# Dude`s in training.....



## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

So week 2. Now that Dude is settled in nicely. I thought maybe its time for some hard core training... hahahaha

So in the first week , since the day I got Dude every day we have practiced stepping up. Stepping up without the verbal command because I didn't want him to repete this if he was to become a talker.

Every day practiced just while we were sitting watching tv or just playing around we took some time to step up continuously onto my finger...over and over and over and over and...well you get the point.

Now whenever the finger is presented he will automatically step up without having to be persuaded. (Well done dude *thumbs up*)

Also since day one I've been doing the magpie call (3 note whistle that magpies sing in the mornings) and I do it soooooo often so many times a day that I find myself doing the "magpie call" even when im out shopping or driving my car !!! I think i`ve over done it and its a subconsious thing now that happens even when Dude isn't around...LOL.

Just wondering how long they take if they ever do learn to whistle on average ???

I must mention also that dude was 6 weeks when I got him. He is now 7 weeks. 

Dude is sooooo super friendly to everybody and is soooo sweet and funny. And can't get enough head scritches. He eats all his vegies and is learning that the toys in his cage and ontop of his cage and lots of fun ! And anything paper if fun to rip up. And has a new game of.... throw every toy / ladder off the top of the cage and see my owner pick them up 50 times a day !

( I think Dude is training me , clearly not the other way around )

He loves to hang upside down and flap his wings on his perches and is liking the misting baths that I am giving him sometimes.

I`ll make this like a mini blog that i`ll update every week or so. I`d love to look back in a few months and read it and any input you may have is more than welcome too.

I`m so proud of my Dude and just want to share him with the world


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

Freddie does the hang from the perch and flap the wings, too. I was thinking he'd lost his balance and was trying to get back upright, but maybe he's just playing or exercising or showing off.  

Of course it's him training you and not the other way around. All mine have me very well trained. Pet me HERE. No, HERE. NIP. I said, HERE! LOL


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## Safwah (Mar 3, 2010)

Good work on the training, looks like you have an eager to please tiel. As far as talking, i never owned any tiels the talked but a few that whistled tunes, it took maybe 1-2 months before i heard them repeating my whistle. After the first one they learn they seem more eager and quicker to learn more.


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

Cool thanks... im hoping he will learn atleast a few little whistles....

My kid on the other hand is determine to make the bird say "thank you".




He sounds like he almost has a wolf whistle ...but that's not a whistle that he has heard coming from around here many times.... I don't whistle anything else except the "magpie song" because I REALLY want him to learn that first. Its so pretty and reminds me of magpies in the morning. Wolf whistle will come next.


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## Safwah (Mar 3, 2010)

Try at least a couple of different tunes, you never know the tiel might just hate that whistle and never repeat it. But like i said once they pick up one the rest follow.


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

What! They pick and choose what to learn ?!?! Knowing my luck that I REALLY want him to learn the magpie whistle, I bet he never chooses that as one to repeate !

Ok i`ll add some variety then...lol.


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

My cockatiel, Blitz taught the wolf whistle to Sadie when I first brought him home. It took him a little while to nail it, but now he does it all the time. Sadie is nearly 10 and I couldn't believe he picked up something new... especially from another cockatiel! I think the wolf whistle is one of the easiest tunes for them to learn, but Blitz was a really fast bloomer, he was doing the wolf whistle and repeating all kinds of random stuff by the time he was 1 yr old. Now he mimicks the cordless phone's "beep, beep" when you turn it on and off. Sounds just like it! He also mimicks the smoke detector (he learned that on one of the rare occaisions my grandma cooked when I lived at home!) lol He says "pretty bird" in my voice (kinda scratchy) and then he says "purrty!" in kind of a high pitched voice! His most annoying song is his very own (non-taught) free style version of the wolf whistle! It is a really drawn out repeating of the wolf whistle, as if you were to see a down right smokin hottie!! lol He also goes to chattering and he tries to mimick a laugh but it just sounds wierd! 

