# Can I tame an adult cockatiel?



## Coralys (Aug 21, 2013)

I got 2 new tiels. A pied male and a cinnamon split pied and wf. The male is somewhat tamed will step up but bites at times. The female isnt tame AT ALL. They are still young but they are both around 2 years of age. I tamed my first tiel in a week but she was only 5 months when i got her. Im not sure if it will take the same time and effort to tame these 2. I know I have to give them time to settle. But how can I get them to trust me and know that hands arent a threat?


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

Every tiel is different . It has taken me 2 years to tame Shake he was just over a year old when I got him


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## Coralys (Aug 21, 2013)

Wow that's pretty long. I got my first tiel to be comfortable with my hand in a week but that was only step up. I got her in June and just last month i noticed shes very comfortable with me now. She loves scratches now, before she hated them. I can handle her with no gloves on. I can grab her and open her wings and shes completely comfortable with it. I hope it doesnt take that long with these 2.


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

Good luck with them  Moonpie is a rescue bird , She was found outside here and put in the paper and all kinds of other sites and no one claimed her after 30 days so I took her . She bit for the first few days but was way calmer after that , Now she is a super cuddly sweet girl hehe


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## Stevolteon (Aug 31, 2013)

It's taken just over a month with Nyra, who was in a similar position to start with, and there's still plenty of progress left to make. Today for the first time she ate from the hand while out of the cage and even landed on my knee voluntarily. She was never aggressive, just very scared of hands. Heck, when I tried to bribe her onto my hand she hopped right over it onto my arm!

I'm sure they'll come around eventually, but be prepared for it to take months possibly.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

With time and patience it is possible - lots of positive reinforcement too. He may only be tame to a point, meaning he could be hands-off (not want to be touched) and only step up and sit with/on you, he could be the complete opposite too, only time will tell, but go at his pace and don't rush him. If he has a favorite treat, food bribery can work well also. 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Coralys (Aug 21, 2013)

Food bribery works well with Duke. He loves millet but Lilo doesnt seem interested in millet's so lets see how this works out. I guess biting me cooled her off because now she steps up lol.


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## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

I'm on mobile so I can't type too much, but I wanted to share my story with Ziggy: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=43738 I think it will help boost your spirits. All things bird take time - just keep working hard and showing love. It may take a whole but your bird can be tamed!


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## Coralys (Aug 21, 2013)

ccollin13- Thats a very inspiring story. Thank you


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## skittles (Oct 2, 2013)

I had a teil that was never handled that was about 2 years old. What i did was let her run around and get used to me and after she new i wasnt going to hurt her she was friendly and stoped biting me. Also what might help to is if you seporate them teils will be more friendly if there not by there friend


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Yes it is very possible to tame an adult cockatiel.

I don't like to talk about this much, but my very first cockatiel was about a year old when I got him, he had his bright yellow face and all of his adult plumage. He wasn't tame at all and eventually, with persistence, he became my velcro-bird. It did make it a lot easier since he was my only bird at the time, though. With several birds at once it's a lot harder especially if they are bonded to each other already.


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## JanP (Aug 27, 2013)

Its going to take time and patience and lots of work on your part...
Id separate the birds for training...
Take your birds one at a time into a small room... bathroom etc..
make it safe loo seat down taps off no water in the sink...
You can at least catch your bird easily in a small room...
Hope this helps you some what..


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

skittles said:


> Also what might help to is if you seporate them teils will be more friendly if there not by there friend


On the flip side, sometimes it helps for untame birds to have tame birds around as an example. Astrid started to trust me more when she saw the rest of the tiels flocking to me for scratches, treats and just to hang out and play on me. Now she likes to sit on my shoulder and lap though she still avoids my hands.


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## Coralys (Aug 21, 2013)

That's what i'm trying with mine. I take my first tiel out, shes the tamest, and take the untamed one out also and he just looks confused but its working. From the 2 newest tiels I got, the oldest is already getting used to stepping up and being around people. His problem is getting out the cage. In the cage hes aggressive, out the cage hes a sweetheart. The other steps up but hes very skittish still. Tries to fly all over when scared but they are getting better. Their bites are not as hard anymore as they are getting used to hands. They might just nibble on them fast but they dont hurt


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## thewandererw (Aug 22, 2011)

I have two birds 1budgie who I rescued I don't know his true age but he is a round 5-6 years old and he was never tamed befor I got him and now he is very tame with me. I also have 1 tiel I rescued over the summer don't know his true age he is a work in progress he no longer bites me he will eat from my hand he will come out of his cage with millet we are working on staing out of the cage for a longer time before going back in today I got him to stay out for 90 mins.he is still afraid of hands will not step up yet


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