Will my cockatiel like me?

[Zara]

As long as you don´t force him. Just talking will help create a bond

I am anti clipping so maybe some will say I am not a good person to ask.

I will say this, to create a bond with a flighted bird, will be a stronger bond than that of a clipped bird. It is less forced, the bird has a choice, and if the bird chooses you, it is a true bond. To create a true bond with a clipped bird is very difficult, not impossible but it requires much more skill and knowledge, and a deeper understanding of birds to achieve.

Here is a link @Lady Jane posted earlier: Part Three: The Benefits to Us – Pamela Clark, CPBC
Have a read

 

[Tara81]

its not good to clip at first , they have more trouble learning to fly while clipped. Sometimes they won't ever learn to fly if clipped too much and too soon. I suggest if you want to clip waiting til they learned to fly and went through their first molt (6-9 months). If you get a bird at the age of 3-5 months, chances are its going to be easy to bond with it anyways. Just spend time with him or her, he will be curious about you and eventually seek you out for companionship. They are social animals, it's instinct for them to bond. Just be patient. If you spend hours with him or her every day they will bond with you unless you get another bird.

 

[Kestrel]

Very interesting read! Thank you for sharing!
I agree birds should be flighted and I definitely want my tiel to be flighted too. You will get no argument from me there.

The article seems to suggest that she has her birds flying around most of the day. That sounds amazing but unfortunately that will not work in my household and here is why.

I have a dog who incidently likes to chase flying things (bees, toy helicopters etc). I have never seen him try to chase a bird but I suspect that is because he can't get anywhere near them anyway. I will be working on desensitization training with the dog but obviously I also don't want to take ANY chances. I am keenly aware that just one small slip up by my dog could be fatal for the bird.

For this reason the bird will need to have structured flying time where the dog is not in the room at all, which means at a certain point the bird will have to either go back into his cage or will have to wear a harness and hang out with me when it's time to allow the dog back inside. I am hoping this will just become routine and in no way a negative thing for the bird. But if he's fully flighted straight from the beginning, before he's tame I wonder how that will work getting him back into the cage?

That is partly why it was so important for me that the bird I get is already pretty tame, so we can get him flighted sooner, and part of the reason it concerns me so much the fear I am seeing right now.

I can see I need to do some more research on this matter. The cockatiels I had when I was young were always clipped so it was never a concern. (So many things I did wrong with them and had no clue!) But I'm sure I am not the first person with these kinds of circumstances so I would guess thetr has to be a way.

I will say this, to create a bond with a flighted bird, will be a stronger bond than that of a clipped bird. It is less forced, the bird has a choice, and if the bird chooses you, it is a true bond. To create a true bond with a clipped bird is very difficult, not impossible but it requires much more skill and knowledge, and a deeper understanding of birds to achieve.

You make a good point about developing a stronger bond with a fully flighted bird. I am happy to be patient with him and allow that bond to build. I want this bird to be truly spoiled silly, happy, HAPPY as well as healthy. I am hoping he will live well into his twenties so taking it slow now, even if it takes months to establish a solid bond is a small "price" to pay.

But I also have to be realistic. There will be times daily when the bird absolutely has to go back into his cage. If he doesn't trust me I will end up chasing him all over the house and that to me seems more traumatic than him getting a little mad at me for picking him up and him not being able to get away. Am I wrong for thinking like that?

Like I said, I'll have to do more research. Maybe someone has already come up with a technique for that sort of situation?

 

[Kestrel]

its not good to clip at first , they have more trouble learning to fly while clipped. Sometimes they won't ever learn to fly if clipped too much and too soon. I suggest if you want to clip waiting til they learned to fly and went through their first molt (6-9 months). If you get a bird at the age of 3-5 months, chances are its going to be easy to bond with it anyways. Just spend time with him or her, he will be curious about you and eventually seek you out for companionship. They are social animals, it's instinct for them to bond. Just be patient. If you spend hours with him or her every day they will bond with you unless you get another bird.

I had not even thought about that! You're so right! This is his time to learn to fly.

Okay, yes that settles it, I cannot clip them. But that could be a serious problem getting him back into the cage.

Well I know what I will be researching this weekend.

 

[RatTails]

If it helps, I worried about the same thing (also posted about it). How to catch him without trauma if I let him out.