Oh btw, male cockatiels usually start vocalizing and singing when they reach sexual maturity but they can start before. I think Blitz was around 6 months when he started (right around the time of his first molt). Good luck with the training!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Sounds like Dude is doing well 
Spike said his first words pretty bird at 12 weeks old, 2 weeks after I brought him home


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

Ok. Well now i`m wondering what will come from him...lol

He hears the smoke alarm all the time (it goes off pretty much every time u use the oven even if you don't burn anything) so being a rregular sound he might pick that one up too... (hope NOT!)


Does anyone have any females that whistle and talk??? I`m wondering if Dude might be a female as he doesn't display any clues as to what he is... he's just a quiet bird who loves affection and likes to be silly hanging upside down. But he doesn't "talk" much and never screams out loud. When I put him in his cage he might protest a little bit with some babble while sitting at the door to let him out again.

And he squeeks when were hanging out together. But other than that he's quiet. 

Don't want to jinx myself and end up with a screaming cockatiel but dudes the quietest bird I've ever owned. And I've owned ringnecks and rosellas and budgies and ducks and chickens even who make more noise then him! I had a male cockatiel about 4 years ago he died so i`m kinda comparing Dude to what he was like. Totally different in every way appart from both craving affection...so I dunno really. Not really a comparison cause I got no idea. 

How much is a DNA test in aus ? I`m impatiant and want to find out? And is it blood dna or how do they get dna


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## kfelton0002 (Mar 12, 2010)

I'm not exactly sure on the price, but it's fairly inexpensive. They can use feathers (freshly plucked), blood (from toenail), and even the egg from which the bird hatched as sources of DNA.


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

ok so dude is now working on my son training my son to not be so scared of him when he is out and about.... i quickly caught a photo on one of the RARE occasions my son will even let the bird near him.... you can see how stiff he is and how much he is trying to stand still so that i will hurry up and take the picture then get the bird off him....

its a slow process no idea why my son doesn't like the bird unless it is on or in his cage... only then will my son pat the bird and feed him treats. but if DUDE even thinks about flying to my son or walk in his direction my son does the bolt !

but dude is patient and knows with a little love and gentle nurture the kid will come around and not be so afraid








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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

*updated*update*update*

Dude is doing well... he has learnt to follow my voice... If i`m in another room and I can hear him fly to the ground from his cage I can call him and no matter what room I am in he always walks to me ! Even when im in the bathroom....lol!

And the best UPDATE of all ........... Dude has learnt to wolf whistle already !!!! I've heard it randomly a few times over the last few days but it sounded like the wolf whistle but was a little bit off.... but yesterday and today he is spot on ! Dude wolf whistles ! *woooohoooooo !!!* i`m so proud he has learnt that in 2 1/2 weeks !!! Still hasn't done my magpie song though, that i`ve been desperatly trying to get him to do.

Dude is a champ ! *thumbs up again for dude*


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

What DOESN'T Dude eat ???........ so far i`ve only found 1 thing Dude won't eat and that is chilli... i`m so happy Dude will eat everything I give him because I read about so many cockatiels not eating vegies / fruits or only eating certain kinds... ! 

I gave dude a slice of a corn cob. And stuck it onto a wooden skewer to hang in his cage. And he is eating it ! He eats absolutly everything I give him..... not going to have any worries with him on a varied diet ... so far in 2 1/2 weeks he has had and loved....... cockatiel mixed seeds (except for sunflower seeds) brocoli, spinich, parsley, grass, capsicum, bukchoy, choysum, lettuce, mealworms, corn, apple, pineapple, millet, carrot, orange, strawberries, cooked brown rice, a bit of a sao biscuit, celery, pear, cucumber..... I don't think i`ve forgotten anything else that he has tried. But i`m so greatful I have one of those birds that just follows the book and complies with EVERYTHING that is good for him....

And I still can't believe he is wolf whistling at me...he's doing it right now as I sit near his cage , while he plays ontop of it.... its soooo exciting ! I thought it would take MONTHS to learn... but no! I have one smart bird ! 

