# Meet my tuffy and answer my questions please!



## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Hi! 

I just want to introduce my tuffy.

I was told he's male and is about 3months or younger. Can anyone help me with these questons;

1, Is it male female?
2, How old is 'he'?
3, Will 'he' clumbsy for the first month while he gets used to things?
4, Will 'he' be ok as a only cockatiel. I do have other birds. One budgie does like sitting on top of tuffy's cage but he's not botered by him.
5, What is the best wy to tame him. Not hand rasied at all.
6, How long does it take for them to talk? Tuffy's already trying, but nothing he says makes any sense yet.
7, What is his proper colour mutation? 


Thanks for any help!


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

What a cutie! You won't be able to tell your bird's sex visually until its first or second molt. I would estimate around 6-12 months of age. Your bird is young, definitely not more than a few months like you already stated.
Mine always seemed to be very clumsy fliers and weren't great at climbing around at first. They usually get better as time progresses and they get more practice.
As long as you spend adequate time with your bird you won't need another one. If you are away at work/school a lot, you may want to consider a friend.
Well, my birds never were able to talk perfectly and clearly like cockatoos or african greys, but they let out little mumbles and whistles that mimic certain words. From what you said your bird already reached that stage. Now its time to teach him some whistles and words. It may take time.
Since he is "talking" or trying to at least, I would sway to you having a male. Its _*almost*_ guaranteed you do.

And he is a normal grey.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

If he's trying to talk I'd guess male, but then I have a normal grey that was whistling and copying my males and "he" turned out to be a "she". So who knows, but s/he's a cutie!


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Cheryl said:


> What a cutie! You won't be able to tell your bird's sex visually until its first or second molt. I would estimate around 6-12 months of age. Your bird is young, definitely not more than a few months like you already stated.
> Mine always seemed to be very clumsy fliers and weren't great at climbing around at first. They usually get better as time progresses and they get more practice.
> As long as you spend adequate time with your bird you won't need another one. If you are away at work/school a lot, you may want to consider a friend.
> Well, my birds never were able to talk perfectly and clearly like cockatoos or african greys, but they let out little mumbles and whistles that mimic certain words. From what you said your bird already reached that stage. Now its time to teach him some whistles and words. It may take time.
> ...


Thank you cheryl! 

I don't dare let him out yet as believe he hasn't had his wings clipped and i can't get near him.So if he was out, i wouldn't have a single speck of control on him or where he goes.

I'm in nearly all day, chatting away to him or playing games with him like peek-a-boo! But with me on the outside and him staring at his crazy :wacko:mummy!

He's ok climbing up but not so good at going down. I have changed his cage alittle bit since geting him but that was because when i first got him, it was all very last min. But he's sorted for now until i find a nice natural perch for him at the pet shop. I'm looking for one now. Well not now as it's bed time but when i'm out, i am!

will 'he' ever be able to speak clearly like me and you? Or will it be all random noises that sound like he's talking but isn't?


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Solace. said:


> If he's trying to talk I'd guess male, but then I have a normal grey that was whistling and copying my males and "he" turned out to be a "she". So who knows, but s/he's a cutie!



Thanks solace.

I love him to bits and he's only been a member of my flock for 7 days. But not a day goes by without him doing something new and making me laugh! He loves it when you laugh out loud near him or burp in near his cage. Don't worry i only did it once but he loved it. So i tried again when i had a sound clip of a burp and he 'laughed'! Thats what his squak sounded like to me!

It's doesn't matter what he/she turns out to be as i'm not planning to breed, unless i win some big money on the lottery!


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## clem&peeps (Nov 17, 2009)

I tamed my fids by first gently talking to them and sitting by their cage, and It sounds like your already doing that. Once he is used to your presence place your hand in the cage, not to close to him and leave it their for a while. Once he's not afraid of your hand hold a stick or piece of dowling (Something he can step up onto in the future) till he's acustom to that. Then slowly place the stick gently under he's breast close to he's feet. Gently press against him and say "step up". He should instinctively step up onto the stick. It all takes time and patience. Once he has mastered that, and understands the command "step up" you can try getting him to step up onto your finger from the stick. When he is stepping up onto your finger you can try slowly taking him out of the cage. Don't be alarmed if he tests your finger with his beak. He is just making sure your finger will hold him. If he does this it's important not to jump or jerk. It usually does not hurt:blush: Keep your training sessions short and train several times a day. You will have more success if your birds wings are trimmed just for training. You can always let there flight feathers grow back once they are tame. I would recommend an Avian vet do this or someone who has experience with wing trimming.
This is what worked for me, but maybe others on this forum may have more ideas
Happy training and good luck!


