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will he hate me

alyssanor

Walking the driveway
Joined
11/30/20
Messages
170
Location
canada
Real Name
alyssa
i am getting a 2 year old male cockatiel , he is not tame so i am getting him untamed. how can i make him comfortable with me and him love me?
 

Miss Annamarie

Rollerblading along the road
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Are you quarantining him?
 

Coradams

Meeting neighbors
Joined
9/15/20
Messages
34
I am in the same boat you are. I was given a older cockatiel who wasn't tame at all. We put her cage in the living room so she can see us and be part of the family. We always try to stop and talk to her a few minutes when we go by her cage. We kept offering her treats through the bars of the cage. She will now come up to the bars for millet and sometimes she will even take it from my hand inside the cage. Another thing I do which I think is helping is when her cage needs cleaning, I take it into the bathroom and shut the door so it's just me and her in a safe room. While I clean her cage, I talk to her and just spend time with her. I also swap out some toys to keep things interesting. Its really been slow going but I believe we have made progress. (I think the best successes come in small steps.) I am sure others will have more advice! Good luck!
 

alyssanor

Walking the driveway
Joined
11/30/20
Messages
170
Location
canada
Real Name
alyssa
I am in the same boat you are. I was given a older cockatiel who wasn't tame at all. We put her cage in the living room so she can see us and be part of the family. We always try to stop and talk to her a few minutes when we go by her cage. We kept offering her treats through the bars of the cage. She will now come up to the bars for millet and sometimes she will even take it from my hand inside the cage. Another thing I do which I think is helping is when her cage needs cleaning, I take it into the bathroom and shut the door so it's just me and her in a safe room. While I clean her cage, I talk to her and just spend time with her. I also swap out some toys to keep things interesting. Its really been slow going but I believe we have made progress. (I think the best successes come in small steps.) I am sure others will have more advice! Good luck!
aww
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
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Each bird is different so you kind of have to go by how he reacts to things. You want to move at a slow pace though and be patient. Spend time sitting with him and talking to him. Reading to him is even good because he can get used to your presence and voice in a nonthreatening way. I used to read magazine articles to my first tiel all the time. I sing to my birds a lot too. And you can hand feed him treats. Millet spray is a good thing to try.
 

Sparkles99

Biking along the boulevard
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I'd try talking to him.
 

MC_Hahn's

Walking the driveway
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3/20/20
Messages
265
Real Name
Marie C.
i am getting a 2 year old male cockatiel , he is not tame so i am getting him untamed. how can i make him comfortable with me and him love me?
Let me get this straight.
The cockatiel is two years old, has little to no human interaction from life in an aviary with other birds, you've only had budgies before (and for only a few months), and you started researching... yesterday?
I don't mean to offend you in any way, but this was not a good idea to begin with, as many other members of the avenue have pointed out.
You can't take your birds to the vet, yet you can properly own them? That's a bold lie.
If you can't afford a vet visit and testing for each of your birds, what sort of cage are they living in? Vet visits are necessary once a year for each bird.
What if this bird is sick? The stress of moving could kill him within a few days.
What about your other birds? If you really care about them, you will quarantine this bird.
Whatever you do, getting more birds should be out of the question.
Here is a breakdown of the funds you should have saved for this cockatiel (US dollars):
- $200.00 for a good, sturdy cage
- $20.00 for stainless steel bowls that reduce the risk of bacteria growth
- $50.00 for a stable travel carrier
- $150.00 for a pet sitter, should you go on vacation or need someone to watch your bird
- $200.00 for toys (cockatiels love preening and foraging toys)
- $150.00 for perches
- $75.00 for a decent playstand
- $50.00 for books about cockatiels and parrots (not every book is available at the library)
- $300.00 for emergency vet visits and an annual check-up (keep in mind that this is the least that you should have put aside for the vet)
- $100.00 for various treats, pellets, seeds, chop ingredients, veggies, and fruit

This totals over a thousand dollars. Do you have the resources to care for this bird who will likely live more than twenty years if properly cared for? I spend several hundred dollars a year on toys and perches for my birds alone.

If you can't take the bird to a vet, what happens if it breaks a blood feather or needs its nails clipped?

