# Need Help with Kiki



## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

i had a bird named Kiki and she was well bonding but still nibbled on my finger when i try to pet her, she was hand tamed not sure if she was hand fed anyway i got her to kinda trust me. now i sense that something happened to her and my dad replaced her with a male bird so i wouldn't get sad, anyway im not sure he replaced it or she just brightened up, she was nearly filled with grey and had dull orange cheecks and had a hint of yellow close to the eye and beak part and now theres a bird who nibbles when i try to reach to him and normally hides in a house like thing in the cage and never comes out .. he only peaks and stays in there

My point is i want to gain HIS trust i think its kindof impossible, he can fly .. do i clip his wings before i try to gain his trust? what do i do first ? i used to visit his cage on my dad's balcony once or twice a week 

ill add his pictures and my (old) kiki soon

Thanks in advance !


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG00502-20101120-1956.jpg

My old Kiki

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/Picture033.jpg

another pic of my old kiki

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01081-20110713-1907.jpg

the new Kiki

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01230-20111208-2035.jpg

the picture of his cage, is it big enough?

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01233-20111208-2036.jpg

Pic of new kiki peaking from the house like thing 

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01234-20111208-2036.jpg

pic of him inside the house like thing


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

I am pretty new at this but I have read a lot. It is possible that Kiki went through his first molt and got his male coloring. Juvenile grays look like females until their first molt. Also, the house is a nesting box, which, along with hormones, may be creating the behavioral changes. You may want to remove the box. I am no expert, so hopefully others will respond and offer advice as well. Good luck!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

why does he have a nest box? this could be why he is aggressive. the males get very nippy and aggressive with boxes.


i think this is the same bird. the males start off looking like females when they are babies. all baby tiels look like females. but males molt around 4-11 months old and get a bright yellow face.


i would remove the box, he does not need it, and this is what is making him bite.


the cage looks like its a good size, but you might want some natural branches for perches and some rope perches instead of the plastic ones. the plastic ones are bad on their feet. so you want more perches than just one, and you want better perches. natural tree branches from safe trees are the best. make sure the tree is safe. then you bake the branch in the oven to kill germs so he doesnt get sick. 

and more toys, i think he will like to play with some toys too. you can make some if your store doesnt have anything good. some bird safe things are drinking straws, popsicle sticks, large plastic beads, large plastic buttons, etc. you can make his toys for him. you can look at our toy section and see what other cockatiels like and might give you some ideas of what to make.


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

Thank you that was helpful but the problem is my father doesnt normally listen if i suggest anything .. so if i try to remove the box he might say its cold the box would make him warm so its hard to handle but ill try and not to mention my parents r kinda lazy and wouldnt waste their money on some toys for the bird 

my situation is hard .. i cant let him back with my dad he keeps him in a cage with budgies and keeps him in the balcony and he doesnt clean their cage nor let them bath .. so its up to me to keep it healthy 

any easier suggestion a 15 year old could do to keep him happy and healthy


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

you can go out to a local park and find some branches for him to perch on. make sure you know what kind of trees they are and if they are safe.


can you list some trees you know for sure are in your area (that you can walk to)? i can tell you if they are safe or not 

you will have to make him some toys then. they dont have to look fancy. if you cant buy them, its easy to make some.

toilet paper rolls, if you cut one side of them, make a safe toy. 

cover his cage at night if its chilly. but a nest box is a bad idea. they see it as a nest and will want to protect the nest, there is no need for the box for him. it can make him very unhealthy too if he spends all his time all the time in there. so even block the entrance off if you cant remove the box.

birds adapt very well, especially cockatiels, so the temperature should not bother him too much if he is used to it. 

unfortunately the box does have to go. its not healthy for him as he thinks he is sitting on a nest and thinks he is going to sit on eggs. be glad he is not a girl, girl birds would be laying eggs like that, but boys get very very aggressive and bite and attack anyone who go near the box. try to explain to him that it is not healthy for the bird to stay like that because it will make him aggressive and bite everyone.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Tiels originated from Australia where it gets cold at night so the temp shouldn't bother him. Not only is he going through the male teenage phase (your baby was getting yellow in his face in the pictures you posted so I believe its the same bird) and he has a nest box so he's going to be super nippy in the cage. You're going to have to get him away from the cage to work with him and that box has got to go. Its just causing more problems than helping at all. Also, he might be spending most of his time in the box because of the budgies, watch out for them bullying him.


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

well my mum wouldnt let me leave the house, so the only braches i can get is from the tree in our garden, its has spikes tho, so they wont work well :\ ill try to make some toys and show my progress, I blocked the enterance to the box and do i put him in the living room or my room? do i clip its wings?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

does he sit on your hand? if he does, wing clipping might not be needed.

your room would be a good idea 


ok then for perches, thats a tight situation as he can get bumblefoot and other sores on his feet from plastic perches.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

You can clip his wings to help tame him, it'll make him rely on you more. I would put him in the living room this puts him right in the action and he can get used to people and this way there is usually someone around him.


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

lol i got two different answers do i put him in the living room or my room? do i clip his wings or not?

my room is most visited by my brothers and sister + our maid when she cleans, she loves Kiki, lol 

And yes he does stand on my finger/hand is sunflower seeds a good treat for it?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

sunflower seeds are good for him, even a few of them in his seed mix each day are good.

if he is tame, you dont have to clip his wings if you dont want.

if your room has lots of people, then thats a good place for him


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

lol, i got 2 different answers, do i clip his wings or not? he does stand on my hand/finger 

and do i keep him in my room or the living room?

my room is mostly visited by my brothers, my maid, and my sister sleeps in the same room with me and i spend even time in my room and living room


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

will metal perches hurt him too? or will be unstable and unable to stand because it could be too slippery


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

Can i use this as a perch? i will tighten the sides so it wont be loose 

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01235-20111208-2306.jpg


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

or this photoframe 

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01237-20111208-2316.jpg

i need fast answers, please?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

the rope is safe to use as a perch, but dont use the metal perches or photo frame

can you braid 3 pieces of that rope together to make it thicker for him? you will want it to be thick for his feet so he can rest his feet better.


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

ok the rope is short tho so ill make it straight and side ways so he would have more places to move

and could a gift ribbon make a toy for him?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i dont think the gift ribbon is safe.

shoelaces (clean) are safe  and fun toys. mine love shoelaces.

good idea with the rope


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

do i just put it clean shoelaces or do i make something out of them? if its better to do something out of them any ideas?


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

this is the picture of his cage now do i remove/add something?

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01241-20111208-2345.jpg
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01242-20111208-2345.jpg
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01243-20111208-2346.jpg
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb323/Marie_Orton/IMG01240-20111208-2345.jpg


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

....... anyone?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It looks good just needs some toys. You can take the toilet paper tubes and string them from the shoelaces, that'll give him something to play with. Straws are another great toy as well!


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

You are looking bare. Definitely need more toys. What about Popsicle sticks? I put clothes pins on their cage for them to chew on.


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

ok i will try

Kiki does some kind of 'tick' sound after a small tweet, wat does that mean


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

now he allows me to pet him kinda but started refusing to climb on my finger without pushing gently on its chest


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Sometimes that's how you have to convince them to step up. It lets them know what you want them to do.


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## Marie_33 (Dec 8, 2011)

oh okay thanks


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