# Hand-taming three older birds



## hanaflynn (Jun 27, 2010)

I just rescued three cockatiels, two males and a female. They are a year and a half old. They came from a house where they were neglected, kept in a small cage with 2-5 other birds and fed only sunflower seeds. But they are now healthy (all three have gained weight and grown since I've had them!) and eating a slightly more varied diet, although I'm afraid to take away the sunflower seeds, since that seems to make up the bulk of their diet. They are also fairly friendly. They will eat out of my hands, and seem to like it when my boyfriend and I are in the room with them. However, they aren't hand tame--they won't sit on our fingers or let us pet them. We haven't really pushed it, since we've only had them a few weeks and don't want to lose their trust.

Any tips on how we can get them used to being handled? I know this topic has come up before, but reading over the posts, it seems like my birds (named Sadie, Buddy and Dewey, by the way) might have a somewhat unique constellation of traits and circumstances. 

Also, any thoughts on getting them off the sunflower seeds?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Birds love sunflower seeds - that's the seed that my crew eats first. The only effective way to limit the amount they eat is to limit the amount you offer. Try offering just a few every day, and watch to make sure that they make up for it by eating more of the other foods.

One alternative is to not put sunflower seeds in the cage at all, and hold them in your hand instead. This isn't either/or, you can put a little sunflower in the food cup and offer additional sunflower in your hand. Gradually maneuver so that the bird has to put a foot on your hand or get completely on the hand/finger to reach the seed, and soon you'll have birds that will step up.

Head scritches will take longer, but once your birds trust your hand enough to step up readily, you'll have a better chance of persuading them to allow petting.


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## hanaflynn (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for answering. I have another question, about something that happened today....

One of the birds is friendlier than the others, and he'll do the "step up" command onto a stick, but not a hand. I was doing this about an hour ago, while the female, who is is mate, watched closely. After I put him back in the cage, she came to the door and seemed to want to get on the stick. After a few tries, she did, but then something startled her and she started flying around the room, screaming. This upset the other two birds, and they both flew out of the cage as well. When they all finally landed, I had to pick them up, rather than let them get back into the cage on their own, because I live in a studio apartment and I didn't want to risk one of them flying into a window or behind the refrigerator. The tamer male let me pick him up and return him to the cage, but the other two had to be toweled. 

After they were all back in the cage, they were very still and looked tired. After about half an hour they started preening and eating again, although it took them a bit longer to begin moving around the cage. Now they seem almost normal, except they're very quiet and they're all keeping an eye on me, even while preening and eating. I know I should give them some space, but it's hard because, as I said, I live in a one-room apartment.

I feel terrible about this, and I'm worried it set them back in their taming. Will something like this make them lose their trust for me? Also, if they don't know "step-up," how can I get them back into the cage if I need to? They love to perch on top, but I don't want to leave them out when I'm not home. 

Sorry for the long message, and thanks in advance!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I don't think this incident will set them back, tiels can get scared for various reasons sometimes and its not your fault. Until they start stepping up you're probably going to have to towel them when you want to put them back in their cage until they learn to trust your hand. It doesn't so much have to be step up but if they'll let you pick them up without the towel then that's some progress.


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

hanaflynn said:


> Thanks for answering. I have another question, about something that happened today....
> 
> One of the birds is friendlier than the others, and he'll do the "step up" command onto a stick, but not a hand. I was doing this about an hour ago, while the female, who is is mate, watched closely. After I put him back in the cage, she came to the door and seemed to want to get on the stick. After a few tries, she did, but then something startled her and she started flying around the room, screaming. This upset the other two birds, and they both flew out of the cage as well. When they all finally landed, I had to pick them up, rather than let them get back into the cage on their own, because I live in a studio apartment and I didn't want to risk one of them flying into a window or behind the refrigerator. The tamer male let me pick him up and return him to the cage, but the other two had to be toweled.
> 
> ...


Don't feel terrible because it happens, but yes, it is likely it could set your training back because the work you were doing was associated with something scary. You won't know whether or not will have a big impact until you work with them again. I have a Regent parrot that I am working with who had a scary incident outside of his cage and hasn't come out since, in a couple of months so I just keep giving him the opportunity and will be there to help him when he's ready.

I know you didn't mean to towel him but I would be very careful about using the towel. Toweling (unless a bird is desensitized to it) is flooding and very frightening for the bird. I would definitely try not to do that anymore if you can help it


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