In the end I let him out and I had a perch I could carry that match the ones in his cage. I offer this perch and he climbs up no problem (doesn't like my hand yet but the perch is long) and then I calmly put him inside his cage via the perch. It's all so calm he now has no issues going back in his cage.

He's a baby so he'll tire easily giving you a chance eventually to calmly get him back in his cage.

Good luck.

Ps a smaller room helps in the beginning.

 

[camelotshadow]

To be fair most babies would rather run about than be held...Visit often esp at feeding time if possible as they will associate you with good things. Bring some yummy veggies & offer treats, Babies just want to explore & are not interested in staying still...its normal & healthy..Pick the one that speaks to you..Tiels are pretty easy going & most of them are going to end up relishing your ATTENTION...Good Luck

 

[Zara]

Maybe someone has already come up with a technique for that sort of situation?

Recall training.
When you bring the bird home, after a week or two he should be comfortable around you enough to start some recall with him.
Hold your hand out with a treat, and as he comes to take it say the cue, I use my birds name and nothing more. You can use whatever you like, ¨come here¨, up to you. The bird will eventually associate the cue with a treat being in your hand and will come to find it.
I find it works best when you mix up the treats. If they know what the treat is, they can decide ¨hmmm I don´t want more xxxx¨. If they don´t know what the treat is, they cannot make a descision so will come to see what the treat is.

When the bird is flying you can hold out a finger and use the cue and hold the treat there with the other hand.

In the end you will be able to hold out your finger and call your birds back. Bear in mind this is never 100%, as flighted birds always have a choice.
These are requests not commands. But they are useful.

It is important to practice recall not just when they are to go to bed, but during the day also, or they will associate it with going in the cage.

I do it a little different for cage time, I will call their names and tap their cages ( a bit like target training). Then once they climb inside, they get treats.

 

[Kestrel]

@RatTails I like the stick idea! I'm definitely going to use that. Thank you!

@Zara that's brilliant! I use bond based choice training for my dog (who is awesome! Such a good boy) which is almost identical to what you're describing, so I'm actually super excited about trying that for the bird. So I have to figure out what kinds of treats my baby likes!

Okay I have a couple of questions for you (if you don't mind! Thank you, thank you for helping me so much already!). When you brought the baby home, would you put it straight into the new cage or just open the box and let him come out on his own? If so how would you introduce the cage? I have heard it takes days sometimes for a bird to acclimate to one new toy, let alone a whole new cage full of new stuff. Maybe I shouldn't have any toys in there at first? (although that sounds borring!)

Also, would you start allowing him daily time to come out of cage right away or wait a week or two and just work on bonding while he remains inside the cage? I would think if he's learning to fly he would need time outside the cage sooner rather than later.

I wish I could remember what I did with my cockatiels when I was a young girl. I just remember they always seemed so happy and well adjusted. They loved attention and to be held. I don't remember much fear with them at all.

 

[Zara]

When you brought the baby home, would you put it straight into the new cage or just open the box and let him come out on his own? If so how would you introduce the cage? I have heard it takes days sometimes for a bird to acclimate to one new toy, let alone a whole new cage full of new stuff. Maybe I shouldn't have any toys in there at first? (although that sounds borring!)

If you bring him home in a little box, put the whole box inside the new cage on the floor. Have toys in the cage, but not packed with toys.
If it is a cardboard box, cut a doorway out, if it is acrylic, make a ladder so the bird can get in and out on his own. Remove the travel box after a day or two.

Also, would you start allowing him daily time to come out of cage right away or wait a week or two and just work on bonding while he remains inside the cage? I would think if he's learning to fly he would need time outside the cage sooner rather than later.

Let him out the day you bring him home. Just a short while on the first day depending on the bird. If he is happy with you great. If not then put him back after half an hour or so. You may find the bird will be quite still on the first day. Let him snuggle into a nook on you.

 

[Kestrel]

Thank you! @Zara

 

[Kestrel]

So we went at feeding time today and he/she jumped up right into our hands! I mean I realize he was looking to get fed but I am seriously so happy right now

 

[Zara]

Great picture! Awww how sweet he came to your hand And he´s so cute! Such a little poser
My baby Adelie will go with anyone and step up for anyone, but when she´s hungry she wants me and only me.
Keep it up with the visits

What is going on with his feathers? He looks clipped on one side... Did the breeder say anything about it?

