# How soon to bond? Encourage or go at bird's pace?



## juniper (Sep 18, 2010)

Hi All,

We just got a new tiel this week. Our sweet and loveable Kippy got out and flew away. For such a little creature his presence filled our home. We miss him so much.

Our new guy is much larger than Kippy was. The store told us he was 6 months just but he has all his colors and is a lot heavier than Kippy who was just about a year and much lighter. When I mentioned this the manager said that it really depended on the bird in terms of size and age for color change. 

It didn't take Kippy long to adjust at all, maybe a week and he was comfortable on us. But with our new little guy, Juniper, we're finding he's much different. It's only been a few days and once he 'flies' out of his cage he's sort of comfortable sitting on our shoulders for awhile. He was fine doing this in the store, let me get up and nuzzle him and talk to him while he perched on my finger. He was in a cage with his sister and he's solo now. 

One thing he does that Kippy didn't do is pace back and forth on the bottom of the cage. He flock calls off and one but he doesn't respond at all to any audio of other birds like Kippy did. I don't think he's eaten or drunk anything since his arrival either though of course he may be doing so at night.

Anyway sorry for the long ramble. I've forgotten what it's like to be a new tiel owner. This seems like a great forum.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> One thing he does that Kippy didn't do is pace back and forth on the bottom of the cage. He flock calls off and one but he doesn't respond at all to any audio of other birds like Kippy did.


He's looking for the birds and/or people that he knew in the past. He'll get over it and form a flock bond with you but it'll take some time. The important thing is to build trust so don't try to force your attention on him. You can speed up the bonding process by holding treats in your hand (like millet spray or sunflower seeds) for him to eat.


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## juniper (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks, tielfan. At this point Juniper doesn't seem to have any interest in food at all, or water. 

I'm just hoping that he'll eventually calm down enough to stop hissing at us when we come too near him. He's fine with us putting our hands in the cage to change food, water etc but not near him. 

He doesn't show a lot of interest in trying to get out though we've been leaving the cage door open. He paces back and forth on the side opposite the open door so not sure what that means. I guess patience is the key here.


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

Good luck With him and sorry for your loss of Kippy. I believe it's common for them not to eat or drink for a while when they're new. Just sit by him and talk softly to him. Make sure you post some pictures so we can all gush over him.


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## Velvet (Jul 30, 2010)

Hmm...I also thought of another idea. 

Maybe, you could open his cage door, and sit on the floor outside of it and eat something. He may try to investigate what you are eating. If you make it something that he can eat too, you could offer it to him. 

If it works, you could try it every day or every other day, and eventually he may come out to you, and eat some  (hence bonding and trust also)


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## juniper (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks, Cassie. Kippy was such a good little friend. We miss him so much. We are getting to know Juniper more each day but it's clear that it's going to take more time for Juniper to trust us than it took for Kippy. Perhaps it's because Kippy was much younger when he came to us. 

Here's a picture of Juniper.


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## juniper (Sep 18, 2010)

Velvet, we must have cross-posted. It's funny you suggested that because that's what I was doing today with that idea in mind. Kippy wanted *anything* we were eating so I thought perhaps Juniper might be interested but no go. He flew out of the cage once today and after a bit of freaking out trying to fly he easily walked right up onto my flat palm and spent some time on my shoulder and then my head  but that's it. He flew back to his cage and spent most of the day perched on top of it.


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## Velvet (Jul 30, 2010)

Yes...lol..I noticed our posts crossed. We must of posted at the same time 

Well...that's a start though. I think to keep it up, and see what he does. It is still interaction


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If he's not eating at all, hang up some millet spray and greens in the cage. A bird that's too nervous to stick his head in a food cup will often feel safer nibbling on something that's hanging up, because he can watch for danger while he eats.

Don't worry about bonding until he's started eating. For now, just focus on making him feel as safe and secure as possible so he'll be more willing to eat.


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## juniper (Sep 18, 2010)

That's great advice, tielfan. I never thought of that and it makes so much sense. Thanks, I'll try this.


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

You might try scattering a bit of his food on the newspaper on the floor of his cage. Freddie was more comfortable eating like that at first while he was still really nervous. He still likes to eat off the floor of his cage some of the time. You might offer plain Cheerios, too. Mine all love Cheerios. It's something you can hand to him and hold for him while he eats it, and it will help him trust you. Building a bond is something that constantly goes on, too. Once you have a bond, you keep building on it.


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## Clawsworth (Nov 9, 2009)

Great advice here. I'm also trying to bond with my new 'tiel, and she's super skittish and only likes being in her cage right now as well. She's 10 weeks old though, so perhaps it's the personality of the 'tiel rather than age. (I got Nimbus at 5 months old and she bonded with us very quickly.) 

I've been just walking up to her cage, asking her to step up, and handing her millet when she does. This seems to be helping, but she's still very nervous. Best of luck to you on bonding with Juniper, and sorry for your loss of Kippy.


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