# Training help please!



## Lemons (Mar 27, 2011)

well my semi-tame cockatiel was injured, and we had to take it to the vet... they said i couldnt let him out until the feathers in the area were all back, so.. i waited around 3 weeks... and both my cockatiels are willldd...

they won't let me hold them for more than 15 seconds, they don't let me pet them at all, but they still take food from my hands.

any ideas on training them (i've been trying but they're ignoring or running away from everything)


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Keep at it and don't give up! Jesse was a complete feral when we first got her, she got in a few pretty good bites before she learnt that people mean snuggles  do they have clipped wings? sometimes being clipped makes them a little more comfortable with being handled or whatever


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## NuttyNu (Aug 20, 2009)

I would advise against clipping wings, If they wanted to fly, they still can., Wing clips on small birds are not veyr effective and just teach the bird to flap harder which means It will be an even stronger flyer when it gets away with full feathers. You would need to do a pretty harsh wing clip for any effect and this would not be fair on the animal.
Keep going with the training, keep using food rewards and just take each day as it comes, there iwll be a time when they will be fine with your hand asking themt o step up etc and allow you to cuddle them for a short period of time.


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## charlie27 (May 29, 2011)

I'll be following this with interest


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Start by leaving you hand in the cage 15 mins at a time till they are used to hand

Since they eating from your hand it should be alot easy, keep doing this

Move hand slowly towards them if they back away stop few mins and try again, when really close offer them your finger untill they step up

Keep doing this till they are comfortable with you


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## Petra (May 29, 2011)

Yes put youre hand in the cage withe a piece of foxtail millet , but keep it so that he/she must step up to youre hand to get it. And keep youre hand stil at first , later you can start moving youre hand a litle bit.
If you try this every day he/she wil learn it.
This is the first step 

It is harder to train 2 birds in one cage its better to do this with one bird.


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## pink.snootchies (Jan 23, 2011)

I find that doing a semi clip keeps Petrie flying at a safe distance, meaning he is less likely to fly into walls or onto fans with his crazy speed when fully flighted... he was a pretty grumpy bird until i clipped all but 2 of (longer) flight feathers. and hes has calmed down dramatically and still be able to fly back to his cage from across the room. 
it turned him into sweet boy.


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