# New owner



## Newcockatielmom (Nov 30, 2009)

hello,

My boys just got a teil for a pet, I was told he is 10 months old. He was sold with a female, but my brother inlaw is keeping her. She is friendly and is not afraid. My bird Rudolf is scared to death of us, he wont let us hold him at times he will hiss. But then at other times usually at night he will sing up a storm and be playful. But if i attempt to put my hand in the cage to take him out or get him to step up he freaks out. He shakes too, also he has a few balding spots? is this normal? I bought some anti stress food and he came out the cage once, he wants to know whats going on. but its almost like the female was taken care of and he was not... any tips on getting him to trust me?


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

Ok, well the first thing to do is to completely stop trying to make him interact with you. Cockatiels are wild animals, born in captivity. All the instincts that he has, are identical to those that a wild cockatiel has. Parrots aren't like dogs which have been domesticated. We need to earn their trust. For a cockatiel in the wild, being in a new place can means danger, and being alone means danger. He's now in a strange place, with strange sounds and noises, his flock (the female) has been separated from him, and he's completely disorientated. Cockatiels have two main periods of activity - in the morning, and in the evening, so these are the best times to work with him. How old are your sons? They're going to have to be very quiet and very gentle and very very patient with him, before he learns to trust them, but with time and love he should become a wonderful companion to them. 

Where is his cage set up? Living rooms are good places for parrots as they can feel part of the flock and involed with everything, but to begin with he may be finding things a bit overwhelming. Make sure his cage isn't somewhere people are constantly going past it quickly, but where he can easily see everything that's going on. If he seems very nervous, you could put a cover over the top, sides and back of the cage. Doing this means he only needs to protect himself on one side and give him more confidence, but if he's singing then he probably doesn't need this. Now for training. 

Talk to him in a low voice as you're going around doing things in the room, and tell him what you're doing etc. Let him get used to you being around. If he's calm enough, sit next to the cage (or as close as he'll let you, before he gets nervous), and talk or read to him. If you can, make sure you're slightly lower than him, as this will make him feel safer. As he gets used to you, he should let you sit nearer to the cage.

Next you need a reward. This should be something he only gets from you. Don't leave it in his cage at all. If he has access to it anyway, he won't have any motivation to work for it. Millet sprays are a good treat to use for this. While you sit next to the cage, he'll hopefully get used to you and become interested. Offer him the treat, holding it up to the bars of the cage. Don't put your hand inside yet (only when you have to to change his food/water and don't try to touch him). Once he's eating the treat from you on the outside of the cage, you can move on to the next step.

Hopefully by this point, he should be associating you with the treat. Open the cage door and put your hand in, holding the treat. Don't try to move your hand towards him, just hold it in the doorway with the treat, still talking to him, and let him come and eat the treat. Repeat this a lot until he stops hesitating before going for the treat. Now you can begin to teach him to step up. Hold the treat so he has to come near your hand to get it. Make sure he's confident being around your hand before you go any further. Next hold your hand or finger in front of him, and hold the treat so that he has to step on to your hand to reach it. As he steps on tell him "up". Repeat this until you're both confident with it, then start taking him out of the cage.

When you're doing this, always keep your voice gentle and low. If he bites you, don't react at all. Keep training sessions to 10 - 15 minutes and try to end it positively. Don't rush things, wait for him to be confident with the current step before moving on to the next. It could take days, or it might take months to get him confident with you. Make sure he's getting plenty of sleep. He needs 10 - 12 hours of sleep every night, undisturbed (i.e. no TV noise, etc).


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## Newcockatielmom (Nov 30, 2009)

**

Thank you for responding so fast, yes his cage is in the living room, he has to know where you are! lol He does not like the cage covered on the sides unless he is sleeping due to him wanting to know everything that is going on, my sons are young ( 3/5) so the house is never quite unless at night (mainly when he sings more) But I see him adjusting more. The boys know not to touch the cage and not to be screaming around it. I was told to get a towel and hold him with it but not to pet him? I have done that, but just to get him sitting on top of the cage. He likes it up there and since has learned to use the latter to get down. Is this wrong? He seems to be taking to me more,weird cause I was never a bird person but im taking to him too, and wanting to learn more about him. If I ask him where mama's pretty bird it when all is clam in the house he will go right to the mirror and whistle! He has since stopped hissing at me when i change the water and food, he will open his beak as to get ready to bite but in a gental but firm :mom: voice I say no and it seems to help. Is the balding on the head normal? I was worried about the stress level due to just finding out the owner would not sell them separate thanks so much!!


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

Is he a grey with a nice yellow face? If he is the balding could be a result of plucking by another bird - probably the female. The feathers should grow back in a few weeks, if there's no folicale damage. Lutinos (all yellow, with red eyes) sometimes have genetic bald spots which don't cover over.

I wouldn't use a towel on him. If that's the only way he's been handled so far, then that would be a good reason for his lack of trust. Generally towelling is only used to restrain a bird, like for having their nails trimmed. It's much better to build up trust without it. Everytime you use the towel could wear away some of the trust you've earned and make bonding harder. It sounds like you've got a good start though. 

See if he'll step on to a perch, or just leave the cage door open for him to come out on his own for just now. =)


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## Newcockatielmom (Nov 30, 2009)

Thanks so much! Tonight he ate Millet sprays from me and came 1/2 way out the cage on his own!! I was so excited! So Im giving it more time and he is singing away as im typing! lol


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

It sounds like a fantastic start.  He'll get used to you with time.


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Aggree with Solace,

just do everything slowley, I have a Tiel who was in a small cage for 4 years without much human attention, he was just like your bird to begin with but now months on he has changed so much, ok he still doesn't like to be human handed and he doesn't like hands trying to grab himbut he will allowme to give him scritches with a plastic rod and he will now take food from my finger, it's a big start for my tiel and im so happy with his progress


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