 

[Kestrel]

@Zara Thank you! I think he's very photogenic

So when I picked him he looked almost identical to one of his siblings (I could tell them apart but she was concerned her staff might not and didn't want to sell him to someone else by mistake) So she took off just the tip of two feathers on the one wing so that everyone would know which one he was.

I forgot to talk to her about clipping the wings today but all of her birds are unclipped so I don't think I need to worry too much. I will set myself a reminder to call and clarify tomorrow though just to make sure.

 

[tka]

He's a cutie!

You can also teach him to target a stick - I use a chopstick. You can use a clicker or a specific word that the bird will come to associate with expressing the right behaviour and getting a treat for it. You may need to build this up step by step so:

1) bird looks at stick - gets a treat
2) bird moves towards stick - gets a treat
3) bird touches stick with beak - gets a treat

Now you can try moving the stick around. Again, build this up so at first, the bird just has to walk a couple of inches. If the bird walks towards the stick and touches it, they get a treat. You can then build up distance and type of movement.

Eventually you can target a bird around a room so it flies to the targeting stick.

Something I found useful for Leia was to have a little bedtime routine. She flies or climbs to her sleeping perch (which is attached to the inside of the cage door), I give her a slice of almond, and then I swing the door shut. It's got to the point that she'll go to the perch herself at bedtime without me having to move her to it. It's a routine that I established before she would step up or wanted any kind of contact from me, and it seems to work well for us.

 

[Kestrel]

That's a good idea @tka thank you!

So your Leia must have picked up on that pretty quickly then? Hopefully this little guy will be food motivated enough that will work for him too! I imagine we could teach him all kinds of cool stuff with a target stick.

 

[harpersmom]

Hi everyone,
Okay so I HAVE owned cockatiels in the past, but I got them at a pet store and they were already fully grown and super tame. I have picked out a new baby tiel that is about 5 weeks old now. He/she is being hand fed by the breeder until it's weaned and is cute as a button. But I have noticed that the last couple of times I have gone down to visit him, he's seemed all kind of freaked out around people. Today he was rocking and hissing at me (as well as the breeder). I didn't try to pick him up today, I just sat there and talked to him. He mostly just sat and watched me but every time I moved pretty much he started the rocking and crying and hissing.
To be fare he/she had just been fed recently and was all ready for a nap I think but it still kind of made me sad. One of the reasons I chose a cockatiel is because I remember how sweet and friendly mine were years ago.
Is this a normal stage they go through or is somebody doing something wrong? Is there something more I should be doing to help him get used to me on my visits?

My bird was like that, when I first got him he was like that and as soon as I held him he stopped crying and fell asleep. It was instant love

 

[tka]

That's a good idea @tka thank you!

So your Leia must have picked up on that pretty quickly then? Hopefully this little guy will be food motivated enough that will work for him too! I imagine we could teach him all kinds of cool stuff with a target stick.

I don't remember exactly, but I think it took her a day or so to learn to target. Keep training sessions short and frequent - five minutes several times a day is more effective than one long session - and end on a positive note. Remember he's a baby and won't have a very long attention span.

I use pieces of flaked almond as a training treat. You can buy them in the baking aisle of a grocery store. I like them because they're easy to break up - you just want to give your bird a taste of something delicious so he wants more of it. Giving a whole almond is too distracting!

 

[Kodigirl210]

One thing you can try to help to bond - rather than picking him up - just use your hand(s) to cover him taking care to especially cover his face. When you do this, you are mimicking what a mother bird would do with her wing. This should bond you more strongly than picking him up and holding him since that is very unnatural. I started visiting my CAG every weekend from the time she was pulled. All I did was exactly what I described to you and a little bit of hand feeding in the end when she was weaning. I never once attempted to pick her up until the day I took her home. Sif was completely bonded to me and allowed me to pick her up and manipulate however I wanted from that moment on. Best of luck. He’s a cutie!

 

[Kestrel]

@Kodigirl210 I have never heard of this before that is very cool! I will definitely try it the next time I visit!

 

[Kodigirl210]

@Kestrel - It was the breeder who suggested I do it. It calms the babies down because it’s a natural thing. Plus they get used to the feel of your hands and the way you smell. Your helping him learn you through his other senses rather than sight so he can know how you feel versus what you look like