# Newbee needs help



## AndrewR (Jan 8, 2011)

After keeping dogs, cats, mice, rats, and just about every other pet i thought i would try cockatiels so three weeks to the day i decided to get two, 8 months old, One male +1 female with cage. I also have 5 budgies.
The previous owner told me they were both trained 
Im having some problems though.
Every day i sat near them and talk quietly to them, I give them fresh food every day.
I dont think they have been trained, its very difficult to go near them they are very afraid of me and i cant work out why.
I dont have names for them yet but the male sits at the door to the cage and wont move, if i try to go near he goes back into the cage and clings on to the rails of the cage.
I have tried treats with them both but they back off when i try to give them them.
My third week and i really dont know what to do. Help please


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Patience is key...three weeks is a good start. Have you been dropping treats into their bowl where they can see you do it? That's the first way to start. Another thing to try is holding a sprig of millet out for them and letting them eat from it as you slowly pull it closer to your hand until they have to step on your hand to get to it. They might flip out a little when they realize they're on your hand but a start is a start. Good luck!!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTiYpobrG8Q worked well with me and i have found cockatiels alot easier to train and quicker aswell and i have girl budgies and i find it very hard trying to tame them, dobby and tweety pie are boys and they are better than the girls lol ( which i aint got no more , tweety pie was very tame) 
Millet does become your best friend taming a cockatiel


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## KateBascombe (Sep 27, 2010)

My Rob is very very very difficult to get close to when he's in his cage. Try bribing them out with millet (just leave it outside the door where they can see it, then back right off until they get lured out) and working with them outside. You might have better luck if they don't feel as if they're trapped with no escape and a hand the size of them coming at them. Best of luck!


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## AndrewR (Jan 8, 2011)

Oh im at my wits end  I finaly got them both out the cage with a bit of persuasion.
He's the boss and she copies everything he does, 
It looks like i have been overfeeding them so obviousley no amount of treats were working.
Two days ago i removed their food from the cage then i waited till i thought they were hungry, I tempted them with millet and honey sticks with some kind of seeds on them ?, Patience certainly is the key 
Now look, 










Slow progress but thank god im getting somewhere


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

That is good progress  Here is a video that might help aswell http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/2009-june/taming-of-tiel.aspx I would take out any mirror toys they have but not the food


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## Speedy (Jan 13, 2011)

I just tried this with Peter and made some progress with his scary-hands-syndrome  At the moment he doesn't let me do anything Rosy. I'll have to try and separately train them once I'm done moving. Millet is great for bribery 



lperry82 said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTiYpobrG8Q worked well with me and i have found cockatiels alot easier to train and quicker aswell and i have girl budgies and i find it very hard trying to tame them, dobby and tweety pie are boys and they are better than the girls lol ( which i aint got no more , tweety pie was very tame)
> Millet does become your best friend taming a cockatiel


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