decals on windows so birds don't think they can fly through them. However, it's natural for birds to fly. It's much better for them physically and mentally for them to fly. As birds learn the house and how to maneuver around they shouldn't be crashing into things. My goffin is an amazing flyer and can dodge around anything. My cockatiel Scooter can do 90 degree turns. It's amazing to see. It's not really even a case of them being tame or not tame, it's more of them developing their flying skills and being comfortable in their surroundings.

As for the new bird, I don't think it necessarily means that the bird will be more or less afraid of hands if she's handfed for a week or so. I usually like to see birds in even numbers so one isn't the odd man out so to speak but sometimes a trio works. It really just depends on the birds. Perhaps since you just got the two new ones you should spend some time with them first? But if you heart is really set on this third one, I don't want to dissuade you. I would definitely read up on taming/training though. And make sure this new bird is fully weaned before you would bring him home. Baby cockatiels don't wean until 8-12 weeks and it's pretty common for a newly weaned tiel to regress and need some hand feedings.

My experience with baby tiels is pretty limited. I will tag some people to get their opinions too. @CeciliaZ @Tiel Feathers @Ripshod

I will keep theiir wings then and not clip them and see how things turns out , but as I understand I should let them out of the cage for the first time in the smaller room only once I tame them in the cage and they feel comfortable around me so they won't panic when they flight and let me pick them with finger , right?

I thought it's almost guranteed that it won't be afraid of hands if she handfed right before she is weaned ...my mother and sister would look for the tiels with me too so we will have time to spend with the three of them, although I'm also a bit concernet about the not even numbers too since they eventually will be in the same cage

the thing is about the third tiel is that we were so sad about our first tiel passing away and we wanted to have the exact mutation and to pass through the same path that we did with the first , being in our hands since the start and almost all the day in our shoulder or hand , she was just spending the time with us that's all she wanted

 

[lichphanto]

@sunnysmom has given you good advice. Give them time to adjust. let them come out of their cage on their own. Talk to them, offer treats. Their cage is their safe space. Let them feel safe around you - they will learn to trust you and bond to you. I do not clip any of my birds - 5 tiels and 2 budgies. Years ago, i did have my birds clipped - a "cosmetic" clip where they left the long flight feathers but cut the inner ones. I was told it would just slow them down. I found my tiels would have more problems trying to fly and had more accidents flying into the wall. They were not able to maneuver well at all. It has been a long time since I had baby tiels. My "baby" tiels are almost 14 yrs.old. Good luck!

Thank you! my first tiel had her wings clipped since the start and even though it was very easy to tame her and she was spending most of the time with our hands, she was struggling to fly even when she grow up and it felt kinda sad sometimes when she couldn't fly like she want or jump in the cage so that's why I was hesistant about the clipping too

 

[Shezbug]

Each bird is an individual, hand raising does not guarantee you will get friendly birds who are interested in you.

The relationship you had with your first bird is unique as will be the relationship you form with these new birds. Please do not expect to have the same relationship with another bird that you had with your first, it will be much better for you and the birds if you have no expectations of them and just accept the relationship as it is and work on becoming more trusted and accepted by them.

Uneven numbers hardly ever works well so I would not recommend a 3rd bird especially while you are still trying to tame and make friends with your first 2.

I am pleased to hear you have decided not to clip your birds wings Hope you all manage to form a great friendship soon.

 

[lichphanto]

Each bird is an individual, hand raising does not guarantee you will get friendly birds who are interested in you.

The relationship you had with your first bird is unique as will be the relationship you form with these new birds. Please do not expect to have the same relationship with another bird that you had with your first, it will be much better for you and the birds if you have no expectations of them and just accept the relationship as it is and work on becoming more trusted and accepted by them.

Uneven numbers hardly ever works well so I would not recommend a 3rd bird especially while you are still trying to tame and make friends with your first 2.

I am pleased to hear you have decided not to clip your birds wings Hope you all manage to form a great friendship soon.

Thank you ! you are right actually , I probably shouldn't keep thinking about having the same relationship all over again since every bird is different and I can't force them to be the same , I will just try to gain their trust and build a new relationship with them

I was hesistant about the third one too , but if I put her in a cage alone away from the two and put the cage close to them and spend time and talk to them together , will it work and they bond when they are outside or they would still be like one will be left out ? even If I bring a third now , next year I would bring a fourth to make them in pairs

 

[lichphanto]

update :

it's been a month now since I got those two tiels , all that time I have been spending time talking to them and making their cage close to me ( since I couldn't transfer them to their big cage yet ) so we just put the cage whenever I go and they are always with family , they seems to get used to my voice since they keep staring at me whenever I go to the room and sometimes they react to my whistle

but there wasn't much progress made in terms of trying to touch them or get them used to my hand , the only thing that I was able to do is to give them Romain lettuce as treat ( there is no millet spray in my country to use as treat ) they seems to love it as whenever they see it in my hand they stop doing everything and get close the bars and keep staring at it from afar , if i hold the edge of the lettuce with my hand and put it between the bars they would eat from it even if I'm holding it with my hand, at first they were scared but then they started to eat ( and also when my mother and sister give them ) but when I try to open the cage and put it in palm of my hand , they are just still very scared even if I put it in palm of my hand for long time they won't come to it ... they get scared and run away when I try to change their food/water too ... I know I have to be more patient , but should I try to do something that would make me do more progress ? like insisting that they would only get it only if my hand is inside ?

a guy from the pet store told me that I have to make them get used to my hand before it's too late , he suggested that I removed all their food and put the food in my hand so that they would have no choice but to eat from my hand when they get hungry , but that sounded like it's forcing them to do something , so what should I do now ?