# My cockatiel is too dependant on the other one. How do I tame him individually?



## Luti-Kriss (Dec 23, 2009)

I've got 2 'tiels. Ones a whiteface the other is a pastelface. The whiteface has been attached to the pastelface ever since be was bought from the breeder by the former owner. I think the pastelface has become his comfort. 

So I thought since taming was already going so well, I would separate them into different cages so I could give them individual attention. And well, it's not going well with the whiteface. Before the separation he was letting me pick him up and pet him! Now he'll hiss at me if I get close to him, and freak out if I try to get him to step up on my hand. All he does when he's outside his cage is run from me and make desperate attempts to get to the pastelface's cage. The only time he calms down is when the pastelface is with him. 

How can I tame him without him freaking out that he's not with his buddy?


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## clem&peeps (Nov 17, 2009)

Hi Luti-Kriss
I don't think separating them now is a good idea. If they have already bonded with each other keeping them separated could be to stressful.
I've been very successful training two birds that share a cage. 
If the one bird is more tame then work on that bird for now. The other will learn to trust just by watching you interact with the tame one. After a while start with the less tame bird, but have both birds in the same room.
Hope this helps


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## Luti-Kriss (Dec 23, 2009)

Yeah I put them back together anyways for now because I didn't actually have a place for the second cage. I'd been putting it on top of a table that I have to use every day haha. So it made an even bigger mess for me.

But how about for future references? Like a year from now? How would I handle them? I have a big feeling he'll freak out if I take him away from his friend still.


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## clem&peeps (Nov 17, 2009)

Are you able to take them out of the cage? If you can have them out together or one at a time but stay in close proximity of the other. 
I don't no if you have come across this site before but she has some good training tips.
http://cockatielcottage.net/bite2.html


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## Luti-Kriss (Dec 23, 2009)

clem&peeps said:


> Are you able to take them out of the cage? If you can have them out together or one at a time but stay in close proximity of the other.
> I don't no if you have come across this site before but she has some good training tips.
> http://cockatielcottage.net/bite2.html


Before I separated them yes I was able to take them out of the cage. Only if I took them both together though. And once I separated them it was no bueno. 

Yeah I've come across that site. I always forget to look at it though lol. Thanks for the link.


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

When you separated them, could they still see each other? If so, that could be part of the problem. If you want to keep them individually, while you're taming them, it's best to have them in different rooms - and if they couldn't hear each other that would also help. 

If you're going to keep them together, you still have two options - take them out individually and work with them in a different room (where they won't spend all their time trying to get back to their cage) or you can continue to work with the tamest one, and keep slowly working with the less tame one, and hope that watching will help to bring the less tame one round.

Do they have names yet?


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## Luti-Kriss (Dec 23, 2009)

Mythara said:


> When you separated them, could they still see each other? If so, that could be part of the problem. If you want to keep them individually, while you're taming them, it's best to have them in different rooms - and if they couldn't hear each other that would also help.
> 
> If you're going to keep them together, you still have two options - take them out individually and work with them in a different room (where they won't spend all their time trying to get back to their cage) or you can continue to work with the tamest one, and keep slowly working with the less tame one, and hope that watching will help to bring the less tame one round.
> 
> Do they have names yet?


Good advice. Thank you 

Nope I don't have names for them yet. I'm just taking the time to get to know their personalities and all that. And also going to get the whiteface DNA sexed before I name them just to make sure its a male.


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