# How do I tame a pair?



## Nyx (Jun 3, 2015)

I have two tiels, we were told that they're both female, but they weren't sure. We bought them at approx. 4 months, I don't know how long they had been with the previous owner, but I got the impression that they have not been handled much.

_Disclaimer: I know I have way to little background information on them, but the kid who sold them wasn't even home when we came to buy them, just his mom... That should have been a warning sign right there, I know, but I figure someone was going to buy them anyway, and they were priced so low that they might very well have been bought by another kid or a flaky buy-on-a-whim owner, so they might just as well come home with us, who have plans to take them seriously and give them a good, permanent home! At the time, I didn't really think to much about what I should be asking the seller. I have tried texting the kid, but he hasn't answered yet._

Back to the point. They are two, and they are very comfortable in their own company. The previous owner did not buy them both at the same time, but by the time we got them, they were definitely close.
We've had them for six weeks now. Neither of them accept me getting close to them in the cage, unless I have millet in my hand. And even then they are skeptic, one more than the other
I have tried to slowly letting them get used to my presence, by sitting close to the cage, putting the cage next to me on the couch for hours at the time, a couple of times I sat the cage on the floor next to my head as I took a nap on the couch!  Just to let them get used to me being there, without me actually interacting with them all the time, to see if that helped them get more comfortable. Not sure if it helped, though, they are hard to read. 

They don't get out of the cage much. In the time we've had them they have only been out three times. And only partly voluntarily, one time the cage door was open, and she more or less fell out when missing a step. The cage have been open for hours and hours, but they show little or no interest, I have tried hanging millet right outside the cage door, I have tried extending a perch out through the cage door, nothing.

One will eat millet from my palm on a good day, the other one just when I hold it out to her, but not from the palm, she is more wary. And very easily spooked.

When we bought them, the mom/seller said that we should separate them if we wanted to get them tame, but I don't have the heart to split them up when they so obviously find comfort and safety in each other.
It must be possible to do even without separating them, it'll just take a lot longer, or...?

Is there anything I can do to "speed up the process"? To get them trusting and cuddly and fuzzy in an instant? No, I'm joking, but you get my point. I want to be the best I can be for them, and that includes being someone they trust.
How long must I expect it to take, how much or little should I "push" them? I can be patient with them, as long as I know it's what I should do. I'm realizing that I have no clue whatsoever when it comes to birds, so I'm worried I'll scare or traumatize them if I push to hard, and also, I am worried that "the window of opportunity" to create a bond will disappear if I don't push them enough.

Any tips? Or just stroke my hair and say it'll be ok?


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Loki actually came out of his cage on the first day what I did was bring him into a small room and teach him step up he didnt know how to step up at all and he wasnt a biter and after learning step up he started becoming more tame and I just practiced step up everyday and now I practice target training ( Thats a good way for biters to learn step up).


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## Lillyvon (Apr 12, 2015)

I've always ever had one parrot - big or smallish. Now with two - struggling. My partner has NO warmth for the girl Lucy. As he has no idea about birds and the male Ringo is SO smart and has SO much personality he adores him but could care less about her! I give her a lot of attention while he is at work, but she is not an easy train - he is SO easy. He picks up everything.

I'm still juggling whether to leave her in their cage while I train him - or to have them both out so she might learn from him? I feel bad if I left her in the cage as she adores me - doesn't like my partner at all but 'tollerates' him. He doesn't like her - she doesn't like him. She's a mumma's girl. But she needs SO much attention, I miss out on training Ringo when he just WANTS to be trained. He's SO smart, talks like crazy and sings and takes on anything I say - plus can fly to me from anywhere, shake - I say 'bye bye' and he walks down my arm...I say 'Ringo come' and he walks back up my arm to my shoulder. What he can learn is unlimited. But she gets jealous and he doesn't like her on me when learning stuff!

Gah!


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## Nyx (Jun 3, 2015)

Brandon2k14 said:


> Loki actually came out of his cage on the first day what I did was bring him into a small room and teach him step up he didnt know how to step up at all and he wasnt a biter and after learning step up he started becoming more tame and I just practiced step up everyday and now I practice target training ( Thats a good way for biters to learn step up).


Something tells me we started out with two completely different levels to begin with.  That would never have worked here. To be honest, I don't think these two have had any human contact expect for when they have been given food and water, before we got them. Just been stacked away in a cage in a corner. That's the impression I got, anyway, both from how the birds reacted to me in the beginning, _and_ from what the seller said (or didn't say) when we picked them up.
A shame. But I can take on a challenge! We will be friends, me and my birdsies, they just don't know it yet!


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Nyx said:


> Something tells me we started out with two completely different levels to begin with.  That would never have worked here. To be honest, I don't think these two have had any human contact expect for when they have been given food and water, before we got them. Just been stacked away in a cage in a corner. That's the impression I got, anyway, both from how the birds reacted to me in the beginning, _and_ from what the seller said (or didn't say) when we picked them up.
> A shame. But I can take on a challenge! We will be friends, me and my birdsies, they just don't know it yet!


I still think its hard to believe I only have Rocko 7 months it feels like a have him like 2 years how is he so tame and harness trained and can do tricks.


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## Lillyvon (Apr 12, 2015)

Adding to that - I would seperate them. We need to stop instilling our emotions onto them. If you have two cages - try it for about 3 days. You are not being cruel. 

I've left Lucy in the cage to train Ringo. They call for each other but have to know I'm the number one. It's worked too well and both fight now a bit when on me over me. The are very social birds so seperating them might make them rely on you. Patience is key. Good luck. The one that is more shy needs more work, soft words, kind feeling. After 3 days she'll be craving it.


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

Don't feel bad! This situation is not that unusual.

I have two tiels. One is bonded to me. The other one is "just not into" me.

I have had the most success using sunflower seeds as a treat. The shy one will come onto my forearm if I am offering sunflower seeds. It took a while. At first, I held the seed between the bars of the cage. Now she will jump onto my forearm eagerly to get a seed. Not my hand, though. No way, nohow. She will come to me most readily if she is out of the cage, especially if she is perched on top of it. I have learned to accept her as she is.

The other tiel I got as a hand fed baby from a specialty bird store. He stepped up right away and is very friendly.

You can also try taking all food out of the cage for a while so they are more hungry for treats.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.


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## Lillyvon (Apr 12, 2015)

dianne said:


> Don't feel bad! This situation is not that unusual.
> 
> I have two tiels. One is bonded to me. The other one is "just not into" me.
> 
> ...


I have two tiels - how do you find it with the third bird being a budgie? Do the two tiels gang up against it or is the budgie a calming factor? I've bred budgies but just budgies and when both parents flew off while cleaning the cage I hand raised the babies so I'm familiar with most parrots - but not sure if a budgie would be good or bad for my two tiels??


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