# Need bonding help!!!!!!!!



## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Here's the deal: 6 month old cockatiel, I named Tiki. Tiki will take millet from my hand as long as it is between my 2 fingers and rarely from my palm. He gives me mixed signals; he will grind his beak and he bobs his head at me. He also threatens my hand and only puts his crest down (relaxed not flat) when I feed him millet. I can get him to perch on a piece of wood I have and I reward him after but I cannot move him while he is on the wood because he hops onto his rope back into his cage. He won't get out of his cage at ALL. He is very afraid of hands, hence threatening me. 

I got him April 2nd, 2021. I'm sure that I am not being patient enough but I want him perching on my finger or being able to move him on a piece of wood out of the cage but the 16th. I want to show him to my French remote learning class. I have dreams of grandeur of him being perfectly bonded to me and the likely-hood of this happening is low but I still really want him to like me.

Can some people share some ideas to get him to trust me? I need to figure out how to make him bond to me and trust me.


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## zayn (Mar 31, 2021)

all i can say is.... give him time its only been 3 days


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

I know but I feel like I am getting no where. 😫


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!! I was using the spare perch method and holding the perch Tiki had both feet on my fingers while cleaning off a piece of millet. I was beaming!!!!!! 😀😊😂😆 Millet is definitely the way to Tiki's heart!!! Lol 😂

I'm gonna try that more often and I just might reach my goal!!! So excited!!!!!! 🤞😁😁😁


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## Robert Seale (Sep 16, 2017)

I'm glad your excited and making progress but like zayn said, you can RUSH these birds. You have to give them time to adapt to you and there new surroundings. Yes, Millet helps with LOTS of issues but go easy on it. While most tiels love it, it can be fattening.


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Lol yes...... 😂 it's the only treat he takes from me. I wish I knew some alternatives that Tiki will eat so I'm not burning through a millet a day (p.s. im not actually giving him a whole one everyday it just feels like it since that is all he eats from my hand) BUT I made progress. He stepped onto my finger several times but only while holding the perch and only when there was millet temptation. He did let me take him a few inches out of the cage while eating millet a couple times before he realized it. 

How can I tell if I am going too far? I mean like if I am doing this too fast. If he doesn't wanna do something he will run away or hiss. So I know when he doesn't want to do something yet but how can I tell if I am working with him too soon on something? Also I plan on working with him outside the cage eventually and want his wings clipped but I don't want to lose his trust by grabbing him so I can clip him. I have family members that will clip him for me. Will it break his trust with me if a family member grabs him instead of me? And if it doesn't break his trust with me will it make it harder to gain his trust? I have heard good reviews on clipped birds being trained outside of the cage and I wanna try it so need help on this. 

So summary of questions: how can I tell if I am working on something with him too soon? AND Will it break his trust with me if someone else grabs him/make it harder to gain his trust?


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Here is today's progress: he jumped into my lap a couple times to eat some millet. He jumped onto my book that was in my lap because he wanted to read too. He has been taking an interest in my voice. He has been out side the cage multiple times today hanging out on top and on the door or occasionally the floor to eat millet seeds he made me drop. And now only problem







and he does NOT want back in his cage even with millet temptation. Lol
But my questions still stand.
Will someone else grabbing him/towering him make it harder for me to gain his trust?
How can I tell if I am working on something too soon?


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## zayn (Mar 31, 2021)

I_WantAllTheCockatiels! said:


> Here is today's progress: he jumped into my lap a couple times to eat some millet. He jumped onto my book that was in my lap because he wanted to read too. He has been taking an interest in my voice. He has been out side the cage multiple times today hanging out on top and on the door or occasionally the floor to eat millet seeds he made me drop. And now only problem
> View attachment 93211
> and he does NOT want back in his cage even with millet temptation. Lol
> But my questions still stand.
> ...


if u grab him or someone else does, ofc he will loose trust, dont teach him any tricks until he is bonded to you usually 1-2 months


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Ok but if my grandfather grabs him will I loose his trust. I know I will if I grab him but if someone else does will I lose it?


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## zayn (Mar 31, 2021)

I_WantAllTheCockatiels! said:


> Ok but if my grandfather grabs him will I loose his trust. I know I will if I grab him but if someone else does will I lose it?


yep he sure would, btw make sure that your grandfather is not grabbing him, it is VERY stressful for the poor bird


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Ok


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Robert Seale do you have an opinion about if someone else grabs him will I lose his trust? And my other question as well?


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## I_WantAllTheCockatiels! (Mar 26, 2021)

Good news and bad news. Bad news I woke up with blood on Tiki's perches and we found out that he got a booboo (for lack of better term) on one of his toes after my grandfather had to towel him in the cage so he could check on my baby. Good news the bleeding had stopped by the time I found him so no vet visit necessary, AND _time to be excited_ he is actively perching on my finger until I take the millet away however he seems to only do so on my left finger with my right holding the millet. I'm so glad hes getting comfortable with my hands!!!


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