# How long was it until your bird would allow touching?



## Vizkiz (Aug 11, 2014)

I've had my bird for about a year now, but he still isn't very eager to be touched. He'll step up just fine, and I really feel like we've bonded too; but whenever i try to touch his head or his chest, he bites. I've gotten to the point of him letting me examine his wings though, which seems weird to me. I'm just wondering what you all have experienced.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

It really depends. Some birds never really enjoy being touched.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

I have a young tiel I hand raised, All 4 of his clutch mates were very snuggly, cuddly babies he hates to be touched and will hold a grudge for days if you even try.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

ParrotletsRock said:


> I have a young tiel I hand raised, All 4 of his clutch mates were very snuggly, cuddly babies he hates to be touched and will hold a grudge for days if you even try.


Yeah, in my experience temperament plays just as big a role as history, if not moreso. My male that I hand raised from 6 weeks of age will SOMETIMES allow scritches on just his head, but only on his terms. My two girls are parent-raised birds who never had any human socialization until I adopted them at several years old, and they're both total cuddle bugs.


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## TexTiel (Mar 17, 2013)

I'm still working on touching Pickles. He won't let anyone near him. Not even with treats. So it might be a very, very long time before he steps up or lets anyone touch him.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Rocko is a year old now I have him 7 months and he lets me touch him everywhere he letted me touch him basically as soon as he got tame and he begs for scratches.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Joey was a year and a couple months old before I could touch him. First it was short belly rubs, then longer ones. Then I could touch the top of his head. At first it was just a touch, then I could wiggle my finger on his crest area a couple times, then a few times before he was finished. One day he was allowing me to rub his crest area, then flopped his head to the side and offered me his cheek, then the back of his neck. He still won't step up, but he is a scritch junkie these days. As mentioned above, some birds never allow touch. Some take to it right away, and others take a while to get there. Patience and making sure it is all on the tiel's terms is key. Try, slowly and gently, but watch for signals from the tiel.


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

Some birds just don't enjoy being touched or being given scritches. And some birds just take a lot more time than others. 

Missy _lives_ for scritches and touch! Ozzie...not so much - it's been over a year since I've had him though and _once_ in a great while this cuddly little bird will peek through and he'll ask for and accept scritches.


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## Tisena (Sep 28, 2013)

Sammy and Blizzy accepted and asked for scritches quite early, I've had Mack over a year and I can do near anything but scritch his head. Flynn is hand reared and DEMANDS scritches, and I'm still taming Willow and Pippin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## angelica (Jun 13, 2015)

*when will my cockatiel stop biting*

my cockatiel will finally come out of her cage by herself now. she still bites and hisses at me she will not let me touch her especially when she sits on top of her cage. the only time I can touch her is if she flies down on the floor and she needs my help to get back up then she wont bite me and she'll get on my hand to get back somewhere safe...why won't she let me touch her? sometimes she will even eat out of my hand then when shes done she will bite me..every morning she chirps to tell me to open her cage. I have to sing to her for her to go back to her cage and she will fly back but sometimes don't know how to get back in


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## CosmoBird (Jan 14, 2015)

I got Cosmo from a pet shop where he was in an open top tank with a bunch of skittish tiels. I've had him for about 8 months. I tamed him and he knows a few tricks and whistles 

He does not enjoy being touched. He'll turn around anytime I try to sneak it, so I don't get too far. I do straighten his tail feathers really quick with my hand when they get all out of wack. He mostly doesn't enjoy it, but kinda puts up with it because I'm helping him. 

But! When we are in the shower it's another story! He gets so relaxed with the water going he does not mind me petting his little head with my finger. He'll close his eyes and chill there. He'll almost fall asleep he is so relaxed so he doesn't care. But once he is on top of the shower door or on the faucet drying off...forget it! No touch!

Goofy boy, I wish he could understand that he is missing out on the wonderful world of skritches  

I recently tried to put my finger out and touch him when he does his call. He is silly when he does his calls, he'll put his beak down on my hand and call to it. So I figured I should catch him at that time. Well he let me stick my finger in his cage towards his head but would move anytime I got close so I didn't push it further.

Ugh how did everyone get their tiels to love skritches?


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## estypest (Jul 31, 2014)

Hmm, I can't remember with Maxi .. I got her when she was sooo young, she soon bonded to me and has always enjoyed getting scritches.. However she doesn't like being touched any where else, apart from putting up with me putting my cheek against her wing if she's on my shoulder (you can tell she's humouring me ha). But Maxi definitely wont let anyone else touch her, any where at all ! 

I think generally cockatiels aren't too keen on being touched (a generalisation I know, as they all have their personalities), unless they are bonded with someone/happy to accept scritches. A year seems long enough with your bird, maybe in time he will allow scritches, or maybe not. Strange he lets you examine his wings!


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