# Need some help :(



## WolfDragon (Apr 8, 2010)

Hello, I have a male cockatiel, I believe he is about 3-4 years old. I've had him for about 2 years. I got him from a roommates ex who's birds had babies and she couldn't take care of all of them. I love him  I have to keep his wings clipped because i have a cat, and if he flies around the room, the cat wouldn't be able to resist I'm sure. I've trained him since he was a kitten to not go after birds and he seems to have taken the training well, (For a cat) but I still keep a close eye on him. The bird, Twitch is his name  He has his own table in our living room, his cage is a bit too small for my liking but as I didn't have enough money to get him a bigger cage (And as he's out almost all the time anyways) I made him a play-set (I have a picture of it-sorry it's such bad quality, and don't have a very good camera) 

Alright, sorry for all the back story, but I don't know if it would have any effect on his behavior or not. I believe that he's quite territorial. Every time that I go to get him when he's anywhere on his table, with my hand, his crest goes down and he threatens to bite. If I put I perch in front of him he'll hop right on. Once he's away from his cage, he's ok, but he still trembles slightly when I'm holding him. I feel like maybe the only reason he's staying with me is because his wings are clipped? He'll sit on shoulders and squawk in your ear. He refuses to eat any food but seed and millet, (And I've been trying!) He won't eat out of my hand, and I can't just let him run around on the floor because of the cat. He's across the room from where everyone sits, maybe he's not getting enough interaction? I feel bad when I hold him because all he wants to do is go back to his cage. I don't know what to do. I've gotten him toys and perches and everything, all he ever plays with are things with mirrors though. Maybe he's lonely? I need some help here, I want to bond with him, but I don't know how, especially since I've had him for two years already, is it to late?

Please help me out!


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Is it possible to put the cat out of the room when the bird is out of the cage? Because that might be making him nervous. The cat is a predator and the bird is prey, and the bird knows it.

It's never too late to bond but it will take some work to make it happen. It might help if you can move the cage closer to where everyone sits. Then he'll feel more like a member of your human flock. If he likes millet spray, then don't keep it in the cage - turn it into a treat that he only gets from your hand and/or when he's out of the cage. His cage is where he feels safest, so start out offering chunks for him to nibble on through the cage bars. Once he's comfortable with that, you can start putting your hand inside the cage holding millet for him to nibble. Work on gradually getting him to feel comfortable taking millet from your hand when he's just outside the door or on top of the cage. Then work on gradually getting him further from the cage.

If he's too nervous to nibble on millet through the cage bars, you can drop a small chunk of millet spray into his food cup whenever you approach the cage, making sure that he sees you do it. You want him to understand that good things happen when you come around. Once he's had some time to get used to this, then start offering the millet through the bars.


----------



## kasien (Dec 24, 2010)

I can't help you, but I sure can offer you support and sympathy! I am going through almost exactly the same thing! I'll post more under a different thread...


----------



## WolfDragon (Apr 8, 2010)

Thanks! I appreciate it  I'm starting to drop millet in him cage a few times a day, so hopefully he'll warm up enough so I can move on to the next step  Soon hopefully he'll enjoy hanging out with me.


----------

