# I posted in breeding but i took the nestbox out



## stephlong1988 (Jan 25, 2009)

my 2 cockatiels are not in the least bonded with me and they bite and really hard they have drew blood twice on me i haven't reacted but its just getting worse. i have only had them for a week and they are constantly wanting out of the cage so i let them get on top to their playgym. they won't let me pick them up they are all over everything and the only time i can pick them up they know up from the previous owner is when they get on the floor and start walking around. i am about at my wits end. if i leave them in the cage they made the most horrible noises. i don't think they like the cage at all. o and any tips to get them to stop opening the cage doors and getting out by themselves


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I used to have birds that did that. One of those clamp rings that holds toys if it's small enough not to allow them to get their head thru the opening. A small metal clip. I have found those in a hardware store. I have even resorted to zip ties in a pinch but you need something you can take on and off easily. Those metal clips worked the best for me. They were only 59 cents each and small enough to fit between the cage bars and keep the door from opening at all.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

How big is there cage? The minimum cage size for one tiel is 18x18x18 inches. To secure the doors on my small travel cage I used a bit bird safe string at the top of doors so the could not slide up.


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## stephlong1988 (Jan 25, 2009)

*the cage is way bigger than that*

this is their cage and pics of them when i first got them they were a lot nicer


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

A nest box can have a very negative effect on a birds attitude. They want to protect their nest site so you become an invader to be evicted. It may take them a week to get out of that mode. Make sure they get at least 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. That really helps


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

That looks like a nice cage  I just seen a video of two tiels on you tube they were in a tiny cage and trying to get out, so sad. I would try and get some clips or zip ties to secure the cage, so they can not hurt themselves trying to get out. Iam not a fan of guillotine doors, I am sure once you secure them you should not have any problems


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If you can get them to step up on a stick it'll solve some of the hand-biting problems. Many birds are more comfortable with a stick than a hand anyway so they might be happier this way.

I use safety pins as a cage lock, but these seem to work better for people with small fingers. You want a size that's big enough to be easy to handle, but small enough that the bird can't squeeze its head through any slots when the pin is on the cage. A dog leash clip is also an easy to use cage lock, and they're cheap and easy to get at hardware stores.


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