# Cute Little Girl Seeks Name, Security



## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

So, I thought this had this entire cockatiel thing figured out. I'd buy a calm, quiet bird out of a hand-fed clutch. 

I'd name him Kermit. 

Now, after a trip to a HORSE food store, I have a new bird that bites, attacks, and has one big fear problem. 

How, you ask, did this happen?

In a small corner of the rodent/bird/cat/guinea pig isle was a dirty bird with a broken tail who hissed at me as soon as I said hello. A manager had been trying to tame the bird by taking it out, (with gloves on), and holding it until it got still. Once still, they would allow it to back to it's cage. 

So...after a price reduction, (I was already gonna rescue her, this was icing on the cake), I left the store with a very angry, upset 'tiel. 

I had held her until she was calm, and then carefully placed her into the carrier. Bringing her out was another matter. I could have punched a hole in the side, or dumped her over to place the box in the cage, but I chose to carefully, slowly lower my hands in to rescue her and take her out. I was rewarded, (fittingly), with a long, painful bite. 

Needless to say, I love her already. I just want her to know I won't hurt her, and that shes getting a brand new double-decker King's Cage to share with her new parakeet brother and sister as well as her soon-to-be room mate, Kermit. She could even love me back, if she chooses.

Name ideas?

Suggestions? She doesn't know what millet is, so I can't train her that way.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would take it slow and talk to her well she is in her cage, don't stare at her as she might think that you are just eyeing her to eat her. Here is a video that should help http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/2009-june/taming-of-tiel.aspx That is good that you are getting her a larger cage  are the parakeets going to live in the top area of the cage? I would not recommend having them live with her as budgies can be bullies. I would also recommend quarantine for any new birds you get. Here is an another helpful link http://www.birdchannel.com/images/a...xclusives/2009-april/quarantine-checklist.pdf Oh and for names how about Ducky since she does not have much of a tail


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

The cage is split level, so the budgies are split off completely. It measures 32"Wx22"Dx24"H on each level, with a tray between.

Here's a picture of my beautiful girl.


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

Also, she will have supervised play time wiht the budgies, but not all that much. Mostly, she will be allowed time out with her Cockatiel buddy, Kermit, when he comes home.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I think Taz would be fitting for the way she made her entrance into your life. I think it would work regardless of sex.


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

I like Ducky AND Taz so far as names. Put them on the list to consider as I get to know her...

Progress: Cage door can be opened without much fuss, (few hisses), and hand can make it to within three or four inches of her without more than a hiss. (no biting/lunging) She will accept a piece of half-inch thick rope as a place to "Up", which I think she already knows, as she picked it up quickly.

She enjoys time outside the cage, and sits quietly, taking things in. Because she can "up" on the rope, I feel fine with letting her out and leaving her to herself on the gym.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

What a pretty girl you have  Taz is a neat name aswell


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

Thanks, Spike! 

Update: 2 days after coming home, she is calmer, (thanks to careful, gentle catching and a lot of time spent on a window perch, and a chair back near our couch), and knows, (but will only do once before before becoming disgruntled), "Up.". 

She doesn't seem to use the edges of her feet, or grip her perches. Perhaps she has no foot muscle? I am introducing natural perches, but I think she may have a problem for life....*sigh*

She still won't eat anything except for millet, which she's discovered is the best stuff on earth, but seems to be cleaner, (she takes full body baths!), and happier. Her crest is also not up all the time. 

Right now she's sleeping on the chair back next to my boyfriend and I as we play around on computers and the PS2. What a change already, and I bet there's better to come. 

Can anyone tell me her mutation? I think she's a heavy pied, or a pearly pied. 

Next stop, birdy spa for some nail clipping.


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## olive juice (Mar 30, 2009)

Aww, she's so pretty. You seem to be doing very well with her, and she's lucky she was adopted by such a caring owner. 

Keep it up! You'll definitely reap the rewards of having a loving, tame companion bird before long.


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## Lacedolphin (Apr 16, 2009)

Awwww, I'm glad she is doing so well, she sure is pretty!! I think she needs a femine name!


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## springscents (Jan 2, 2009)

The first name that popped into my head was Celandine, which if I remember correctly, is a type of yellow flower. I don't think it's a practical name though, since it's polysyllable (Is that a word?), unless you want to shorten it into a nickname like Celly, or Dindin, etc.


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

So far, Celandine, or Celly for short, is my favorite name. Thank you all for the wonderful, encouraging comments. 

I am thinking of leaving her in a safe room on her new jungle gym. She seems happier OUTSIDE her cage. Until I get her bigger cage, (hopefully on Tuesday), I think she'd just be happier in a bird-proof room. Thoughts?


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

You can have her out a lot with supervison. Bird proofing a room would be a good idea. I would think there would be lots to worry about wires, windows, mirrors ect, just to name a few. I would think it would be safer if she went in her cage at night to sleep


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

From what I can see in the picture, she's a pearl pied.  She's lovely, good luck getting her tamed.


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

Well, I went out and grabbed a HUGE cage, (32" wide X 21" Deep X 26" High), for a big price, but she finally started to move around in it. 

