# Training project.



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I want to start a thread for the training updates of my 'tiel(s). Currently I am training Honey, and will be getting new bird(s) sometime in the near future so there will be lots of training progress to record then.

27/6

Honey and I spent about half an hour focused on training today. She is very punctual about stepping up onto a handheld perch and stepping back onto the top of her cage. We repeat this process several times so that she gets familiar with what I want her to do, as stepping up is setting the foundations for our taming journey. I say "up" when I want her to step up, pressing the perch lightly against her belly. I say "good girl" when she does this correctly. I daresay Honey has perfected the step up!

Working away at her fear of my hands is tough but showing gradual improvement. She took millet from my hand again today as she sat on the perch held in my other hand. Then, slowly, I brought the perch down to rest in my lap, moving the millet a little further away. She stepped from the perch and onto my leg to get closer to the millet. I let her have some, sitting calmly (trying not to move suddenly) and praising her. This is a first! She's never done this before; I'm so thrilled.

Next, I rested the millet on my forearm. Honey got scared then and didn't venture towards it or my arm, so I ended the training session there. Over the next week I will get her totally comfortable with sitting in my lap before I try to get her onto my arm, as this seems to upset her a lot; she's not ready for that yet. Overall I'm ecstatic with what we did accomplish today!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

28/6

Honey just stepped onto my hand about 5 minutes ago. It seemed by accident, I was holding her favourite perch with her on it. She touched my skin with her beak several times as if to test that it was safe, otherwise she was totally calm about it. As soon as I moved though, she took off in a circle around the room doing flock-calls. She can get quite panicked when we're having our training sessions. This is major progress though!


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## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

That is terrific progress glad to hear that Honey is doing great with her training.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks! She also relaxed calmly in the lounge this evening, preening herself by the warmth of the fireplace (it's winter here, brrr). I try to switch up her surroundings every day to make sure she gets used to adaptation.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

29/6

Honey is becoming less afraid of me. Here's proof.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

This is great news! I check this thread regularly, it's good to know someone else is going through this, and your good results encourage me. She is such a gorgeous girl! How old is she?


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

bobobubu said:


> She is such a gorgeous girl! How old is she?


Yeah she is, I fell in love with her at first sight 

I don't know for sure but I'd say she's approximately 4 months old. I'm also not 100% sure she's a girl, I'm waiting for DNA test results to confirm.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Ahh she is a young one then! I wasn't sure because in other pics I saw of her she looks bigger, but in these two she [or he] has definitely the little face of a baby.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Yeah she does have a babyface 

2/7

Honey has been extra skittish lately. She hasn't come out of the cage on her own since that first time. I'm having to stick a perch in and bring her out on that. She relaxes on the top of the cage alright, but hisses and backs away when I try to interact with her. Sometimes she gets so stressed I have to stop. She doesn't seem to be warming to me very easily.

I have her in the lounge in the sun right now. The warmth makes her more active and talkative. I like seeing her happier, and her feathers glow in the sun. She is a dream to watch.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

3/7

I had a house-sitting job today so Honey and I didn't have much time to practice training. I let her out for a short while when I got home in the evening, made her step up on the perch a few times, but didn't try anything else as she wasn't feeling adventurous. I have to look after the friend's house again tomorrow, so I'll take her with me this time (I felt guilty leaving her on her own all day). I've just put her into one of my smaller cages, luckily she went in with ease and is exploring it/munching on some seed. I've put in her favourite perch and food so hopefully she won't be too shocked when I take her to the house. I hope she can start to accept me as a friend soon, to understand I mean no harm and that I am not a threat. She is the most stubborn bird I've ever tamed before!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

5/7

The house-sitting job was a breeze. No troubles at all. The car-rides were a little scary for her, but that aside Honey adjusted perfectly to the different environment. I may be doing the job again next week so I'll take her with me then as well.

I've taken a little break from training, just letting her relax in the sun without stress is calming for both her and me. We've been through a LOT in the past month, so it's good to take time out to rest. I can tell she's still feeling the effects of losing her two buddies, just as I am. It's so hard on the both of us, I'm so happy we have each other.

DNA test results came yesterday... Honey is definitely a GIRL! I'm so thrilled  now I know what to look for when I get my new 'tiel(s). Hopefully I won't get stumped again and can successfully sex them without the help of a DNA test. It'll take some time but it's wonderful to know what to look for, I think I've got a pretty good idea of the behavioral differences now. 

To be continued!


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## Blue_Seas (Jun 18, 2013)

Charlie looks quite a bit like your Honey, so my boy may be a girl! I don't mind much, he makes enough lovely noises for me to be happy. Just wish he would enjoy his toys!

I like reading this log. You're much farther ahead than Charlie and I but I enjoy reading about the steps you're taking


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

So Charlie's a lutino? Does he have stripes on the underneath of his tail? They're hard to see but in the right light it shows up. Other than that, yellow faces or bright cheek patches are irrelevant when sexing a lutino. Honey has a bright face, red patches and she's a female. She also doesn't make many different noises.

Thanks! I'll update it whenever we make progress  I hope you and Charlie are well, and can't wait to hear more about him/her


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

8/7

I clipped a little more off Honey's wings today, leaving two primaries untouched on each wing. I had my Dad hold her in a towel to his chest while I did it, reminding him not to press on her stomach too hard. His has big hands and my hands are little so it worked much better with Dad holding her still than me, she is quite a wriggler :lol: she screamed a lot while we did it but recovered almost immediately afterwards. I've put her to bed and she's beak grinding. I'm so proud of my little girl for doing so well!

