# training help



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

my tiel, chezzy sometimes grinds his beak/falls asleep when i talk to him he often falls asleep/preens in my prescence or eats as well.

but, he hates my hand going into his cage. he opens his beak if he is on his food bowl when i put my hand in. he has a huge door, so often i leave it open and close the door so he can come out on his own but he often doesn't.

is there anything i should or shouldn't be doing? i have to put my hand in his cage daily to change his food/water.

EDIT: I'll now include training/bonding updates on how he is doing!!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

That's normal for a new 'tiel. They're frightened of you intruding into their territory. It's a warning signal, it doesn't mean he hates you. It's a personal space thing and something you shouldn't worry about. My little Honey does the same thing but behaves differently when she's out of her cage.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=22073 Check this out...it should help with the taming.


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

okay, i'll check that out again as well uvu 
thank you!!

i was just nervous about him hissing and such.. since he gets ready to bite sometimes and im nervous if he was caged all his life?? i mean, he did escape [ or something ] since he was found flying around.

also: on the 3rd im going to the vet for the first time // getting his wings clipped.
im nervous he wont be as tame [ i mean, he hates hands, but he'll step up on a wooden perch, after biting it once or twice ] afterwords.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Getting his wings clipped will help with the taming process. It'll mean he can't fly away from you as easily when he feels like it, and will be more dependent on you. It should help you alot.


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

CharVicki said:


> Getting his wings clipped will help with the taming process. It'll mean he can't fly away from you as easily when he feels like it, and will be more dependent on you. It should help you alot.



yes, i read about that. so i decided it would be safer as well [ my room isn't completely safe, but its the safest room in the house ] since he sometimes flies out when i do step up training [ i let him come out of his cage, and feed him millet ] he tends to start to fly, then stops, but when he does fly he often hits walls.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

He's still adjusting to the new environment and that can take time. Clipping will help. He can sense when you are nervous as well so try to be as calm as possible and do not freak out if he lunges at you. Go at his pace and always try to end a training session on a good note.


----------



## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

I think positive re-enforcement would work better to tame him. By clipping a bird you're forcing them to be with you. Birds are prey animals and this is detrimental to their emotional well-being as well as physical. There are many benefits for flight, but I won't state them. Don't want a debate haha! 

Try clicker and target training, you'll soon find you have a different bird


----------



## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> He's still adjusting to the new environment and that can take time. Clipping will help. He can sense when you are nervous as well so try to be as calm as possible and do not freak out if he lunges at you. Go at his pace and always try to end a training session on a good note.


+1 

Have you looked at some of the training stickies? They're very helpful!
I'm currently working with my boy, Maverick too. He's gotten pretty good outside of his cage and is now a champ at stepping up on a perch, but inside his cage is another story. Right now, I'm just trying to let him know a hand in his cage means his favorite treat - millet. :3


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

yes! im working on the one where you hold your hand in, but i keep it there and slowly move it closer and then keep going from the beginning until he's 100% ok with it being there.

hes being really silly right now with his toy, he is bowing his head so he wants scritches/too be pet but its not doing anything so he gets mad at it and does quick bites before trying again! i think, once he's tame he will enjoy scratches


----------



## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

LOL! Mav does the same thing with his bell. XD He let me give him scratches a couple of times before but he's still skittish of fingers.  

Looking forward to hearing yours and your tiel's progress! You could start a training log/thread for him!  It'd be neat to be able to look back on how far you've come. c:


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

I guess I'll just use this thread. Today, was pretty good but he started to freak out and kept flock calling me and flock calling me even when I called back and I went back into the room with his cage to try and comfort him. I covered his cage [ slightly, enough to keep him slightly warm I guess since I keep my AC on at 65 degrees ] and turned the lights off which calmed him down. I didn't want too, but he seemed really stressed out and I'm not sure why? This was around 9:00ish EST, and I usually put him to bed at 10:00ish EST and wake him up at 8:00-8:30ish EST.

Also: he started saying "pretty pretty bird" and repeats a variety of different tweets randomly during the day!


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

*Day 1 Training.*

Day 1: Food bribery!

I'm going to be posting here, about how food bribery training is working with Chezzy. I don't want to make anymore topics! He seems very eager for food as well. I'm using millet, and I have one small one left so I'll have to get some more tomorrow lol. He is a monster and gobbles it all up, I usually let him pull his face away 3 times then I take it away. 

I first dropped some millet pieces each time I came into my room again [ he is kept in my room with my budgies, I usually spent half the day in my room or more depending if its nice outside ] Eventually I started to stop dropping it into his food cup, he ate the smaller ones right through my fingers! But I started to drop them so I just used the full one.

I think food bribery is going to work well! I sometimes open his cage door as well, but it squeaks so he opens his beak as a warning signal when it closes usually.. is there anything safe I could do to stop it from squeaking? 

:cinnamon:


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

Day 2: Food Bribery

I countiued feeding him through the bars, though a few times he would hiss and bite it but then realize it was millet. I'll feed him it through the cage bars until he stops this or only does it 1-2 times. Sometimes he also wouldn't even eat it and just try to bite it [ towards the evening ]. He is doing [ so far ] better on day 3!


----------



## corgie (Jun 24, 2013)

Day 3 & 4: Food Bribery.

Very few times did Chezzy hiss or bite the bars when I would give him millet! He very happily eats it, but sometimes he is unsure but then gives in which is really cute.

I started earlier [ day 4 ] to try to feed him in his cage, with no bars between us but he wasn't interested, and ignored it. I tried it again, and he ate the millet after giving in eventually lol. I bought him 2 new wooden perches today as well as some new toys that I hope he'll enjoy ~ The vet said I needed 4 different food cups, so I bought two extra ones to keep his seeds, pellets, veggies/fruit and water in. I'm very proud of him today!

:cinnamon:


----------

