Talk Cockatiels Forum banner

I see a little progress

1K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  malakelnashar 
#1 ·
Hi,
I'm a owner of two cockatiels, Grey a 1 1/2 year old male and Joy a 1 year old female (THEY ARE NOT TAMED)... I work so hard to tame them, and I see a little progress: they started to eat from my hand a week ago, but they're still afraid if I put my hand inside the cage without food... Joy tried to get out of the cage yesterday, but I didn't let her as I was afraid I couldn't get her in again because she isn't tamed yet...
Any tips that could help me?
Is it ok if I let her get out?
How to train them to step up on my finger?
Thanks
 
#4 ·
Since they aren't clipped they'll fly back to their cage when they want to if you let them out, just leave the cage door open.
Always supervise them while out of the cage.

Step up training, let's see if I can help. They won't step up immediately, it takes time. They should be tamed first.




Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
You can try clicker or target training. I turned step up into a game for my birds, but they were pretty much tame when I started teaching it. They have to trust your hands first, so the best advice I can give is to sit with your hand in their cage (without food) for short periods of time. Once they get used to it at a certain distance, you can move it closer to them. This may take a week or so until they aren't scared of your hand.

You can also see if they will step up on a closed fist vs an open palm. The part of our hands birds tend to be frightened of are our fingers so if there are no fingers it may make them more likely to step up. You can also use millet to get them to step up on your hand by making them step on your hands to get to the millet.

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=33824
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=28661
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=22073
These stickies have more info on taming.
 
#8 ·
I would let them out when you have time to not be in a rush to have to get them back in. That way they get used to interacting with you, outside the cage and get exercise. My Ava who is tamed, never wants to go back in her cage and will stay out for hours. In the mornings when I have to give her medicine, I have to use millet to get her back in.
Ava was 2 months when we got her and she was tamed but not clipped. Just make sure you have the windows covered up so they don't run into them and everything is essentially baby prof in the house. They are like toddlers.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top