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

tuffy's mum said:


> will 'he' ever be able to speak clearly like me and you? Or will it be all random noises that sound like he's talking but isn't?


Ive never heard a cockatiel speak clearly as us. They are just sounds that sound like the words. People here claim their birds speak clear, but I don't know what they consider as clear. All the youtube cockatiels talk just like mine.
Some cockatiels can be great as whistling, or they can be like mine and mess up and make up their own tunes in the middle of trying to sing a taught song.
Listen to videos on youtube and it might give you a good idea.
You may not be able to understand what they say at first until someone has a caption, but then it seems almost clear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V8LPlYox88


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## clem&peeps (Nov 17, 2009)

Cheryl said:


> Ive never heard a cockatiel speak clearly as us. They are just sounds that sound like the words. People here claim their birds speak clear, but I don't know what they consider as clear. All the youtube cockatiels talk just like mine.
> Some cockatiels can be great as whistling, or they can be like mine and mess up and make up their own tunes in the middle of trying to sing a taught song.
> Listen to videos on youtube and it might give you a good idea.
> You may not be able to understand what they say at first until someone has a caption, but then it seems almost clear:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V8LPlYox88


I agree. My male says all sorts of things, but most of what he says I can only understand because I was the one who taught him. He does whistle several tunes though, and he's good at that.
The best talking cockatiel that I've heard is also on youtube. The video is called "Sunny, the talking cockatiel by wolfsluv.


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks guys.

I can tell i'm going to love spending time on this forum 

Tuffy just this morning, had a massive squaking session, telling me he's a good boy and he's clever  . He also tried to wolf whistle. I think i've got a brainny one 'ere!

Is it normal for young males to 'speak' in their first week of living in a new home. I do think tuffy lves me back as whenever i go out then come back in he's squaks all happily as if he's missed me! 

I did manage to stroke his wing this morning, but i didn't think he knew i was doing it!


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## Tielzilla (Mar 31, 2009)

your tuffy is a dolly for sure..my guess is male although my sam is a girl and she talks so who knows


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

He does have a yellow-ish face. It's yellow-ish half way up his crest but the ends appear to have grey high lights! But then if he hasn't had a molt yet, it's still hard to tell isn't it?


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Yep, still hard to tell  Once hes a few months older and has a molt you will know for sure. Sounds like a boy though! He sounds like a bubbly little bird too. My two were sooo quiet for the first few weeks, they were also clumsy (the clumsiness does go away after time in most tiels).


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks cheeyboy. Gld i've got a happy lil chap in my life. He'll be dancing in his lil hat, cane and tapshoes by next year! i can feel it


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Hey Tuffy's Mom,

lol a cute little fella there at a guess i'd diagnose a boy at a guess,
but you wont know till that 6mths comes up 

what you should lookout for is Heart wings and bobbing
in the meantime these are male charractoristics 

Ps welcome to the forum


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks Kerry78.

I hope he is a male as i've been told that they are easyier to get trained etc etc. 

Can you post a picture of this heart shaped wings please. So know what i'm looking for. I managed to get hese picsof tuffdy buthedoesn't like my camera much


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Here are the pics:

Are these any help in guessing his sex?


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

If he's only about three months old, he probably won't be showing any behaviours yet. They tend in the majority of cases, to start about four months old. =) He'll get a nice yellow face at about 6 months if he is male. =) He's cute. I honestly don't think there's any truth in males being easier to train. I have two well trained and incredibly tame females and we've never had any problems with them. It depends mostly on the individual bird what they're like, and how they act, along with their early handling, not gender or mutation. =)


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Heart shaped wings normally happens when they start bowing I will get a video uploaded for the next time im on here, Sandy does this alot, he was pretty young when i had missy and began doing this about 5months, when they start opening and shutting there beak quick repeatledy there often about do do this haha well Sandy does


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## Clairey331 (Oct 21, 2009)

He looks so cute!! He does look very young doesnt he!


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## Clairey331 (Oct 21, 2009)

Heres a piccie of heart shaped wings its not my tiel though!


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks. guess by april next year i'll have a defo male or female. Thanks for all your help everyone. Tuffdy says hi!


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## Malorey (Jul 23, 2008)

He's a cute fella'!


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## smokey's mum (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks malorey


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