What a champ !


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

YAY! I caught Dude, on the camera video setting, doing his wolf whistle.. I hope I can upload it soon on a p/c so that you can all see how smart my baby bird is !


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Sounds like he is coming along really well. Just you wait until Dude starts wolf whistling non stop like a broken record.. all three of mine do it now! I taught Cheeky and he taught the rest! Now I have all three doing the same tunes over and over and over again! haha


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

He`s gone to bed now... but all night he wouldn't stop wolf whistling... he was babbling to himself for ages then every few mins he would wolf whistle...sometimes really loud other times quietly to himself.
I think maybe he liked the attention he was getting because my son (7yr old boy) hasn't heard him do it before and was hearing it for the first time tonight and he was very impressed and proud that "his" bird could whistle like that now. My son himself has only recently learnt to whistle really good so he feels that's a big achievment for the bird too.... LOL

They were wolf whistling together all night long..untill both passed out and went to sleep finally !!!

Now hoping he will do the magpie song next! Or say hello.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Yeah Dude  That is great that he is doing so well


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

Thankyou. I am as proud as punch. He is an amazing exceptionally smart bird. 

I am sooooo happy i`ve striked lucky on this awesome bird. One top champ he is !


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

i hope this works..... Dude doing his whistle ! and alot of me convincing him to do his whistle....lol... must be camera shy.. because he does it all the time untill you pull out the camera! 

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/sunnysunnysunny/?action=view&current=dec09321.flv

let me know if it works if not hmmmmmm have to try something else

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfOIVl1bJ9w

(i don't know if its just me but i cant get any sound :-( works on the original file on my p.c but not once i upload it onto anything... grrrrrrrrrrrrr )


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

My baby boy has learnt some new things ! Yippieee !

He can do the call whistle. The one you make when your trying to call a dog to come back or whatever...hehehe and he can also to kissing sounds. Its soooo very cute !

And he mixes up the wolf whistle with the kisses and the kissing sounds and makes up his own little tunes and songs with it all....

Dude is soooo smart and clever ! And a fast learner!

So very proud !

Oh and the quiet dude I use to have the one that I claimed doesn't scream and make lots of noise.... well he is apparantly gone and now I have the loudest cockatiel ever ! Ok well it is only sometimes...but my gawd ! Talk about ringing in the ears when he wants to scream!


Dude`s nearly 10 weeks now .


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

I thought it was time for a update.
Dude is nearly 15 weeks now.
He has come along really well with his whistles. Has heaps of whistles now. Wolf whistle. Come here whistle. Magpie song call. This other whistle we made up. And his own version of all of these whistles put together . He mixes them all up and makes his own wistles. He does kiss kiss sounds. And is trying to say "hello" and "hey dude", but that isn't very clear yet. But he's got the right idea. A little practice he`ll get it.

Dude also will always come to you when you say..."come on dude. Come here dude" .
Where ever he is he`ll fly/walk to you straight away.

He likes his bath tub (look at signature for proof...hahaha)

And he's enjoying sunshine outside without getting scared now or constantly calling to me to come back and get him because he's worried or scared. He loves "talking" to the other cockatiels in the aviary behind us. He's never seen the birds but when he is outside they can hear one another and call out to eachother.

And dude and my cat get along without a problem. I`m not worried when Noah(cat) comes inside when dude is outside his cage. Noah just ignores dude now. Dude follows noah and trys to bite his tail . Well what tail noah has since he only has half a tail from a accident.

Umm what else. 

Dude eats everything ! Except certain seeds which I have to grind and mix with vegies to get him to eat the seeds he doesn't like to eat (sunflower seeds and whatever those white tear drop seeds are)

And Dude loves everyone. He is sooo friendly.

Oh and he is having his first molt already. Some new flight feathers coming in and lots of pin feathers and molted feathers around the place.

Were getting a harness in a few weeks. Dude doesn't mind being handled and scritched all over his body. So adjusting to a harness hopefully won't be to hard.

