# Bigmikey36's help thread.



## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

I am having a similar problem except with Belle she was about 7 months old when i got her have had her for a month. She is a beautiful lutino. She was never handled by the so called breeder and i have been on the site that i got her from and let people know the state of their birds. Anyways i have tried so hard to show her love and reassurance but she runs away from me at every opportunity and just when i believe i'm making progress i get what i got today...a bloody hand bleeding from several nasty bites that she managed in about 4 seconds. This can't go on much longer as her behaviour is starting to negatively effect the way my other bird chico acts towards me and he has never been anything but loving but now he sees her biting and he has taken to a nip or too as well. Can someone please help me, i'm at my wits end and if this goes on much longer i will have to move her off to a breeder or something and i really do not want to give up on her


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

I've created this thread for you, it might get you more help than asking a question within somebody else's thread.

Now to answer your questions. First off, if she is that bitey I would use a perch to get her to step up, don't use your hands until she is more trusting of you. I understand completely what you are saying about Chico picking up on her behaviour, they are so smart that they do copy from one another. Is there any way that you can have them in separate rooms and try training her away from Chico? Of course, if they have been together for a little while, they will call (scream) to each other, so it might not be practical. Another idea would be to take Chico out of the room when you are trying to train Belle. I'm pretty sure that given time (a month isn't that long really) she will be ok, it's just a matter of can you stick it out until it is ok? Hopefully somebody else will drop by with some more suggestions, but in the meantime, I would use a perch and not your hand for a while.


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

I went into the cage to change their food and water yesterday and she completely lost it...she got a hold of my hand and in the span of about 5 seconds while i was trying to get away she had me bleeding in about 5 spots...it was hard to get her off my hand without hurting her. So i don't know what else to do


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/cockatiels/CockatielProfile.htm There are a lot of good tips here under the heading "Training and Bonding" Do you let them out of the cage? If you do you may just want to change the dishes when she not in the cage.If not you may want to invest in a cage where you don't have to put your hands in to change the food dishes. The problem with allowing a biter out is the trauma of getting them back in. Although many birds are not agressive once outside their cage they will often resist going back in. The process of netting them would not help in building the trust you are trying to gain.


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

For the past few days Belle has started getting steadily better and better she will now sit quietly with me as long as Chico is close at hand which is just fine with me. Now when i go to put her back she doesn't try to fly off she waits till i get her close to her perch and she walks off. She is still a bit tentative about coming to me but i don't chase her i simply talk softly and encourage her. She may never be friendly like Chico and i'm fine with that i just hated the thought of having a bird that was scared to death of me. BTW...we may be looking at little ones soon Chico has started his courting dance and Belle bows gracefully as he whistles andy griffith to her. I built my first nesting box on the weekend. I realized after that i put the door in the wrong spot but its a minor modification lol


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Sounds like everything is going well. She sounds receptive to Chico as well. Lucky Chico!


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

She is starting to spend more time at night with me, as long as chico is close at hand. We sit at the computer together and chat with my fiancee and she'll stay about 20-30 minutes before she gets restless and wants down. She doesn't go flying off, she waits for me to get her close to the couch and she simply steps off. Sooooo its getting a little better as the days pass


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Thats great that she is doing better  Is she old enough to breed? I personally would not breed to much responsibility.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

She should be a minimum of 12 months to breed. I like to wait 'till they are 18 months. It's quite a starin on a young hen and if I read your posts correctly she is 8 months? If you wait 'till next spring you will have a well bonded pair that will be more than ready to produce eggs.


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## kimmikefids (Aug 2, 2008)

Hi I'm Mike's fiancee and Chico and Belle's Mommy lol...but more Chico's as I haven't met Belle yet....It's not entirely clear the age of either bird....Chico we got from a local pet store and we suspected he was young but he went through a huge moult within the month after we got him so suspect he is now closer to a year....Belle's breeder was not the best breeder and I honestly don't trust what he said so we suspect she is about a year too....Our problem is that Belle and Chico are out most of the time and have the opportunity to make a nest somewhere else which is why we decided to supply the box....of course we don't want them to do something that is detrimental to their health....Is it really terrible if they do breed now? I mean at the moment it seems they are still courting and have bonded really quickly which also makes me suspect they are older as they aren't taking their time.....they (as far as I know) haven't taken much interest yet in the box so this all could be paranoia as opposed to fact...I know some people don't think we should breed or wouldn't themselves but I would really appreciate advice from people who have breed as opposed to just people saying don't do it....Our birds mean the world to us and while we wouldn't usually breed....I feel if that is what the birds are wanting to do...providing it isn't detrimental to their health...we want to help them do it healthily and safely....Thanks in advance


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

Here's a newer pic of Belle, she spends more time with me at night and seems more comfy all the time


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