# When does it get to the stage where enough is enough?



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Emmit is a darling, and I love him, I really do.. but he's so clingy it's just getting a tad too much now. I don't want to ignore him and I give them (the ones that're tame) each an equal amount of one-on-one time, but Emmit would rather be with me all the time and he's not exactly a bird-bird, he's definitely more of a people-bird. 

I had him out with me earlier when I got home and I went to put him back in and he kept flying to me, and he'd squeal when I put him back in.. I feel really bad, but do you think maybe spending less time with him would fix this, or is it not enough time? I try and spend roughly 30 mins with each, sometimes a bit less because I do like them to have a fly around and do whatever they want to do when they have their out time. 

He also fights for my attention, if one of the others are getting scritches, he comes comes over and attacks said 'tiel, it's the same while they're out, he's always on me when they're out and like I said, I spend equal amount of time with each, but it's like he is always wanting that comfort and feels left out when he's not. I wish I could reassure him, but that's a bit hard to do!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Try offering food treats for not being clingy. Find a moment when he's entertaining himself and give him a treat. If possible, back off immediately before he starts clinging to try to get another treat. But in any case be strong and don't deliver another one until he's entertaining himself again.


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

It's funny you should mention that Solace, because my least tame tiel Chip is becoming like that (which is REALLY weird, seeing as he is the least tame!). He's the only one who HATES head scritches, but will always come over and attack one of the other tiels if i give them head scritches. I havent really done much to stop it, but im interested to hear peoples opinions.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Do you guys think that your birds both being male birds are seeing you as their mate literally and it is their job to defend you from the attention of the other birds? Are they more aggressive towards other males getting head scratches or maybe the gender don’t make any difference? I don’t know on that one how a bird would react to females compared to another male getting head scratches? 

Just my idea on the situation.


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

Two of my hens, Pearl and Kenzie are exactly like this. Pearl was handraised by me and Kenzie was a rescued baby. They both can't handle being too far from me and they both have to be physically sitting on me at all times. They also get so frantic when I put them back in their cage and walk away. 
Although in saying that, Pearl is settling down a lot now, she is much less distressed to be away from me than she ever used to be. I'm not sure why but it seemed to improve when I moved the birds from the aviary to the cage and have them much closer to me all of the time.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

tielfan said:


> Try offering food treats for not being clingy. Find a moment when he's entertaining himself and give him a treat. If possible, back off immediately before he starts clinging to try to get another treat. But in any case be strong and don't deliver another one until he's entertaining himself again.


I'll try this, thanks!

Jenny, I think that could be exactly it. I got Emmit when he was pretty young (11 weeks old), but from get-go, he was attached to me. I've never had a 'tiel so clingy, not even Theo and Charlie are this clingy and I hand-raised them from 3 weeks old.

He does this towards the females too, not just the males. But perhaps he was just one of those clingy birds since he was a chick, I mean, being taken away from your mum and dad isn't exactly something to be happy about, so he's reverted to clinging to his owner. I don't know, but I feel ever so bad when I go to the scratch one of the others and if he sees, he's over nudging at my fingers within seconds.


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## jerry2006 (Oct 10, 2008)

I think you need to consider rehoming Em.
Because I am devoted to all my animals-there are just not enough hours in the day---and because I have 1 bird (rescue)- 2 cats (rescued) & 2 champion Welsh Springer Spaniels, as well as work full time-I realize I am at my animal limit & can devote the hours needed to each species. There must be a balance-as well as time for family!
Jerry


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

jerry2006 said:


> I think you need to consider rehoming Em.
> Because I am devoted to all my animals-there are just not enough hours in the day---and because I have 1 bird (rescue)- 2 cats (rescued) & 2 champion Welsh Springer Spaniels, as well as work full time-I realize I am at my animal limit & can devote the hours needed to each species. There must be a balance-as well as time for family!
> Jerry


I wold consider rehoming to be an absolute last resort, an example would be if Emmit gets so distressed when on his own that he starts to pluck excessively or develops some other type of extreme nervous habit. The best way to help encourage him to be independant is by using the positive reinforcement method Tielfan mentioned.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would also reward him when he is playing by himself. Spike is pretty clingy aswell and when he goes and plays by himself I call him a good boy, since that is Spike's favourite reward to be called a good boy by me


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## cinnamon (Jul 16, 2009)

You could rehome him to me! My two are not too interested in people. I would welcome a clingy tiel. Please consider yourself lucky to have one that loves you so much. I bet he calms down with time.


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## danii25 (May 8, 2010)

Aww, See I'd give anything for me tiel to be clingy. Instead he just bites me everytime I pick him up and wants nothing to do with me lol


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Lol, I could never rehome him, or any of my others.. they're like my own kids.  

He's still doing the same thing despite doing everything I can; and it may be a good thing, but not too much of a good thing because problems can arise if he gets to be way too clingy - such as him starting to pluck and such.


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## Berdnerd (May 20, 2010)

I don't have any advice, I just wanted to say that Emmit reminds me so much of my Little Bird  He was hand raised from 3 days on and was super duper attached to me. He liked everyone, but could not be without me. He made that hungry baby bird sound even when he was 3 years old (and I know he wasn't weaned early, he didn't wean completely until 13 weeks!)! He was the sweetest little guy, so incredibly tame. Little Bird's been gone for 4 years now but I still miss him. Treasure your time with Emmit, even if he is annoying and too dependent on you


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Fuzzy is my clingly one...he wants my attention no matter what I'm doing and will follow me around the house even to the point that if I let them out and go to the bedroom he follows me in there. I think they see you both as their mates, that's what I have always thought with Fuzzy even though he has started breeding with Cinnamon. Since then, he's not so clingy anymore, which is better and gives me more time for the others! But I agree, try the treat reinforcement and let us know if that works!!!


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