# Bored 'tiel



## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Cookie, my little bird-girl, seems to be so bored! I work from home so she's out of the cage for the entire day. We moved in about a month ago and she's still getting used to the house, not 100% comfortable yet, but she's not very active during the day. She has a lot of toys in her cage but doesn't really care about them. Her most active time of day is in the morning right after she wakes up, and she loves exploring the kitchen. Other than that, she's very quiet. Our house is overall very quiet too, no kids, so I'm sure that affects her mood as well. Anything that I can do to keep her more entertained?


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

Well, there's always trick-training which you could look into, but are you sure she's really bored? What does she do? Murray is also pretty active in the morning, but in the afternoon she just potters about on the desk chewing a few toys and boxes, snoozes on my shoulder and flies to the cage occasionally to bat-wing. I thought that was pretty normal...I wonder what more experienced owners think?


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## Jaguar (Jul 11, 2014)

Cockatiels generally don't really run around and play and make a ruckus like some of the other species do. They really like to be involved in what their "flock" (you) is doing, though - I would try to involve her in your everyday activities such as eating together, doing paperwork or chores, watching tv, etc.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Yes, she likes to get involved in what I do. She eats when I eat, and shreds papers on my desk when I'm doing paperwork. When I'm on the computer, she just sits on my lap and snoozes, though, until she wakes up and asks for scritches. I bought her a nice easter basket and filled it up with paper toys, thinking that maybe she could play with that when I'm on the computer, but she's not that interested.


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

To be honest, that sounds like Murray! It never crossed my mind that Murray could be bored. 

I'm sure she'll get into the easter basket in time, but they do often take some time to get into new toys.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Charlotte, maybe it's normal, and maybe I'm overreacting. It's just that my house is so quiet that I'm wondering if Cookie might benefit from higher levels of activity. I also read somewhere that they adjust to the activity level of a house, so it makes sense that she's quiet in a quiet environment. 

Sometimes she goes through phases:she's very active for about 20 minutes, then snoozes. When she wakes up, she gets super hyper for another 20 minutes, then snoozes to recharge, and it's like that for the whole day!


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## phronima (Jan 12, 2015)

My tiels are a bit like that - in the mornings they are super active, they want to be out and paid attention to. 
If I have time they'd be out for an hour or two, after that they want to snack and nap! by late afternoon they would want to be out again until it's bed time

I always thought that's just normal for them .. maybe mine are lazy


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

CookieTiel said:


> Sometimes she goes through phases:she's very active for about 20 minutes, then snoozes. When she wakes up, she gets super hyper for another 20 minutes, then snoozes to recharge, and it's like that for the whole day!


Yes I noticed that too! Although as Murray has got older, the gaps between naps has got bigger and the hyper/sleepy cycle has levelled out somewhat compared to when she was a baby. Cookie and Murray must have similar lifestyles  I live by myself with Murray too, so they both have a pretty quiet home I suppose.


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