My kid isn't scared of dude anymore either. They love eachother. And my boy is happy to open dudes cage and get dude in and out on his own now without freaking out and dropping dude. He learnt dude doesn't bite hard. (Never has) so nothing to be scared out.

Im using this "diary" to come back in like months or years from now and read back how dude was when he first got him and as he grew. Hence all the insignificant details...LOL

Dude is awesome ! So glad we have him!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Sounds like your little sweetie is coming right along!!! It's a really good idea to keep this so you can look back on it in the years to come....


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

Ok update time.

Dude is talking! As well as his many whistles he's saying bye-bye (not 100% clear on that one but its understandable) and hello and hey dude and one he made up 'hey hey hey hey'.

Dude is molting still. Lots of yellow on his face now. And is as spikey as a echidna. But still of so cute !

Oh don't forget smokey the smoke alarm. Dude still thinks he should be as loud as he can being a smoke alarm. Many people have heard it when I am on the phone. And he likes to do it many many many times a day. But we have worked on a few tactics to lessen the ammount of times a day he pretends he's a smoke alarm.

We have also been on the hunt for a friend for dude. Not much luck so far but some promissing breeders have our contacts and I have theirs for when birds start breeding again. (Approx 10 weeks according to 1 breeder . Thet should have eggs and babies by then)

Dude is also showing mating behaviours. His cockatoo toy is the "lover" who gets lots of special attention every night from dude.
*sigh* my baby is growing up.

Atleast he is still sweet and friendly gentle and as cuddly as ever. Sooo sweet. I love dude.
And so does everyone that meets him.

Oh Dude has been introduced to the wonderful world of shopping and car rides. And he loves them. 

Meal worms are still the favourite food and he still doesn't like sunflower seeds unless you take the shells off for him. *uh!* i`m a slave to a bird...LOL.

Sooo that's about it for now. I`ll update in a few weeks when more stuff of interest happens.

Oh maybe I should add he is 17 weeks ! Well close enough to 17 weeks.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Hahaha Dude has quite a personality!!!


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## Berdnerd (May 20, 2010)

Dude pictures, please! I need photographic proof of the yellow on his face


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## dude (Mar 29, 2010)

So dude is doing great. Thought I should update.

Big news. Dude has a friend. Although he doesn't know it yet.
We have a new bird. A white face lutino named Peppermint Pip. Aka. PIP.
We are pretty sure its a girl but a DNA test soon should confirm. She is sweet as pie and so gentle and nice and just always wants to be with people. She is a super good flyer even though she is only 10 week and has both wings clipped right down. Awesome bird, another great find.. Her and due with their mellow attitudes should get on awesome when the time comes!

Back to Dude though. I thought molting was nearly over but he Is still loosing a lot of feathers . So I guess its not over yet. Some flights and tail feathers have fallen and are growing back in. 
Still deciding if I should keep him clipped or let him be flighted. But so far i`m leaning towards clipped dude to a small house and lots of dangers in the room he is kept. 

Oh I got dude new toys today...LOL/ a drum and a guitar. He is going to be a punk rock star now. And Pip will be his hot girlfriend. 

Dude and pip both like pellets. There was no converting or tricking them into eating them . They both eat everything you put into their cages. So easy sucess trying new stuff there!

Dude hates his harness. He attacks it when he sees it laying around. But once he has it on he is fine with it.

I also got a travel cage for them. Its cute and they can be safe in the car and still see everything and I don't have to worry about them climbing over to me and causing a accident. Its a cute cage! 

Hmm what else has been happening...

Oh meal worms are still his favourite. I tried them with pip too but she was to busy trying to eat the container they were in rather than notice the worms. 

Dude has stopped missing his lover since I took the white cockatoo toy away. It was a depressing 2 days though! Lucky he got over it after 2 days and stopped circling the spot and stopped looking all sad and depressed.
Back to his happy self ! Spends his days eating and playing and getting me to scritch him as much as possible.


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