What's The Next Step?

[Outstrech]

Hello! Hope you are having a wonderful day . I have a cockatiel that's around 6-7 months old, his name is Sunflower and he's a cutie. I have hime next to my school desk where he keeps me company. I like to play lofi or classical music (do cockatiels like music? I mainly play it for myself, so let me know.) while he chills. Right now he takes millet from my hand or pellets if he's hungry, but not much more. He doesn't have great associations with hands (past owner grabbed him) so I think it might be a little tough. Most articles or youtube videos say to push/touch your cockatiel's lower chest, but I don't think Sunny is ready for that yet. It just seems like the jump from "eating from hand" to "step up" is kind of big, so I need some support. Sidenote: sunny doesn't like to play with his toys, and he's usually only motivated by food.

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[aooratrix]

I'd keep offering treats by hand until you observe no fear in the bird. Then, I'd do target training, which would culminate in stepping up. There are plenty of Youtube videos that teach target training.

 

[Outstrech]

What would be the target I would use (as in, what kind of targets are bird-safe that don't need to be found in a store?)

 

[Sunni Tiel]

You could use a long piece of one of his toys, a wood chopstick...

 

[Outstrech]

Thanks! I tried target training him and he's scared of the target and doesn't approach it. What do I do?

 

[Sunni Tiel]

Thanks! I tried target training him and he's scared of the target and doesn't approach it. What do I do?

It can take some getting used to. You can let it stay in the cage and maybe attach a treat to the end.

 

[Outstrech]

He doesn't come out of the cage at all. :|

 

[Outstrech]

 

[Zara]

Maybe these threads could be helpful;

Some things to do with a new bird....

So many people come on here with new birds asking what they should and shouldn't do that I thought I would put a short list together of things that owners of new birds could do to build a good relationship with their bird. These things can be done with all new rehomes, rescues or baby birds...

forums.avianavenue.com

Free Training Resources

Someone recently told me that there was only one trainer on the internet that had free training advice. This is, quite simply, false. This “trainer” they spoke of is an amateur that has taken advice from salesmen who market themselves as bird trainers. Not to say that they don't enjoy helping...

forums.avianavenue.com

An Introduction to Clicker Training

I haven't seen anything here on clicker training yet, so I thought I would add something. Clicker training is a method of animal training based on operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is when animals learn because of consequences that happen after a behavior is performed. If an animal...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Outstrech]

I just made a foraging toy (taped paper around his food bowl so he has to rip it to get to his food) he's playing with it already! I'm so proud of him. I've been considering getting him a new cage, and this would be the plan.

Set up new cage with toys, treats, and food and water. Remove everything in his cage except for his main perch. put the openings of the cage next to each other. Wait for him to go at his own pace into the new cage. If he doesn't after an hour or two, put food and water back.

does anybody have reccomendations for toys/cages or how to get your bird to play with toys? Thanks a ton-this thread has helped me a lot.

 

[Outstrech]

For cage, I was thinking something like this or this (the ladder because it is slightly smaller but still fit for a cockatiel cage dimensions I think?) but I want to hear your guys' opinions first. For toys, maybe a ladder or this ladder into a little hole thing or those fun soft perches would work. I don't want to get him traditional toys yet (stressed on the yet) because I've gotten them and it's clear that he's not intrested. Instead, I think I need to make a fuzzy line between "perch" and "toy" and eveuntally step to to real toys. My whole plan: New cage+toys=happier bird. happier bird=more willing to train=build trust. and then i can finally cut his nails as well. Of course, it's not all about nail cutting. It's about fixing my relationship with my fellow bird.

 

[scrape]

You don't let him out of the cage at all? Parrots enjoy the stimulation of playing outside their cage. Most NEED it.
If he is too shy to come out try bribing him, or just leave the cage door open for a long time.

And, correct me if I am wrong, he is in need of a nail clip? How long are his nails (pics?)? If they are too long you probably need to go ahead and trim them?

 

[Zara]

He doesn't come out of the cage at all. :|

You don't let him out of the cage at all?

I read that as ¨the bird doesn´t want to come out¨, though I may be misunderstanding (?).

@Khizz also has a pair of ´tiels who like their cage space very much. Maybe she will have some ideas.

 

[Outstrech]

You don't let him out of the cage at all? Parrots enjoy the stimulation of playing outside their cage. Most NEED it.
If he is too shy to come out try bribing him, or just leave the cage door open for a long time.

And, correct me if I am wrong, he is in need of a nail clip? How long are his nails (pics?)? If they are too long you probably need to go ahead and trim them?

pictures attached. sorry for bad quality but my computer can't zoom in.

I read that as ¨the bird doesn´t want to come out¨, though I may be misunderstanding (?).

@Khizz also has a pair of ´tiels who like their cage space very much. Maybe she will have some ideas.

Yup you understood correctly. I've tried to get him to come out before.


did you guys think anything of the cage/toys I attached? i think they look pretty nice and fun for him but i need a second opinion.

 

[Outstrech]

I was thinking of lightly booping his feet (aka touching them but not pushing in) do you think he is ready? I just want to make him more used to my hands.

 

[Outstrech]

For cage, I was thinking something like this or this (the latter because it is slightly smaller but still fit for a cockatiel cage dimensions I think?) but I want to hear your guys' opinions first. For toys, maybe a ladder or this ladder into a little hole thing or those fun soft perches would work. I don't want to get him traditional toys yet (stressed on the yet) because I've gotten them and it's clear that he's not intrested. Instead, I think I need to make a fuzzy line between "perch" and "toy" and eveuntally step to to real toys. My whole plan: New cage+toys=happier bird. happier bird=more willing to train=build trust. and then i can finally cut his nails as well. Of course, it's not all about nail cutting. It's about fixing my relationship with my fellow bird.

Can somebody reply to this? Thanks! My main questions are: getting untame cockatiel that feels safe in his old, worse cage to go into new cage with toys and more enrichment. How to trim his nails without grabing him or getting the trust needed and then grabbing him.

 

[Outstrech]

sometimes i feel like an awful person who doesn't know how to take care of their bird and is just making some innocent cockatiel hate the world. i wish i could go back in time and just have left sunflower at the adoption center...

 

[saroj12]

sometimes i feel like an awful person who doesn't know how to take care of their bird and is just making some innocent cockatiel hate the world. i wish i could go back in time and just have left sunflower at the adoption center...

I haven’t read the whole thread. I let my birds do whatever they want as long as it’s safe for them. My grey doesn’t like to be touched even though he steps up happily and is a sociable fellow.

 

[saroj12]

So I don’t try to get him to like being touched. My male caique doesn’t like me to get too close when he’s eating- he thinks I’ll steal his yummy from his and lol. It’s fine with me. I don’t bother him when he’s eating. My 28 year old with me since age 3 months is temperamental. Very loving until boom suddenly bites then I think he’s had enough interaction for that time. That’s just him and it’s fine with me.

 

[saroj12]

Can somebody reply to this? Thanks! My main questions are: getting untame cockatiel that feels safe in his old, worse cage to go into new cage with toys and more enrichment. How to trim his nails without grabing him or getting the trust needed and then grabbing him.

If you have time and space try what I did. Put both cages side by side and let him do as he chooses. It took months but Jackson Quaker finally accepted his new larger cage,