Also, Honey stepped onto my arm briefly this evening. I was wearing my grey hoodie and held the perch near my forearm and she slowly stepped onto it but it only lasted two seconds. I think the grey colour might have made her less afraid? I have noticed she reacts differently depending on what colours I'm wearing. Maybe I should wear the same colour whenever we have our training sessions?

I can hold my hand directly next to her without her shuffling away from it now. She hisses whenever I move closer, but while I'm still she seems somewhat comfortable. I feel that she's slowly mellowing out finally. When I put my finger near her, stretched out like a perch, she nibbles at it with her beak in a kind of warning bite. It doesn't hurt, thankfully. Perhaps biting is behind us now.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

9/7

My boyfriend is over today. Honey seems to warm to him more than me. We were getting her to step up onto the rope perch and my boyfriend pressed her belly with his finger and, reluctantly, she STEPPED UP! We rewarded her with her favourite treat - millet - straight after. I snapped lots of photos (I'll upload them later). I was so jealous! Then, when my boyfriend was out of the room, I tried it myself and ended up with Honey perching on my own finger! She flew back to her cage after about 15 seconds. I gave her more millet. The whole time she didn't look comfortable - wide-eyed, skinny body and looking around all alert - but it's wonderful she's starting to realise hands aren't as scary as she initially thought!

I'm going to attempt to practice this every day. If not, as often as I can.


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## Sunnyvmx (Feb 8, 2013)

*Millet Training*

I have had the most progress with my six aviary raised cockatiels by pinching a piece of millet between my thumb and the side of my hand, palm up. Each bird usually learns to step onto my open hand to get the millet very quickly. Of course the competition helps and at times I can have three at a time munching on the seed. They will even jump onto my hand now if I'm holding it at a small distance from their gym. I practice putting them back on the gym and very quickly they are standing on my hand again.

I loved reading about the progress you are making and each new step is so rewarding.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Honey on my boyfriend's finger


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

12/7

Honey took seeds from my fingers for the first time ever this afternoon - four sunflower seeds and she only hissed at me once. I handed her six, one at a time, and she dropped two on the floor and shelled/ate the rest. She was so gentle when she took them from between my thumb and forefinger. Yay!


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

That's great I'm so proud of her
She looks so adorable in that picture


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Yeah I'm so happy with her progress 

How do you make that moving loveheart emoticon? It's so cute


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

16/7

Honey's started a molt. She's grumpy, moody and almost constantly preening. Little feathers and down have started coming out and soon there will be some big feathers I assume. She's stepped up onto my finger a few times, but always she hasn't wanted to stay there long and has flown back to her cage. I want to take her into a different room to train with her but I'm afraid she'll freak out and hurt herself (she's very prone to this).

I clipped Henry's wings today - BY MYSELF without any assistance. It went surprisingly well; he sat wrapped in the towel fairly calmly and did not bite. I cut about 5 or 6 primaries on each wing very short, leaving two of the outermost ones so he still looks handsome with wings folded. He can only fly short distances now and cannot gain any height. I'll see how he copes with this. Perhaps I'm being paranoid or just extra cautious, but I want to be as safe as possible. It made me very nervous that he was fully flighted. Training-wise, he's coming along nicely. Soon I hope I can start handling him.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

29/7

Sheesh, I haven't updated in what feels like ages. A lot has been happening.

Henry is handling his clipped wings very well. He's a very controlled flier and does not crash into things like Honey often does. He takes millet and seed mix from my open palm while resting one foot on my finger (he does not step off the cage when we do this so I have my hand resting on the top). He also takes it out of a spoon if I hold it close enough. Apart from that, he won't allow me to do much else with him yet.

Honey isn't so afraid of my hands anymore! I've got her onto my finger a few times and much more easily, and even had her perching on my forearm for a bit (I don't know how this came about but it did and I'm so pleased!). I'd say the wing clip has helped a lot with building trust between us.

Oh! and they both take sunflower seeds from my fingers now.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

16/8

Ugh, so much for making regular posts here. So busy lately, daresay I forgot about it. 

Honey hates me... Okay, she doesn't, but that's how it feels. And I don't blame her! I'm the scary monster with the towel that is going to catch her and touch her where she doesn't like it and fiddle with her sore wing. She won't come near me, she hisses at my fingers and runs from me when I try to get close to her. But, I can put my nose up to the cage bars when she's sitting close and she doesn't even flinch. Henry is the same, except he opens his mouth as if he's about to hiss but doesn't. Henry takes millet from my fingers but Honey doesn't anymore.

They've bonded pretty well... I don't mind that they're not on their way to becoming super tame with me. Mostly I just let them be, and find enough happiness simply sitting back and watching them go about their daily antics. Besides, I now have a velcrobird.

Coco! Goodness, I've never had such a cuddly birdie before in my life. She is so affectionate, she loves me like her mother and it gives me such a warm happy feeling inside to be able to scritch her, stroke her, cuddle her and just sit with her knowing she isn't going to get scared and run/fly away. She loves to be scritched! Behind her head, her crest, around her cheeks and ears. It's amazing. Such a treasure! :lovebirds:

I've tried to put the harness on her twice. First time went horribly, second time I got it half on but she slipped out of it before I could secure it. Ah well, practice makes perfect.


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## Alemap118 (Aug 9, 2013)

I have a 3 month old, and we are in about the same situation. He will step up on a perch but not my hand. When I try he bites me hard..yesterday I let him play on my desk and he was content. He sat on my keyboard and fell asleep.. I guess any little process is success.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Ah, sounds familiar. It's important to go at _their_ pace instead of _ours_... It can be frustrating at times (I tend to get a little too impatient on occasion) but our comprehension of time is different to theirs. It takes a long time... but we must not give up, eventually we'll get there. All those little progresses add up!


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