She nibbled some millet earlier in front of me, and drank a little. Her appetite seems to be making a come back. (Stress related, I think)

Also, she stepped WILLINGLY up onto my bare hand when she fell to the floor earlier. No snapping, no hissing, just a running jump and then a little feather ruffling as she settled. GREAT progress.

She still likes her play gym, (which I added a couple branches to), better than her cage by far. 

More than ever, I see her getting excited when I praise her, and enjoying my attention, (verbal only. Still not thrilled with being touched, but allows me to "cover" her by holding her close to my chest).


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## olive juice (Mar 30, 2009)

She seems to be making real strides.  Good on you both!


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

Thanks, Olive! Just so no one gets frustrated with their baby if they don't come around as fast as she did, a few reminders:

I suspect she _KNOWS_ everything I've gotten her to do. She's picked things up WAY too fast. (or, I could just be used to parakeets and parrotlets who are less willing to trust in the beginning. you be the judge)

I no longer use gloves with her. My local breeder said, "They give you and the bird a false sense of security. The bird may bite them, and when you go to switch to bare hands, you will get bit and start all over." Therefore, if she's in a mood, I use a natural perch to bring her out. She can't get her beak around it, so she can't grab it enough to bite it, and has done well going from that to my hand!

She is still uncomfortable coming out of her cage. Since being grabbed in the smaller one at the store, I believe she associates hands in her cage with bad things. This HAS NOT changed. Still takes quite a few minutes to bring her out.

She gets left alone most of the time. I'm not constantly working with her. She's OK with some handling, but mostly just wants to sleep on her gym. She's by no means cuddly, and is NOT tame.


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## swagger87 (Apr 24, 2009)

Lutea is the scientific name for yellow flower. Aven is the name of a yellow flower as well and is kind of neat because it's almost like Avian.
And if you wanted names that mean Pearl
Italian: Margherita and Rita
French: Marguerite and Margot
German: Margarethe, Gretchen and Gretal
English: Margaret, Marjorie, Madge and Margie
Welsh/Irish: Megan
Arabic/African: Lulu

She is gorgeous by the way


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

swagger87 said:


> Lutea is the scientific name for yellow flower. Aven is the name of a yellow flower as well and is kind of neat because it's almost like Avian.
> And if you wanted names that mean Pearl
> Italian: Margherita and Rita
> French: Marguerite and Margot
> ...


That's a gorgeous list of names! Thank you for taking the time to sit here and find all the best names for a yellow birdy. 

For now, she's Elizabeth, but I'm liking Aven and a couple other names. I have to get to know her yet, and see what fits her.


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## swagger87 (Apr 24, 2009)

You're very welcome. Elizabeth is lovely too. 
It's always hard to pick out names for a pet. You want a name right away, but then you want to get to know their personality as well. 
Good Luck!


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

swagger87 said:


> You're very welcome. Elizabeth is lovely too.
> It's always hard to pick out names for a pet. You want a name right away, but then you want to get to know their personality as well.
> Good Luck!


Agreed. Thanks!


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## lmacri223 (Jan 22, 2009)

marly
cookie
pearl (she has pearls)


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

She is really pretty. Good for you for saving her. I used to do a lot of cockatiel (and budgie) rescue, my experience was that many of them come around. It sounds like you are doing great. Good for you!

Vicki


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## babybreau (May 19, 2008)

She's gorgeous!!


My idea for a name is Eris - she is the Greek goddess of strife (struggle/battle) She is going to be a handful and I was looking up Chaos on thesaurus.com and came across the Greek gods (I LOVE Greek history) and found that name. I think it's pretty and it fits! But Elizabeth is good too! Both Elizabeth the First and the Second (queens of England) are long-lived, stubborn, head-strong, smart! lol


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## Justin (May 15, 2009)

Any progress?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Can anyone tell me her mutation? I think she's a heavy pied, or a pearly pied. 
-----------------------------------------------

Ah...she is a beauty, and also a heavy pearl pied. I noticed she is banded. This years band color is silver, so I am suspecting she may be an adult bird. You can check the band for more info.


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

If you're getting a Kermit, what about another "k" name? Katie? Koko? Kaitlyn? Kandy? Komet? Or what struck me in her picture was her lovely yellow front and crest... so how about Blondie? I'm not much good at names myself... my last tiel was named by a friend's 8 year old daughter because I lacked the imagination...


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## babybreau (May 19, 2008)

Birdlette said:


> If you're getting a Kermit


How about a Miss Piggy? LMAO

Or Robin... it was Kermit's nephew but it can be a girl's name too!


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## Eikoden (Apr 6, 2009)

babybreau said:


> She's gorgeous!!
> 
> 
> My idea for a name is Eris - she is the Greek goddess of strife (struggle/battle) She is going to be a handful and I was looking up Chaos on thesaurus.com and came across the Greek gods (I LOVE Greek history) and found that name. I think it's pretty and it fits! But Elizabeth is good too! Both Elizabeth the First and the Second (queens of England) are long-lived, stubborn, head-strong, smart! lol


Now Eris really describes her. Chaotic yet battling through....*grins* *thinks* Hmm.


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