# freaked out cockatiel, what can i do??



## ally (Jun 16, 2012)

i read so many bird books before i got Puff. they all said that birds where sweet, trusting animals that would give unconditional love. I think something went wrong with my little girl. we got her from a pet store down the street, she was on sale. that should have been my first clue. she's been very un-trusting since i got her, always seeming on edge. but eventually she calmed down enough to have a relationship with me. she was not the cuddly baby i thought she would be, but we got along (on her terms). then we went on a vacation for three days. we had a friend take care of her food-wise, but i thought it unwise to let him take her out, being a stranger to her. when we got back, i took her out for some much-needed freedom. our patio is screened in, and i take her out there on warm days. it has never bothered her before now. she went INSANE out there. she screamed like i've never heard before. she flew into walls. she flew into doors. she flew into anything and everything she could. i scooped her up before she could cause herself any serious brain-damage and quickly went back inside, but she got loose again before i could get her in her cage. in the fray that ensued, there was one badly bitten finger, one very damaged bird, and a shattered trust that i am not sure i can get back. is it something that happened to her before we got her that made her that way? is there anything i can do? her attitude towards me was getting bad even before we went on vacation (she would not even sit on my finger), so can it be more than us leaving? i have no idea what to do. we never got that bond that normal bird owners and their pets have, but its never been at this extreme before. i have seriously been considering giving her to someone who understands her needs better. to give her a better home since shes not very attached to me anyway. but if i can do anything to prevent that outcome, i will. please help. i need any and all advice i can get.


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## ally (Jun 16, 2012)

sorry if this post is abnormally long :/


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## xNx (Jun 6, 2012)

Good practice not to double post on any forum, anyway:

Give the bird some rest and try and start the taming process again.
Keep a close eye on the bird to see if it has any injuries, if in doubt invest in a vet appointment.


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## hanna (Apr 14, 2012)

Hi, I learned that tiels are very forgiving birds.
Just out of gut feeling I would sit with her, reading sth in a soft voice, talking to her very calm, giving her her fav food, and when you look at her don't "stare" but blink, also go at her pace.

I am not sure if it is wise to rearrange the cage at this stage, but other more experienced members sure will be on shortly and give you more advice.

nobody knows why she behaves like this, but she may have had a very very bad experience with her previous owners, so may have a LOT od work to do with her, but again at her pace. Also it just comes into my mind and again let's see what other members opinion is: she may want a feathered friend....

GOOD LUCK and keep us updated please


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Okay. Thread 1. You are probably going to need to start from scratch with your bird. This is a great way to start.

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=22073

Thread 2. This is how I "won over" my angry little sweetheart.

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=28661

Now, Some birds are not the cuddly sweethearts you want in a bird...

Take, for instance, my bird- Grey. 

I can't touch him or anything of the sorts... But I took it REALLY slow... It took me 5 months- Going at his pace to form a bond. You probably can't tell, but I can and it's there. The most I can do with him is he will step up when I ask and let me kiss his tummy (he pecks me on the nose though). But he trust me... I know this from working with him and learning him. He is a bad little bird, but I wouldn't give up on him for anything. 

This is how he acts.. ALL the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJeu6t_GTbg&feature=plcp

And sometimes, that's the bird's personality. But it's possible to form a trusting relationship with a bird that is weary of you, but it takes A LOT of time. Don't give up.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

There is no such thing as unconditional love from a bird. They are prey animals in the wild so they are always alert to danger and they're inclined to be nervous. 

She went insane on the patio because she was afraid of something. Maybe it was something different about you, maybe it was some other animal she could see (like a hawk) or maybe it was something that no human would be able to figure out. 

How long have you had her? It can take several weeks for a handfed baby to settle into a new home, and it can take longer with a bird that was not handfed or one that was harassed by strangers in a pet store. But if you are consistently kind and gentle with her, and do things that she likes while keeping things that she doesn't like to a minimum, you will develop a better relationship with her.


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## ally (Jun 16, 2012)

yeah, a vet appointment is definitely needed, but they're closed on the weekends :'(


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## ally (Jun 16, 2012)

thank you all for your encouraging posts  i've had Puff for about two years, to answer a question. and the pet store i got her from actually changed ownership a few weeks after we got her. something about the current manager violating some animal health codes. so there may have been some mistreatment  (and yes, i know im double posting. sorry)


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It might be helpful to act like she's a new, untamed bird that you just brought home and you have to start at square one to earn her trust and teach her to love you. Learn all you can about bonding and trust building, and take it slow. Cockatiels are social animals who need the sense of security that comes from being with a flock. Her flock is you and your family, and if she can work past the fear she will naturally want your companionship. She might not want everything that you want to give her, for example head scritches. But you will have a bond.


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## ally (Jun 16, 2012)

yeah, i have a feeling we've fallen back quite a few squares, but i pray to God that it isn't all the way to square one :/ i just need to hurry up and get her to a vet. she's still hyperventilating through her mouth, i can hear it through the night-time cover :'( we"ll wait out tomorrow since nowhere is open on Sunday, and get her looked at Monday. i hope a quiet night's rest will help...


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

She shouldn't still be breathing hard after all this time. Is there anything that might be making it hard for her to breathe, for example candles burning or smoke/perfume in the air? Birds have more sensitive respiratory systems than humans do so we have to pay extra attention to the quality of their air. Is it possible that she has some kind of injury that makes it harder to breathe? 

If it seems like she's breathing hard because she's still terrified, it might be helpful to put her in a dark, quiet room with a small night light so it isn't completely pitch black. This will help her settle down and sleep.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

If she is beak breathing that loudly this many hours later, I would be looking for an emergency vet that can put her on oxygen tonight. Open-mouthed breathing is a very serious symptom which often indicates advanced illness or injury. I've never seen a spooked bird hyperventilate for more than a few minutes after the incident, and would suspect that she may have injured herself flying around wildly.


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