# Baby Bonding



## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

So, as some may know, my birds had babies. Well, the eldest two's eyes have begun to open and they can now see what I look like. I don't handfeed them, the parents feed them, but I go in the box once in a while to hold them and warm them and give the parents a break. Anyway, ever since their eyes opened up, the make a crying/hissing sound. Is this good or bad? Is this because they have just opened their eyes?


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

If it is a hiss they could be a bit scared but if it is a static radio type cry they could be begging for food


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Anyway, ever since their eyes opened up, the make a crying/hissing sound. Is this good or bad?


The moment their eyes open, baby cockatiels seem to have an instinctive hatred of everything that isn't their mom and dad. Here's a short video of three of my chicks telling me how much they hate me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcMKZtr4NeM

I eventually started co-parenting (pulling the chicks once or twice a day for handfeeding then putting them back in the nest) because I found out that just handling the chicks is a slow way to make them stop hating me. After three days of handling only they were still screaming like this and I felt like I was stressing them. But it only takes one or two handfeedings to turn them into my friends!

BTW they won't beg you for food unless you start handfeeding them. Before that they're completely unaware that you could be a source of food, they treat you like an enemy.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

He he, I forgot about the scary snake sway  Spike did that to me when he first came home.


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Yeah that is the same exact sound that mine make! They act just like yours too tielfan! They get used to me once they are in my hand. They don't care and snuggle up in my hands and close their eyes. But, when I open their box door is when they start hissing at me. They don't even mind me grabbing them, it's just when I open the box.....


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## RubyFeuer (Nov 5, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4HhIiXE9ME


if it sounds like that they are probably just hungry


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Well, I found out it was really that they were freaked out by me. But, everyday I have taken them out and held them in my hand and given them scratches on the back of the head. They seem to love me now and don't hiss. They beg for scratches every time they come out. lol. . So, everything is working out. Yes! The only problem is that I haven't gotten a purifier in my bird room, so it's getting kind of stuffy and hard to breath. I really need to go shopping for one or will get worse when these babies are older.


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

So, I said I was bonding right? Well, I missed one day of bonding, and they turned on me! They hiss and snap everytime they see my hand! Grrrrr.....Oh well, I will keep trying....


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

oh bless


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Thanks iperry82! They just too small and innocent to be mad at hahaha. Guess, I'll keep trying.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Im sure they will come round very soon


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Well, I hung out with them longer yesterday, and they seemed to be more calm after awhile


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## shelagh (Nov 2, 2010)

That's great news!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's how mine were...my hubby worked more with them than I did because I had to work all the time...the girls are pretty calm, the youngest one the most but I think that's because he played with her the most. The boys fly away from us now any chance they get. But once I hold them, they don't mind, its just the getting them part that's hard. Trust me, if at first you don't succeed, try try again!


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

So the bonding has gone great! The oldest loves me to death and will not let go of me. The younger two are still hissing at me, but I'm sure they'll get over that. I wanted to ask, like children, do chicks forget things after one day? It feels like when they are younger, they forget who I am so quickly. The eldest is now 3 weeks old and remembers who I am, but the younger ones are like "who is this FREAK!" hahaha


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

lol i dont know but it felt like that when i got lucky bonded on the day next day had to start all over again lol


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

They are doing so much better now! Yay! The eldest two are not scared of me anymore. The only one I need to work with is the last one. Wish me luck with him, he seems to be the most resisting...


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Good luck  Im still trying my best with lucky still, hope cookie dont follow her
Think only way to get a super tame bird is handle them from day 1, maybe one day i might get little babies myself


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Exactly, it seems that way. I will keep pushing, though, until I have reached the point of mutual bonding. lol. I sound like such a nerd.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Iv just copied loads of info just incase  be nice to bond with the little chicks
do you see them as your own in a weird way lol as i do with my baby bunnys lol


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

I do! I've bonded with all three and now it's going to be so hard to let them go!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Its so hard when you gotta let them go


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

It is. That's the reason why we got my dog fixed. We didn't want babies because we knew we could never let them go.


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

Well, now that the babies can fly, they don't want anything to do with me. hahaha. I was expecting this from the beginning.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

same with cookie so i clipped his wings and get some bonging before he start moulting
and he has be so cuddly tonight  coming up to me giving him scritches and kisses
got cage next to me and a perch towards me and he comes over and wolf whistles


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> now that the babies can fly, they don't want anything to do with me.


Hold some nice treats in your hand for them to eat. They should still be suckers for that!


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

I'm going to do so today when I get home from church. Thanks. I'll tell y'all how they are in a little bit.


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## tweetycockatiel (Nov 18, 2010)

Can I request for a picture lol

mine are 8days old now, when they are 12 days old I will start handling them while the parents are out so that they will be tame aha How I wish I could fast forward the time lol so excited.


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## mpayjr (Aug 16, 2010)

I tried that, but I didn't have any luck. It was like they would forget who I was by the next day.


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## tweetycockatiel (Nov 18, 2010)

I'm handling the oldest right now just for a minute only, because he start to open his/her eyes hope I would have a luck of taming this babies, because I dont have the knowledge of handfeeding in case of its emergency I will come to vet and let the vet teach me


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