# Cockatiel tame, yet doesn't like to be petted?



## Flightless

I've had my cockatiel Aries for about 4 years now and he's a very friendly bird. Every time I come home, he always flies to my shoulder or on top of my head and talks to me haha.

One thing I've noticed though, is even though he is "tame", he has never enjoyed being petted that much. I see videos of people petting their tiels on the head or back and mine doesn't seem to enjoy it that much and tries to move else where.

Are some tiels just that way? Or is it something I can help him adapt to?


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## roxy culver

Some birds don't like to be touched like that. He's tame, it doesn't mean he wants to be pet. And a lot of tiels dispise having their wings or back touched at all, and I would avoid doing it because it can cause them to become hormonal (males step on a females back to mate.) You can try to accustome him to being touched, start with your lips on his neck and sneak fingers in there when you can, but don't be surprised if you get nipped at.


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## WhiskeyBird

I think it's really a personality thing; some birds like to be cuddled, some not so much. Whiskey likes having the feathers around the sides of his beak rubbed sometimes -- I just take my thumb and pointer finger and sort of "pinch" (very gently) by the sides of his beak. Maybe that would work?


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## Flightless

That's good, I never really forced my birds to do anything they never wanted to do (unless it's clipping their nails haha)

I have a parakeet I bought right before my cockatiel that isn't completely tame. I didn't know at the time, but I bought him from a local pet store and I believe he was wild caught so he doesn't trust people as much. He still flies on my head and shoulder, but he doesn't like being handled like my cockatiel does.


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## CaliTiels

Beaker's a good tame bird but absolutely hates getting petted. It's really a personal preference


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## KerriMac0216

I had a tiel for 20 years could never touch her....she had to come out of cage alone....then flat hand she would come on me...then all I was aloud to to was kiss her not untill she was in her end time 28yrs and sick would she let me touch her....Try not to take it personal some birds are just set in their ways


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## Flightless

I try not to take it personally, I see it similar to how some of my cats are. I have one that absolutely HATES being handled, but the other is always begging you to pick him up.

I guess it all comes down to the bird's individual personality?


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## moonchild

Yeah, it's just an individual thing. Moon is super tame but acts like you're going to eat him if you try to give him scritches.


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## Renae

Our 3 newest Cockatiels, who are re-homes, are really friendly, but, they are not for being touched/cuddled/getting scritches, most of our other Cockatiels are super cuddly, but it doesn’t matter, I have found they are just much more independent.


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## vixen89

They all have their own personalities and preferences. Pico LOOOVVESSS head scritches and beak nuzzling, and will tolerate a head pat or chest pat once on a while but HATES having his back/wings/tail touched.
He will let me kiss him all over though. 

To each their own, just like humans we all like ans dislike various things fpr various reasons


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## Vickitiel

Was he hand-raised? Usually it's the hand-raised 'tiels that are accustomed to be scritched on the head/petted etc.


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## Ghosth

With Cara and I its a tit for tat thing. He gets skritches, I get one long stroke from head to tail. He isn't always thrilled with it, in fact some days he can be quite touchy about being touched.


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