# Help needed in taming!!



## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

Recently, my brother had bought back a 2 year old cinnamon whiteface female to keep my another tiel, Haiiro, company. The problem is, this cinnamon female(I haven't named her yet :/ ) is an aviary bird. She is untamed and was sold as the breeding has been unsuccessful. She was previously kept with 4 other very tamed male tiel. She bonds alright with Haiiro but hates human. Is there any advice on taming her? Thanks in advance


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## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

If you look in the taming and bonding section in the forums, there is some good stickies in there


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

I've tried food bribery with millet spray but she doesn't go for it. Instead of the millet, she go for my fingers 1st! I know that she eats millet because I saw her eating it in the cage. However, when I gave her, she just go for my fingers 1st :/


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## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

How long have you had her for? Personally I would isolate her from the other birds in a separate cage and set aside some time during the day for her to get use to YOU and people in general. Think about it, an aviary bird who has spend years around birds NOT people, shes probably frightened and a tad confused. Just take your time, when she is more use to you put your hand in the cage for some time each day before making any advances, then once she is use to your hand and people, try the millet. Hope this helps  patience is the key!


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

I've gt her for about a month now. The first month was in a separate cage. She has been an aviary bird for near 2 years and was bought by my brother who again, bought it hastily :/


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Noelle, to try to get a good bond with this bird I suspect your looking at Years of work, not months. It may not be worth the effort.


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

@Ghosth: Hmmm...it may be years of work but I know that the result will will years and years of great companionship. I personally believe that all birds have a story to share. Its up to you to slowly listen to it or just walk away without a word. thanks for your reply though. Your cockatiel in your signature look a bit like my Haiiro hahahah just that mine is lightly pied while yours seems to be heavy pied


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I don't think it would take years, with persistence it can be done. Since she's so afraid of hands, try just dropping the millet in her cup first. No hands involved there and she'll start to associate you with yummy millet and look forward to seeing you. Sit next to the cage and talk to her. You can try using a stick to get her out of the cage at first since hands are the issue and use the taming advice made by lperry, it really does work!


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Well I find myself in a similar boat. Monday I rescued a female 5+ that has not been tamed or trained to be handled at all. Approached she will hiss, and strike at fingers.

Trying to go very very slow at this point. 2 days ago she did eat millet from my hand outside of the cage. But she is very spooked and wary.

Hopefully your right that it wont' take "years" for either of us.


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## sangs_becky (Jun 25, 2012)

if you want her to become really friendly , you have to build her trust about you! you can take her in a separate cage and spend quality time with her. You have to talk to her politely and be patient with her even if she bites you . You have to show her the millet spray repeatedly even when she's trying to go for your fingers. Watch her carefully and you will get to know what her favorite foodies are, then you can try offering them to her.

I'm sure if you spend a good amount of time with her you can get to befriend her  It's all about patience so don't loose hope!


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## SunnyNShandy (May 24, 2012)

Almost 25 years ago I bought Sammy at a pet store; not knowing how hard it was to tame a pet store bird. Luckily I didnt know that, as I just did it. I had his wings clipped and covered every mirror (read that in my book) in the "training area - aka tiny bathroom of my apartment" and got him out of his cage (with gloves on) every night and spent time with him. I had him stepping up onto my gloved finger in a week and just kept on keeping on. I talked to him all of the time. I sang to him. I treated him and just didnt give up. He is relatively tame. He only bites when not feeling well or just doesnt want to go back in his cage or do whatever I want him to do. I have had a lifetime of happiness with him and it is SO worth it. Can I roll him over on his back and scratch his belly - heck no. But can I hold him on my hand; does he love sitting on my head or shoulder and cluck back and forth with me - yes he does. He loves his head scratched and his neck and talks and sings. He hasnt had clipped wings in 20 years and has moved across the country with me. He will step up to other people and vets - VERY good for a totally not tame in the early days pet store Tiel.


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

@roxy culver: She is now less wary as I've been the one serving them breakfast and dinner. So she kinda associates me with food but still wary of hand as well as a stick. It seems she was totally not trained at all... She does seek for my attention when I get Haiiro out of the cage though (Haiiro live in the cage together with her)

@Ghosth: Mine now she does not hiss she just kinda open her beak, threatening me but no hissing unless it is real close like in front of her beak. Otherwise she will just open her beak or just move away from me automatically. The fact that my another cockatiel, Haiiro, seems to help in the process as she can see how me and Haiiro interact. 

@sangs_becky: Mine she seems a bit shy though. She doesn't like it when I watch at her. I discover this when I brought them out of the cage for their lunch one day. I've put the bowl directly in front of the cage door to encourage her to go out the the cage by just a tiny bit and when I watch her, she will just peck a few seeds out and look at me before pecking again. She sorta sees me as a predator I think because she looks as me warily just like how a fidgety bird would be under watch and I was sitting calming quite a distance away. However, when I did not look at her, the next moment I know, she's at the top of the cage, trying to get some of Haiiro's lunch  (I always put Haiiro on top of the cage when it is time for lunch as he likes it outside where he can survey the whole household  )


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

@papresq: sadly I can't use a glove though. Not that I don't have a glove ( I do have different tough gloves like a welding glove) but I just simply can't. The previous owner had handled her roughly with gloves throughout her life and hence, she is freaking afraid of a glove. She gets very defensive and will bite at it (with great force) without thinking. She seems more comfortable with hands compared to gloves. Wow...ur tiel seems to be quite old age  hopefully mine can live to a ripe old age too


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## SunnyNShandy (May 24, 2012)

Noelle, I didnt use a leather glove - just a driving/gardening cloth glove -just something thin to help shield the bite! Yes my Sammy is going to be 25 this September 

Good luck - sounds like she is making strides!!!!!!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Have you seen our taming sticky? There's some really good tips there on how to work with a bird who is afraid of hands. Good luck with her, it may seem difficult now, but the key part here is gaining her trust. Just go at her pace.


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the replies and tips  currently she is a bit stick train. She will step up onto a perch, a bit reluctantly, when I offer it to her. If my hands get too close, she would just hissed but make no attempt to run away which is what she normally do. Seems to be improving


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Hang in there, lots of positive reinforcement. So if they do it right its treat time.

I'm slowly making progress with Joey also. She no longer hisses and trys to bite if I get within 6" of her. If I get within 2" she will look for a place to run away. Will fly if she must to gain seperation. 

However this last week i've been noticing when Cara is sitting on my shoulder and preening Joey will move as close as she can get. Often being only 6" away. She should have her wings clipped but I really hate to cause her any more trama at this point. 

Last week she ate from my hand on 3 separate occasions. But won't quite make the jump to standing on my finger to get the treat.


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

@Ghosth: problem is she wouldnt take any treats from me at all...her wings are definitely clipped. My brother had forcefully grab her and clip her wings on the first day  (i think her right wing is injured or sprain due to the grabbing of my brother. she now tries to hold out her right wing from time to time like she had sprained it :/)


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Have you tried holding a millet spray out to where she can reach it but where your hands aren't near it? This will make her more inclined to eat it and the more she gets used to you, the closer your hands will get. Try offering it to her when she's on the perch so she associates being there with getting a yummy treat.


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## NoelleLeong (May 15, 2012)

@roxy culver: yah i did that but she wan't confident and dive straight in for my fingers :/


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