# Is my tiel spending enough time out of his cage?



## Mortatiel (Dec 27, 2013)

Hello!
My cockatiel Mort doesn't come out of his cage as much as I might like him too.
We have struggled with the step up command because when we try to swoop a finger under his belly he immediately goes to bite.
Instead we put our finger on the edge of his cage door (it folds down like a drawbridge) and ask him if he wants so step up.
He will sometimes walk down and very cautiously step on our finger.
Sometimes he climbs to the top of the cage and then will step right onto a ladder to be carried somewhere.
Some days we cant get him out at all. 
I am worried that he wont be happy spending all that time in his cage.

For the most part he seems pretty content, he is vocal when he wants attention and we will come play with him when he calls.
He eats at the same time as us and loves to be pet.

Sometimes he bites his feet and makes a screaming noise which i have read means he wants attention but im worried that he is bored. He doesnt play with any of the toys in his cage and we have tried countless.

Sorry for the length of this post. Suggestions? Thank you!!:grey tiel:

edit: i have had him for 1 1/2 years and we are well bonded if that helps


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## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

He sounds like he has a good life, maybe if you have access to some bird safe trees,give him a branch to strip. They love that and it keeps mine happy for hours!


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Despite loving head/face/neck scritches, belly rubs, and being hand fed, Joey has no desire whatsoever to step up on a finger. We open his cage door and let him come out on his own. Then, he rides his fave bamboo spoon handle to go back in. Some take a while to get comfortable stepping up, some never do.

I agree with the idea of bird safe branches to strip.Toys he can chew and destroy are also a good idea. They love being destructive.


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## karmagami (Dec 5, 2014)

I guess our feathered companions are as individual as their owners! I wish Norm/a *would* stay in the cage - at least a little bit! She's out when she hears me get up and she won't go to bed until she's the last one up -- *all* of that time out of her cage. It gets tiring on us!


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## Mortatiel (Dec 27, 2013)

Thanks so much for your responses!
I feel a lot better knowing that he is probably just fine 
:cinnamon:


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Have you tried letting him step up on a perch instead of a finger? Also, I don't use the finger/belly method. I put my hand flat and let my tiel walk onto my hand. You can also try putting a perch on the outside of the cage by the door with a toy or treat hanging near it. That may entice him to come out on his own.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Rocko would always step up when outside the cage but not inside but then I target trained him and now he steps up inside the cage without using the stick it all just takes time and patience I get all my tips from people on the forumn and google but sometimes I like to discover my own ways of doing things its different when i was scared of getting bit by rocko i then just let him but it didnt hurt because he was never actually gonna bite me he was just nibbling Rocko always wants to chew on things including his harness but if i get something he likes to play with he stops today while out with Rocko a petshop worker asked me do i have any tips for her because she has a biting budgie i didnt really know what to say because i never had a biting bird all the birds ive had were just calm and you could do anything with them and they wouldnt bite cut their nails,Clip their wings which i dont do but i could and they would let me but rocko he dosent bite me but if i was cutting his nails he would or if I hurt him


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## ladybirdkaity (Jan 1, 2015)

Hello!
If he seems timid and sometimes unsure of your hand, try using a tiny perch to pick him up. Indie is so protective of his things that sometimes I have to approach him with a little perch that he will willingly step on. THEN he will step on my hand *eye roll*


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