# She seems really uncomfortable...



## Xylv (Dec 23, 2011)

I got my very first Cockatiel four days ago, and I don't think she had the greatest start in life...
She's a pet shop bird, brought from a place that knows nothing about them, obviously. the cage she was in shouldn't even have had one tiel in, let alone about twelve. When they took her out they asked if I 'cared which one I got', and when I picked her they grabbed her quite viciously with a towel and glove.
They also told me to feed her grit.
Now she's been back here with a few toys in her cage (I didn't want to overstimulate her considering the sort of life she had before) and I haven't seen her eat, I've seen her take a few sips of water, but most of all she just sits on top of her ladder all day and she sleeps there, she doesn't play with any of her toys and doesn't explore her cage very much. (I've seen her clambour around it about twice) 
When I put my hand in the cage to change water/food she will stare at my hand and if I get very close she'll slowly move away. She doesn't hiss or look aggressive at all, she hasn't made a single noise either since being here.
She just seems really miserable to me :c

Sorry if this doesn't belong here, but I'm slightly worried about her.








This is her, her name's Macca. Sorry for blurriness!


EDIT : I took her food out for a little bit and she moved over to scrape at her cuttle wondering where it'd gone! I put it back in and she immediately scrambled over as soon as my hand was out of the cage, but she's sat back on the ladder again.


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## col (Sep 10, 2011)

just give her time as everything will al be new to her, just keep eye out make sure she does eat


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

It's common not to see a new cockatiel eat or drink for the first few days in a new home but if the poop looks normal then you know he's eating and drinking. Be patient, he will eventually start to explore and have fun, he just needs time to adjust. Take a look at Lperry82's taming thread in the training and bonding section, very helpful advice 

P.s I think macca is a boy he has a very white face.


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

Give some time. Shei is so beautiful!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Hi and welcome 

First off you might want to start calling a *him* he is approximately a 6 month old whiteface male. Given the age it will take him awhile to settle in. Please remember everything new is a change and he has to adapt to these changes.

Since the shop used towels and gloves the bird has probably developed a fear of these, so I would avoid anything similar. Many tiels can be afraid of fingers, so you might want to fist your hand and present the back of it for him to step on. Try at first with just the fisted hand in the cage door until he gets used to you. It is not as threatening fingers.


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## Xylv (Dec 23, 2011)

Thank you everyone ! 
Augh, that pet shop's information was awful, really bad.
Thank you for the information and whatnot, he's already started moving about a lot more, exploring about. There's a little mirror there and he was pecking at it before. I've seen him eating and drinking now and he's been preening himself too.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

I gave Grey a mirror when I first got him and it ended up causing behaviorial problems (hissing, warning nibbling, and just being very mean!) He didn't want to spend time with me, because he was too busy staring at himself. He also wasn't eating and drinking like he was supposed to because he was just staring at himself. I ended up having to take the mirror away and he became an exploring happy little bird who ate and drank. But every bird is different, so it might not be an issue like it was with my Grey.


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## Xylv (Dec 23, 2011)

He doesn't seem all too interested in that mirror now, but thank you, I'll keep an eye out to make sure he's okay. I've heard of those sorts of problems before, are they common?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

In males they are as they will see the mirror as a mate and try to defend it. If it gets too bad you can take it out and only let him have it during play time as a special treat.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

My male cockatiel Kirk doesn't have issues with it. He will sit in front of it for a large part of the day and sing to himself..and lick the mirror. Haha, he is a bit of a nut. My other male Luna isn't even interested in the mirror and never has been, the only time he sits by it is to get in Kirk's way to make him upset.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

bjknight93 said:


> My male cockatiel Kirk doesn't have issues with it. He will sit in front of it for a large part of the day and sing to himself..and lick the mirror. Haha, he is a bit of a nut. My other male Luna isn't even interested in the mirror and never has been, the only time he sits by it is to get in Kirk's way to make him upset.


lol. Luna! Cockatiels are such kids.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Your new tiel is very cute. I'm glad you've given him a good home.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Luna is ridiculously outgoing so he is the instigator of all things..stealing toys, chewing on the blanket where the other tiels are trying to chew, getting in between Kirk and his mirror buddy, claiming his part of the food bowl, chasing Kirk. And then he tries to outsing Kirk...of course Kirk taught him how to sing so they both sound the same so it just gets loud and consistent! But Luna is my favorite--a real snuggle butt with people but not birds.


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