I'm not going to lie and say that taming this bird will be a piece of cake.
Male cockatiels are generally not that friendly. I'm lucky that mine lets me scritch and pet him. This bird is fully flighted I presume, so this will pose a serious challenge in the taming process.
You may have heard that cockatiels whistle, but not all do. When this bird vocalizes (my cockatiel is over 4x louder than my budgies) will it annoy your neighbors or family? Does anyone in your household have asthma or other breathing conditions? Cockatiels have lots of dander and powder on their feathers which can irritate some people and requires constant cleaning.
Please check out or buy a copy of The Parrot Problem Solver and try to train your bird if you really are prepared for this responsibility.

Is this bird an impulse buy or being rehomed? If it's not an impulse buy (which I suspect it is), why exactly is this bird being rehomed?
Sometimes when people say that a bird is being rehomed because they can no longer keep it or can't give it the attention that it deserves, they are really trying to ditch it with someone who has no clue about its medical and/or behavioral issues.

Please reconsider getting this cockatiel or consider contacting a local bird rescue for more advice.
 

budgieluv3

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
9/8/20
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1,223
Location
Toronto
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Bear (It's a nickname)
Let me get this straight.
The cockatiel is two years old, has little to no human interaction from life in an aviary with other birds, you've only had budgies before (and for only a few months), and you started researching... yesterday?
I don't mean to offend you in any way, but this was not a good idea to begin with, as many other members of the avenue have pointed out.
You can't take your birds to the vet, yet you can properly own them? That's a bold lie.
If you can't afford a vet visit and testing for each of your birds, what sort of cage are they living in? Vet visits are necessary once a year for each bird.
What if this bird is sick? The stress of moving could kill him within a few days.
What about your other birds? If you really care about them, you will quarantine this bird.
Whatever you do, getting more birds should be out of the question.
Here is a breakdown of the funds you should have saved for this cockatiel (US dollars):
- $200.00 for a good, sturdy cage
- $20.00 for stainless steel bowls that reduce the risk of bacteria growth
- $50.00 for a stable travel carrier
- $150.00 for a pet sitter, should you go on vacation or need someone to watch your bird
- $200.00 for toys (cockatiels love preening and foraging toys)
- $150.00 for perches
- $75.00 for a decent playstand
- $50.00 for books about cockatiels and parrots (not every book is available at the library)
- $300.00 for emergency vet visits and an annual check-up (keep in mind that this is the least that you should have put aside for the vet)
- $100.00 for various treats, pellets, seeds, chop ingredients, veggies, and fruit

This totals over a thousand dollars. Do you have the resources to care for this bird who will likely live more than twenty years if properly cared for? I spend several hundred dollars a year on toys and perches for my birds alone.

If you can't take the bird to a vet, what happens if it breaks a blood feather or needs its nails clipped?

I'm not going to lie and say that taming this bird will be a piece of cake.
Male cockatiels are generally not that friendly. I'm lucky that mine lets me scritch and pet him. This bird is fully flighted I presume, so this will pose a serious challenge in the taming process.
You may have heard that cockatiels whistle, but not all do. When this bird vocalizes (my cockatiel is over 4x louder than my budgies) will it annoy your neighbors or family? Does anyone in your household have asthma or other breathing conditions? Cockatiels have lots of dander and powder on their feathers which can irritate some people and requires constant cleaning.
Please check out or buy a copy of The Parrot Problem Solver and try to train your bird if you really are prepared for this responsibility.

Is this bird an impulse buy or being rehomed? If it's not an impulse buy (which I suspect it is), why exactly is this bird being rehomed?
Sometimes when people say that a bird is being rehomed because they can no longer keep it or can't give it the attention that it deserves, they are really trying to ditch it with someone who has no clue about its medical and/or behavioral issues.

Please reconsider getting this cockatiel or consider contacting a local bird rescue for more advice.
I’m sorry to say this, but I do agree with most of this.
 

Ember-Tiel

Jogging around the block
Joined
7/23/20
Messages
970
Location
Québec
You should not own birds. Point blank. Your actions show you are extremely irresponsible.
Careful.. I know you're being honest but if you shame the OP she wouldn't want to reply to these threads and would not be able to get the advice she needs. I doubt Alyssa would want to sell her birds so the best thing we can do is guide her on how to take care of them properly, even if she is being very irresponsible at the moment. But hopefully she will listen and make better choices.
 
