# Am I going in the right direction?



## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

Hi guys, I just have a few questions about bonding, and want to know if I'm on the right track with what I'm currently doing.
I just got my first tiel, Harlow, on Monday. He's eight weeks old and was hand-reared, so he's been pretty great from the start.

He steps up, but I have to go to him - he won't come to me. He'll eat millet from my palm and take it if I offer him a spray, so I think that's just a matter of time and him getting used to me. Am I right in thinking this, since he'll step up and take food?

Tonight he flapped down to the floor and rather than pick him up immediately, I sat down with him and had a whistling conversation with him. He responds with a lot of interest in me when I whistle, and he eventually climbed up my my leg and chest onto my shoulder without me touching him once. I felt that was terrific progress.

He initially made complaining noises whenever I tried to stroke him, but he's letting me very lightly stroke his back now without complaining, and he sits on my shoulder and grinds his beak for ages.


The major way I've been bonding with him is through whistling - he's already learned to mimic a particular whistle and he's contact called several times when I've left the room or covered his cage. He seems more interested when I whistle to him than when I offer food to him, so should I keep pursuing this as a way of bonding?


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

It sounds like you're doing a great job so far.

One word of advice, don't stroke his back, it gets them into a breeding mood... He may still be a bit young for that yet, but when he gets older it could become a problem. Head and neck are perfect for scratches.

As for the complaining noises, are you sure it wasn't happy sounds? Screech still gives off a soft peeping sound when I give her cuddles, and she's almost over her first moult.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

I'm fairly sure he's complaining, since he makes that noise when he tries to pull away. He does it when I get too close to his face (which sometimes happens when he's on my shoulders or I'm offering him food on my palm), if I try to scratch his head, or remove feathers from his beak and nose.

I didn't realise back-stroking got boys in the mood, I'll avoid doing that.


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## Flappy (Aug 28, 2008)

Aderyn said:


> One word of advice, don't stroke his back, it gets them into a breeding mood... He may still be a bit young for that yet, but when he gets older it could become a problem. Head and neck are perfect for scratches.


Is it the same with females? I've been stroking my females back. She's 18 weeks old.



Rouille, sounds like things are going great. It's a whole lot easier when they've been hand-reared!

My tiel won't fly to me from her cage.... she sits on the door and starts to look frustrated, until i go over and offer a finger. She sometimes looks like she's going to try by leaning forward a little. Having said that, she has flown onto my arm from other locations quite a few times. That's a good feeling, as she has free roam of the room, and chooses to fly to me.  I just call to her from closeby, with my arm out, and tap my arm.

You must be so pleased he climbed to your shoulder. I was really happy when Misty did that. She seems to prefer my shoulder to my finger, and likes preening my hair.

My relationship must be a little different to yours, as Misty is female and doesn't whistle. Just the odd chirp. So she's really quiet!


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

"Is it the same with females? I've been stroking my females back. She's 18 weeks old."


Yes. I definitely know that you shouldn't stroke a female's back for that reason.

He loves my shoulders, it's great having him there, he keeps falling asleep.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Back stroking is a definite problem with females. The male stands on her back during mating, and putting your hand on her back sort of simulates that. I don't think it's as much of a problem with males, but in any case you don't want to be touching their rump area a lot. It's stimulating when you get too close to the "business zone".


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

I know a lot of birds have 'no-go' zones. Perhaps Harlow just doesn't like having his face touched? Also think about how you approach him. Moving your hand towards him from above could make him feel like he's about to become your dinner. Lol. If possible, move your hand towards him from the bottom, or on a level with his face.

I know my ringneck, Belle, is not a touchy feely bird and whenever I move my hand above her head or try to stroke her she freaks out and flies away. 

Blizzard doesn't like being touched full stop, and when he's in the cage and I move to touch him, he throws a hissy fit. Literally.

Screech doesn't really like my shoulder. She can't get decent scratches up there. She prefers sitting on my hand with her beak hooked on the bridge of my glasses, or else on my chest when I'm sitting/lying down. 

I'm not sure whether males are stimulated by back stroking or not, but I do know I'm not taking a chance. My Screech is not going to be a mommy anytime soon so I avoid sensitive areas on both of them. Call me paranoid, but I'm terrified Screech's gorgeous personality will change when she gets hormonal.:blush:


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

the stroking is for all birds no matter the gender - its best to keep it around the neck and on top of the head 

I've also read that if you want your bird to talk, Don't start with whistling - because whistling is easier, it'll make a less chance of them talking 

I don't know how true it is - but all my males tiels only whistle and make off the wall noises (Squeaky bed mattress sounds, car alarm sounds) but i've had them for a year and i've talked to them every day and still nothing but whistles


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

I don't mind if he just whistles, to be honest. He's very vocal and had a large range of whistles he liked to repeat even when I got him. I've also been talking to him a lot, just repeating simple phrases like his name, and saying "'morning, Harley" when I uncover his cage, and "'night, 'night Harley" when I cover him at night, as well as "Hop up" and "Hop down" when he steps up, and "be back soon, Harley" when I go out.

When I say I stroke his back, I mean that I stroke him around his shoulders/base of his neck. Is that still bad? 

I always approach him at leg/feet-height when I want him to step up - never from overhead. If I need to reach for him in an awkward place, I'll reach around and under rather than from behind or above. I have a lot of experience handling prey animals, and I know to not approach them from overhead, or in a threatening manner.


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

That's where I stroke my babies, and so far no problems. I try not to go lower than that.

Screech doesn't like it when I reach up to take fluff off her beak or something similar. But she will shove her head into my hand if she feels I'm ignoring her. I wouldn't worry too much about Harlow complaining when you touch his face, it could just be his way of saying 'stop fussing mom!'


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

Oh, I don't worry, LOL. If he has fluff that needs removing, I remove it - he has a talent for getting feathers up his nose and stuck in the corner of his beak.

He never hisses or tries to bite, so maybe he really is just trying to get me to stop fussing!


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

Tell me about it! If I turn my back for one second, Screech has found something to get stuck on her beak. It's ridiculous. Who needs kids when you can have animals? LOL.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

Oh exactly, that's so true. I'm always having to rub his beak between my finger and thumb to get little feathers unstuck from it, not to mention the fact he eats like a two-year-old and smears food all over his chest and gets it stuck on his leg band constantly.


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