This could be it!

[Outstrech]

Hello everyone! I have a 1 and a half year old cockatiel named Sunflower. I've had him for a year-ish. He's quite cute, and takes millet from the palm of my hand. If I open the cage door, put a dowel leading outside, in a few hours, he will very timidly tiptoe out! Of course, he's only really there for millet haha and getting back is usually pretty chaotic. I have tried getting him to step up for absolutely AGES...but nothing worked. He gets spooked very easily (past owner abused him, small cage, dowel perches only, grabbing the bird, seed only, shared with two other tiels). He's bit me (or tried to bite the step up stick) every time, and I don't want to lose our delicate trust. I've tried luring, clicker training, and literally every other technique online. Nothing. He has a very spacious cage with plenty of fun toys (I researched for a longggg time to see what was right for him). He never plays with them. (which is understandable, to him toys are scary weird things, he has never played with one or seen another bird play with one) He just sits there and sleeps and preens all day. I really want him to learn to love and be happy. I want to build a better life for him, and give him some hope. But I need help.

Recently, a friend of mine contacted me, asking me if I can petsit their 2 tiels and 2 budgies for a week. I happily agreed. (I'm doing it from 8/7-8/14) Their tiels are rather clingy and very tame. It will be the perfect learning experience! Even though I've done so much research on tiels, I've never interacted with a tame one before! I hope that with my bird seeing the other birds play with humans and toys will help him be braver!

Honestly though, the case with Sunny seems rather hopeless. I'm thinking of getting a baby tiel to keep yim company if he still doesn't open up.

Is there anything I can do with Sunny? Things to keep in mind when petsitting 4 birds? Tips on adopting a new tiel? Any help is GREATLY appreciated! Thanks to everyone on AA with helping me every step of the way!

 

[Zara]

I've never interacted with a tame one before!

Keep in mind that a bird who is ¨tame¨ for someone else, may not be quite as ¨tame¨ for you.
I´m sure you will have fun bird sitting. If you are unsure if they have been disease tested, you will have to keep them separate from your bird though. That´s the only downfall.

Is there anything I can do with Sunny? Things to keep in mind when petsitting 4 birds?

Treat Sunny equally. It is very important. One gets a treat, they all get a treat. One gets a new toy, they all get a new toy etc.
Remember things like eating are a flock activity and can help encourage getting involved. Same with bathing.

If you get a second bird as a friend for your first, be prepared. What if the baby does not get along well with Sunny? Would you still treat them equally? What if they do get along well, and then ignore you more? Would you just keep bringing home birds until you bring home a ¨tame¨ one? Then what about the others?

Lots of things to think about. Bringing hoenm a second bird is a big decision and a commitment.

 

[Outstrech]

Thank you Zara! I'll be well prepared for the worst-case scenario when getting a mew bird, and I'll do my best to research as much as I can.

 

[scrape]

1 1/2 is not very old. In my opinion I think adopting a tiel won't help him be tamer. Sure, he might be a bit braver, but it depends. If he doesn't open up, will you still love him and care for him? That is the real question. It can be hard to admit, but Sunflower is a wild animal, parrots aren't domesticated. If the possibility of him remaining reserved is a bad thing, you might need to reconsider why you're caring for him. If you get another tiel, no matter how their behavior changes will you still commit to them? This is just my thoughts, take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Outstrech]

I'll try my best to provide for the care he needs, even if he ends up being reserved for his whole life, I'll still love him. Even if I get another much tamer tiel, I'll try my best to give them equal love and care. Honestly, I just wanted to give Sunny a better life than in an abusive home. That's the main reason I'm still caring for him.

 

[FeatheredM]

Your birdie should eventually warmup to you, it may take longer but every bird is different! If you get another bird it should also be for YOU to have another friend as well, hope things go well for you and your bird

 

[Outstrech]

Is there anything I can do right now to help? It feels a little bit hopeless

 

[QB1rd]

Have you tried target training? I've been target training my girl who was desperately afraid of my hands and the color red when I first got her, and she's been doing very well at that. She still has things to learn and it's not instantaneous of course, but may it would help Sunflower.

 

[Outstrech]

I've tried target training, and it didn't work. He was just terrified of the target stick and showed no interest in touching it. Also, I want to know if you guys approve of the method of pushing your finger/the dowel into his lower stomach to get him to step up.

 

[Outstrech]

even if i show him the stick then give him millet, the more i do it, the more mad he gets. i don't know why. i'm just slowly showing him the stick then giving the millet but he seems to hate it

i don't get all of the "how to train your bird to step up" videos. all of their birds seem more brave/tame. i've almost looked at every single video there is...

 

[Outstrech]

(sorry for triple post) i'm sorry if this is cruel but...i don't know if i can do anything with sunny at this point. i feel like i'm just missing something. of course, i don't blame it on him. all birds are different, and i just happened to adopt one that didn't like training. i think i'm going to get another bird, just to be his friend, so he be happier. if that bird is easier to tame and bonds with me, great. if not, that's okay too. of course, i'm going to do a LOT of research on keeping two birds.

 

[Hermesbird]

(sorry for triple post) i'm sorry if this is cruel but...i don't know if i can do anything with sunny at this point. i feel like i'm just missing something. of course, i don't blame it on him. all birds are different, and i just happened to adopt one that didn't like training. i think i'm going to get another bird, just to be his friend, so he be happier. if that bird is easier to tame and bonds with me, great. if not, that's okay too. of course, i'm going to do a LOT of research on keeping two birds.

Like others said keeping 2 birds not only doubles the work and cleaning you will be doing ( I say work because we are their servants lol). But you will need to be able to house the second bird separately on the occasion they don’t get along. Yes they are flock bird but sis sunny have a friend in his past home? Would he be ok with another bird around? All the research in the world might not help when dealing with 2 completely different personality’s. I would listen to the other members advice and it is best and they do have the experience to prove it.

 

[Outstrech]

Like others said keeping 2 birds not only doubles the work and cleaning you will be doing ( I say work because we are their servants lol). But you will need to be able to house the second bird separately on the occasion they don’t get along. Yes they are flock bird but sis sunny have a friend in his past home? Would he be ok with another bird around? All the research in the world might not help when dealing with 2 completely different personality’s. I would listen to the other members advice and it is best and they do have the experience to prove it.

yes, i understand this. i just feel like i've been putting in so much effort into training, researching, new toys, a bigger cage, and stuff like that and when i don't get any return, it's just pretty frustrating. i just want to put in my knowledge to have a bird that will actually get tame. i hope this doesn't make me a bad parront.

 

[Hermesbird]

when i don't get any return, it's just pretty frustrating. i just want to put in my knowledge to have a bird that will actually get tame. i hope this doesn't make me a bad parront.

I get that. BUT you have to understand where this bird came from they are scared and the best love you can give them is patience. I would trust anyone either if I came from a bad home and neither would you. I think take a deep breath because a beautiful relationship will come but it will be on sunnys terms. @sunnysmom has experience with adopting.

 

[sunnysmom]

I've tried target training, and it didn't work. He was just terrified of the target stick and showed no interest in touching it. Also, I want to know if you guys approve of the method of pushing your finger/the dowel into his lower stomach to get him to step up.

I definitely don't. It's not a good method. You might have better luck putting your hand out flat and letting him step onto the back of your hand.

 

[sunnysmom]

Where is his cage located? How much time does he get to spend with people each day? How much sleep does he get? What type of toys does he have? Have you tried putting a perch just outside the cage door and hanging millet by it? (I am just trying to get a sense of what you already tried and to come up with some suggestions. )