# Answers PLEASE!!!!



## Wilma (Aug 30, 2009)

I let the tiels out of the cage today and they went out right away. They were chirping and very excited, Pichu can glide so he glidded through the office and dinning room (they are next to each other) and then got stuck on a chair and couldn't get out. I offered a stick and he stepped up!!!!!! But here comes my question....he climbed on one side and then started showing off his wings and walking to the other side (where my hand was) before he got close enough to bite me or step up I put him down on the table (on the stick) so he didn't see that I freaked out (I pretended) but at the same time I put him down he tried to take a bite of my hand....I wonder was he trying to bite me (because of the wings and all) or maybe trying to step up on my hand???? I've never been bitten and seeing how hard he does bite scares the [email protected]* out of me 


The first picture shows Pichu when he got stuck on the chair and the second when I put him on the table and he was showing off his wings. The 3rd one is where he is right now.


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Maybe cos you got to close tohim that freaked him out!
lol was he having breakfast with you aswell?


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Wilma said:


> I let the tiels out of the cage today and they went out right away. They were chirping and very excited, Pichu can glide so he glidded through the office and dinning room (they are next to each other) and then got stuck on a chair and couldn't get out. I offered a stick and he stepped up!!!!!! But here comes my question....he climbed on one side and then started showing off his wings and walking to the other side (where my hand was) before he got close enough to bite me or step up I put him down on the table (on the stick) so he didn't see that I freaked out (I pretended) but at the same time I put him down he tried to take a bite of my hand....I wonder was he trying to bite me (because of the wings and all) or maybe trying to step up on my hand???? I've never been bitten and seeing how hard he does bite scares the [email protected]* out of me
> 
> 
> The first picture shows Pichu when he got stuck on the chair and the second when I put him on the table and he was showing off his wings. The 3rd one is where he is right now.



What do you mean he tried to take a bite out of your hand? Do you mean once you set him down he approached your hand with an open beak?

We don't know if he was going to bite you, there is just no way to know what an animals intentions are or were. I would say maybe if y
ou had two perches you coudl get him to go from one to the other before he gets close to your hand? Or have him step onto something, like the chair while he is still on the end of the perch.Vicki


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It sounds to me like you're a bit cockatiel-phobic! If you're nervous it makes them nervous too and you end up with a never-ending spiral of doom. Cockatiels can deliver a painful bite when they want to but they can't actually do a lot of damage. They can't even draw blood unless they catch you in exactly the right spot ( and OUCH when that happens). 

So do your best to relax while you're handling the birds. Work with the gentle ones until you've gotten more confidence, and use a stick to move the aggressive one around. If he comes after your hand while he's on the stick, you can make a hand guard by cutting the top off a large plastic coke bottle and poking the stick through the hole. Encourage the birds to eat treats (like millet spray) from your hand - this will help to convince them that your hands are their friends.

You can read some comments on biting at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.org/info/taming-biting.html


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## Wilma (Aug 30, 2009)

Kerry78 said:


> Maybe cos you got to close tohim that freaked him out!
> lol was he having breakfast with you aswell?



I wasn't close!!!!!! I was like a yard away...the stick is very long and I had my arm fully extended 

And no, she wasn't having breakfast with me...I was actually cleaning my children's mess. They had just left for school.



braveheartdogs said:


> What do you mean he tried to take a bite out of your hand? Do you mean once you set him down he approached your hand with an open beak?
> 
> We don't know if he was going to bite you, there is just no way to know what an animals intentions are or were. I would say maybe if y
> ou had two perches you coudl get him to go from one to the other before he gets close to your hand? Or have him step onto something, like the chair while he is still on the end of the perch.Vicki


The second I put the stick down he launged at the stick...BUT it happened to fast so I can't tell whether he was was trying to bite or step on my hand. I then used two perches....a long one and a shorter one to block him out of my hands way and that seemed to work. He learned the step up command in three minutes!!!!



tielfan said:


> It sounds to me like you're a bit cockatiel-phobic! If you're nervous it makes them nervous too and you end up with a never-ending spiral of doom. Cockatiels can deliver a painful bite when they want to but they can't actually do a lot of damage. They can't even draw blood unless they catch you in exactly the right spot ( and OUCH when that happens).
> 
> So do your best to relax while you're handling the birds. Work with the gentle ones until you've gotten more confidence, and use a stick to move the aggressive one around. If he comes after your hand while he's on the stick, you can make a hand guard by cutting the top off a large plastic coke bottle and poking the stick through the hole. Encourage the birds to eat treats (like millet spray) from your hand - this will help to convince them that your hands are their friends.
> 
> You can read some comments on biting at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.org/info/taming-biting.html



I am definitely cockatiel phobic!!!! I try to approach them only when I'm relaxed though 

I wish I could handle the others instead of Pichu but the others won't come any closer and Pichu is the only one who seems brave enough to try new things. (I also think he's the smart one of the bunch but shhhh) I gave them millet and just now bought some sunflowers covered in some grape fruit, this is meant as a treat only. They all come to me when I hold millet but that's as far as they go. Pichu tried to perch on me once but I freaked out...he's the brave one I told you! :tiel2:


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Thing ive noticed about Tiels if there not happy when you pick them up they will grab you and not let go this is the bite you have to avoid cos it draws blood!

ive picked up my birds and learnt from this if there calm and happy it's not a problem though, ive read that All Parrots sense if your afraid and often if you pull away your finger away before getting bitten they think it's a reward they got the better of you that they will lunge at you cos they know your afraid and don't like it!

best way to deal with it is not show any reaction to being bitten,
continue with the bird then later go somewhere you can go and let your steam of where he cannot hear you!

Wilma im sure your phobia will calm down the more you interact
it's likely for you to deal with it!


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