# New Cockatiel



## milo12 (Oct 25, 2016)

Hi 

We adopted a new Cockatiel about a month ago. He is 2 years old. Just need to ask few questions
I got it for my son. 
He is semi tamed. He let us scratch and eats from out hand but doesnt eat from our palm. We are trying to make him sit on out finger so that we can take him out of the cage and put him back. He seems to be more friendly with my kids then us as they spend more time with him.
I have gone through the threads with training just want to know approx how long will it take. I know it depends on the bird but sometimes my kids just loose patience and they want him to be out of the cage. Is there any other way where we can put him back to the cage easily. He usually sits on top of the cage but doesnt seem to go back. We once left him out for 2 hours and then at the end have to catch and put him back which he obviously hated it. Thats one of the reason I dont want him to come out doesnt want him to scare him more. 
Also he eats seeds I tried giving him fruits and veggies but he doesn't eat that. Is there a way to make him eat or do I just let him stay on seeds. 
He used to whistle but not anymore does that mean he forgot how to do it. I always whistle to him to encourage him.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I have gone through the threads with training just want to know approx how long will it take. I know it depends on the bird but sometimes my kids just loose patience and they want him to be out of the cage. Is there any other way where we can put him back to the cage easily. He usually sits on top of the cage but doesnt seem to go back. We once left him out for 2 hours and then at the end have to catch and put him back which he obviously hated it. Thats one of the reason I dont want him to come out doesnt want him to scare him more.


There really isn't a time limit. Each bird is going to go at their own pace and it depends on how often the bird is worked with. Have you tried putting the bird back with a stick instead of your hands? Birds are normally more afraid of hands than anything else. 



> Also he eats seeds I tried giving him fruits and veggies but he doesn't eat that. Is there a way to make him eat or do I just let him stay on seeds.


Keep trying with new foods. Offer them an hour in the morning before you give him his seed, that's when they're the hungriest and it may entice him to eat them. Also, try eating them in front of him and seeing if he will eat it then. It takes time and lots of patience to have a bird.



> He used to whistle but not anymore does that mean he forgot how to do it. I always whistle to him to encourage him.
> Edit/Delete Message


He hasn't forgotten, he just isn't comfortable doing it. Tiels normally won't do things like that if they are nervous or scared. Keep singing and whistling to him. He'll pick it back up eventually.


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## milo12 (Oct 25, 2016)

Thanks for the info. Yes I tried the stick he seems to be more scared with that then with hands. Will keep trying the hand. 

Also another question do we need to change his seeds bowl everyday or every second day. I find it hard to tell if he has eaten all of his seeds and only the skin is left. I usually change it every second day.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's up to you. I usually changed mine every day, just to be sure they had fresh food and enough food for the whole day. But I also fed mine pellets as well, so they had both available at all times.


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## kr90au (Aug 4, 2016)

To be perfectly honest cockatiels are NOT a kid's pet and you should rehome the poor guy if he's merely the kid's play thing... fromw hat you described you had a happy tiel that is turning into a stressed out bird, being handled by young children unsupervised is going to end up in tradegy and bloody fingers and screaming kids. Goodluck


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Joey doesn't like to step up on a finger, either. He willingly steps up onto the perch of his food dish, and I put him back into his cage that way. He spends most of his time either on top of his cage, or the back of the couch near me. 

Today he decided to fly into the bedroom, and wander around on the floor for a bit. I let him walk for a while since it is exercise, then offered him is dish to step up on. He happily chattered at me all the way back to the living room. He just seems to have no interest in standing on a finger, and I don't force it. I'd rather have him happy and trusting, riding a food dish, than fearful and timid because I insisted he step up on me.


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## Netts (Nov 2, 2016)

Try him with fresh celery, apple and raw Brussel sprouts. That is what my 3 month tiel seems to like the best after his millet spray which is used as a treat.


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