# Help hand reared turned wild



## sharniist (Jun 5, 2012)

Hi my cockatiel that's nearly 2 was totally tame and lovely especially with my husband but he got out the house and luckily we got him back 45 minutes later
However he got out again on the 8th December 2013 and although we walked the streets and put up posters and adverts online etc we didn't get him back 
One of our many visits to the SPCA website we saw a cockatiel up for rehoming that looked like elvis and they found as a stray in the east end of Glasgow (we live in the east end) Anyway we went straight in as soon as it opened and sure enough it was him we couldn't believe it 10 weeks later
We've had him back for just over 2 weeks now but he's totally wild. He will not come to me or my husband and he bites so hard he's broke my skin 3 times and Graham's once
I don't know what to do I'm 99.99999% sure its him but cause he's wild now I have doubts lol. He used to Wolfe whistle and say hello and what you doin but now all his whistles sound like outside birds
I have 5 other birds apart from him that he didn't like as he preferred humans but now its complete opposite 
I guess what I wanted to know is can a tame hand reared friendly bird turn totally wild and forget who we are ? I do still love him the same as always but I'm wondering if trauma can cause him to be like this and will he get back to at least trusting us again?


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I'm so sorry to hear about this. But unfortunately, birds haven't been domesticated like cats and dogs. They are still wild animals in our homes. He got a taste of freedom and he's having a hard time readjusting to how it used to be. All I can tell you is try to be patient. Although I've never been in a situation like yours, so I can't give you a definite answer


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## goose'smom (Jan 1, 2014)

My heart breaks for you. I'm so sorry you are going through this. I imagine his behavior is similar to purchasing a bird who was not hand reared. My first bird, a parakeet, was not hand raised and totally wild! She hated me! The sight of my hand made her flip out. It took 3 mths of slow and steady effort to tame her. But once she was tame, she was sooooo tame! I believe your bird will come back to a sense of knowing you love him and will fall back into trusting you and wanting to be with you. As hard as it is, I would try to approach it with the mindset that you have a new bird to tame, rather than remembering who he used to be. I only say that because I think it would be the only way I could do it with out being sad because I'm sure you really just miss him!! I will pray for y'all and I believe you will bond again!


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## sharniist (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks so much for your reply,s. yes I think patience and love is my best way
Altogether including him I have Olly 21 years old cockatiel. Elmo also tiel she's 15 month
male n female budgies and a young indian ringneck. All of my birds are only in their cages at bed time or if they want to as they're open all day they have perches round the room lol
(Messy) I kept elvis in another room for a day when he came back then I put the cage in with them but kept it closed till I thought he was ready to come out to mingle
I've only had him back for just over 2 weeks and to be honest I'm just glad as lots of people that lose their birds don't. Xx


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## SoCalTiels (Oct 8, 2013)

As a hand raised baby, a former loving pet and a still rather young bird, I think there is a lot of hope for Elvis to come around to being home again rather quickly. It's most likely that he was out and 'wild' for most of the ten weeks he was gone, so it might not be a freedom he knows how to give up just yet. Use millet to try and get him used to having your hands near by again, its also possible that he's biting defensively from whatever he had to face while he was out there. 

What mutation is he, if you don't mind me asking? And you're absolutely positive he's identical to how he looked before he escaped, like down to different markings/beak color/anything that was unique to him?


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## sharniist (Jun 5, 2012)

*Elvis*

Hi he's just like your one in the pic Bird
Yes as I said before I'm 99.99999% positive its him I'd had him since a baby and even though they go through their change I can tell with some marks on him but I know this sounds strange but its the way he looks at me
As all my birds even same mutation sound act and look different in their own ways
When I make the noises I used to make that he loved he stares at me as though he recognises it. Yes he must have been in the wild the whole time as he was a bit rough and lost a lot of weight. Also their was lots of sightings of him near the woods but when I went I couldn't find him
I've had loads of birds and I feel as though I just know also during that time there was other tiels I went to see witch I knew weren't mine
I had such a close bond with elvis it just feels right with him xx


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## SoCalTiels (Oct 8, 2013)

Especially if he was found in the same area you live, it'd pretty likely its him. Didn't mean to question your judgement or anything, just to double check. When you've had a bird that long, there are little things in the way they act that identify them as someone you recognize, even if you don't consciously recognize why. Especially near the woods, I imagine he had a pretty rough 10 weeks and it's amazing that he managed to make it home to you. I can only hope for the same luck with Atlas missing now.

I'd keep working on him slowly, not forcing anything too quickly. Hopefully, he'll settle down and realize he's not in danger any more. Fight or flight mode can be a tough thing to just let go of after several months on his own, especially when you can't explain to him that things are okay again.


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