Last edited:

taxidermynerd

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
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Chicago Area, IL, USA
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Bee (they/he)
Careful.. I know you're being honest but if you shame the OP she wouldn't want to reply to these threads and would not be able to get the advice she needs. I doubt Alyssa would want to sell her birds so the best thing we can do is guide her on how to take care of them properly, even if she is being very irresponsible at the moment. But hopefully she will listen and make better choices.
I'm simply speaking the truth. Actions speak louder than words. If she wants to be a responsible owner, she needs to change her actions to show that.
 

itzmered

Welcome to Parrotdise
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I'm simply speaking the truth. Actions speak louder than words. If she wants to be a responsible owner, she needs to change her actions to show that.
How about if you try helping her with suggestions. Otherwise pass by the thread if you can’t follow our mission statement on the forum
 

alyssanor

Walking the driveway
Joined
11/30/20
Messages
170
Location
canada
Real Name
alyssa
Let me get this straight.
The cockatiel is two years old, has little to no human interaction from life in an aviary with other birds, you've only had budgies before (and for only a few months), and you started researching... yesterday?
I don't mean to offend you in any way, but this was not a good idea to begin with, as many other members of the avenue have pointed out.
You can't take your birds to the vet, yet you can properly own them? That's a bold lie.
If you can't afford a vet visit and testing for each of your birds, what sort of cage are they living in? Vet visits are necessary once a year for each bird.
What if this bird is sick? The stress of moving could kill him within a few days.
What about your other birds? If you really care about them, you will quarantine this bird.
Whatever you do, getting more birds should be out of the question.
Here is a breakdown of the funds you should have saved for this cockatiel (US dollars):
- $200.00 for a good, sturdy cage
- $20.00 for stainless steel bowls that reduce the risk of bacteria growth
- $50.00 for a stable travel carrier
- $150.00 for a pet sitter, should you go on vacation or need someone to watch your bird
- $200.00 for toys (cockatiels love preening and foraging toys)
- $150.00 for perches
- $75.00 for a decent playstand
- $50.00 for books about cockatiels and parrots (not every book is available at the library)
- $300.00 for emergency vet visits and an annual check-up (keep in mind that this is the least that you should have put aside for the vet)
- $100.00 for various treats, pellets, seeds, chop ingredients, veggies, and fruit

This totals over a thousand dollars. Do you have the resources to care for this bird who will likely live more than twenty years if properly cared for? I spend several hundred dollars a year on toys and perches for my birds alone.

If you can't take the bird to a vet, what happens if it breaks a blood feather or needs its nails clipped?

I'm not going to lie and say that taming this bird will be a piece of cake.
Male cockatiels are generally not that friendly. I'm lucky that mine lets me scritch and pet him. This bird is fully flighted I presume, so this will pose a serious challenge in the taming process.
You may have heard that cockatiels whistle, but not all do. When this bird vocalizes (my cockatiel is over 4x louder than my budgies) will it annoy your neighbors or family? Does anyone in your household have asthma or other breathing conditions? Cockatiels have lots of dander and powder on their feathers which can irritate some people and requires constant cleaning.
Please check out or buy a copy of The Parrot Problem Solver and try to train your bird if you really are prepared for this responsibility.

Is this bird an impulse buy or being rehomed? If it's not an impulse buy (which I suspect it is), why exactly is this bird being rehomed?
Sometimes when people say that a bird is being rehomed because they can no longer keep it or can't give it the attention that it deserves, they are really trying to ditch it with someone who has no clue about its medical and/or behavioral issues.

Please reconsider getting this cockatiel or consider contacting a local bird rescue for more advice.
i cannot take them to the vet because covid in my area has made everything on lockdown, for now , i ended up getting a female and a male. i am getting them an appointment for the vets soon. i will be taking all birds regularly ( as my mom said ) again i am still young and havent cared for anything but myself so all of this is still newer to me but i will understand more. that is why i found this site and i have done research on ALL BIRDS for the last 2 months.
 

alyssanor

Walking the driveway
Joined
11/30/20
Messages
170
Location
canada
Real Name
alyssa
Careful.. I know you're being honest but if you shame the OP she wouldn't want to reply to these threads and would not be able to get the advice she needs. I doubt Alyssa would want to sell her birds so the best thing we can do is guide her on how to take care of them properly, even if she is being very irresponsible at the moment. But hopefully she will listen and make better choices.
thank you <3
 

alyssanor

Walking the driveway
Joined
11/30/20
Messages
170
Location
canada
Real Name
alyssa
You should not own birds. Point blank. Your actions show you are extremely irresponsible.
well maybe you are not in my shoes and i am using the birds as some sort of support because of family issues and i can not go to family , so i went to birds <3
 
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