# Are females easy to train tricks?



## Foobzy

I am getting a pearl-pied cockatiel and I've heard most pearl pied are more than likely to be female, especially if the mum cockatiel is pied, pearl pied or lutino. earl:

At first I wanted a male but it's impossible to tell the gender at 3 weeks of age unless it has a DNA test. After doing more research I now don't mind if it's either male or female because they both make just as good pets and each have their own benefits. 

However I would like a bird I can teach tricks such as flying from person to person when called, flying alongside you when in a harness when you're running or on a bicycle, the 'eagle trick', somersault on a perch or finger and maybe even fetch etc lol. I know you can't force a bird to do anything but would a female cockatiel usually be willing to do this? Will they enjoy it? Are they as easy to train as males? 

I can't find this information on the internet anywhere!

Many thanks,
-Foobzy-


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## roxy culver

First off, having a bird fly beside you outside is a very very bad idea and I would never recommend it. You are just begging birds of prey to swoop down and steal your babies or for your baby to get attacked. That's never a good idea. 

Females can learn just as well as males can. I taught my girl Cinnamon to fly to me on command and well let's be honest, I didn't really do anything, she just always wanted to be with me. Clicker training will work very well in training them to do anything. Females are no harder to train than males are. A tame bird is going to be a lot easier to train than an untame one.

As to gender, if the mother is NOT a visual pearl, all pearl babies are female. If the mother is a pearl pied, then there is a chance that the baby is a male, because she's carrying the pearl gene. Females can not be split to pearl, they can only be visuals. Good luck!


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## Foobzy

Hello Roxy Culver, that's great advice. Thank you so much for your help!

I will never let my cockatiel fly alongside me now, which is a good thing and that's great news that female cockatiels enjoy learning new tricks too. I feel this needs to be more evident on the Internet. We should start a campaign on YouTube showing how great female cockatiels are because males seem to get most of the credit. Both sexes are just as great as one another 

So about the harness and flight line, would it be OK taking a cockatiel outside in an open area where you stay in one spot, keep a constant eye on your bird and look around for any predators? (With the harness on!)

I know the aviator harness for example comes with a flight line that extends to 50-80ft. What would you say is a safe distance to let your bird fly provided you keep an eye on it?

Thanks for your help, Foobzy.


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## Haimovfids

The main reason people want males is because they don't have to deal with egg production. It's a lot more work when you're trying to get females to not lay eggs. It could strain their health and possibly cause death if too much are laid.


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## roxy culver

Honestly I wouldn't take them outside to fly in the first place. Not worth the risk. You can never 100% bird proof the skies. And I'll be honest. When I took my hen outside on the harness she was so petrified she never left my shoulder. If you want them to fly, let them do it in your house, not outside. 

Males get most of the attention because of their singing. Most people when looking for a bird want one they can teach to sing and talk. Male tiels are more likely to do this which is why there is more information about males then females.


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## tielbob

Just to add:
A hungry bird of prey will do some surprising things to get a target bird. My dad was used as cover by a small wild bird who was trying to avoid being killed by a hawk. The small bird was darting every which way around him while the hawk was trying just as hard to get its target. The hawk wasn't put off the least by my father's presence, but did give up after awhile since the prey bird was successfully evasive.

If he'd had a bird on his shoulder or otherwise tethered with a harness the hawk would have easily had the pet bird.

... so Percy stays inside


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## Foobzy

Thank you so much for all your help, advice and input Haimovids, Roxy Culver and Tielbob, I had no idea of how common this was and you're absolutely right, nothing is worth losing your beloved tiel over! Thanks for helping me understand.

Tielbob, that's quite a story! Thank you for sharing. I never realised wild birds of prey were quite as fearless as that!


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## Haimovfids

> Males get most of the attention because of their singing.


I admit I completely forgot about that. Having only a conure for a year made me forget. Conures don't really have that singing ability as cockatiels.


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## Shockadine

My first worry about the harness and bicycle thing was the bird ending up in from of your wheel. But you said you weren't planning to do it now so no need to elaborate on that.

Female cockatiels take to trick training just fine. Here is one of my girls doing tricks. https://youtu.be/6b24afzggt4


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## tielbob

Foobzy said:


> Tielbob, that's quite a story! Thank you for sharing. I never realised wild birds of prey were quite as fearless as that!


My dad was really surprised to see that odd-acting bird darting every which way around him - circling him and flying around each leg - dad had no idea what the 'crazy' bird was up to... UNTIL very quickly the hawk joined in  Then dad realized that the little bird was smart - dad was the only person or object in a completely open area so the little bird used him as cover! It was a desperate move and it worked. Shows what a hungry bird of prey will do for a meal.


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## roxy culver

> Tielbob, that's quite a story! Thank you for sharing. I never realised wild birds of prey were quite as fearless as that!


We had a member a while back lose a male right in front of her to birds of prey. He accidentally escaped her aviary and as he flew up they attacked him, tearing him to shreds. Never underestimate them.


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