# Training advice!!!



## cocoandmisty (Aug 27, 2016)

I suppose this could count as training?? It's certainly going to take some time I should imagine but pleeeeease does anyone have any advice for my baby!!? She's only two months so I understand very young, has a lot to learn but she just wants to chew everything BUT her toys, I bring her toys out during the day seeing as she doesn't like being in her cage anyway (another problem) but she still finds other things to chew rather than her very interesting and fun toys!! and I feel bad constantly moving her away from the things she's not supposed to be chewing she's probably getting fed up with me  but I want her to understand and also if she learns to play with her toys she might enjoy being in her cage more?? Which is a problem for when I have to go out, she ends up flopping to the floor and squawking and pacing to get to me and I worry she's ignoring her food and water when I'm gone  please help me, she very dependant on me and I feel if she learns to play on her own and enjoy her cage she'll be a happier cockatiel. 

P.s I'm very rarely out and away from her but the times I am away I want it to be comfortable for her, it's very hard listening to her flap around and get to me I'm always worried she's going to hurt herself. Yesterday I left going to a friends house till half 8 so I could leave when it was her bedtime!!! Please help!!


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

It's a baby thing. Sooner r later it'll click in that head of hers that toys are meant to be played with. Have you tried playing with her toys in front of her? I usually make a big deal over it, and bang the toy against my nose a bit. My guys usually get the hint it's a toy  

As for the cage situation - have you tried giving her a special treat that she only gets when she's in her cage? A piece of almond or veggie? I use spray millet with my guys. They recognize the bag and get sooooo excited to go in their cages, LOL. Except August, my White Capped Pionus. I'm still trying to convince him that millet spray won't eat him....


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## cocoandmisty (Aug 27, 2016)

vampiric_conure said:


> It's a baby thing. Sooner r later it'll click in that head of hers that toys are meant to be played with. Have you tried playing with her toys in front of her? I usually make a big deal over it, and bang the toy against my nose a bit. My guys usually get the hint it's a toy
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Haha I hope so! And yes I have, quite often made a fool of myself singing and batting around a toy of hers as if it was the best thing I'd ever seen haahah!

I haven't tried that actually for the cage thing, so I may just do that! Don't think the vegetables would work because she gets those on her perch outside the cage so it's not that special? I'll try the Millet like you and see how that works!! Thank you


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## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*training advice*

Cockatiel owners sometimes make fools of themselves for their birds.  I've done the same thing! A non-bird owner might think we're a little nuts. I have also let Bennie see me eating something to try to get him to eat something. Sadly, that doesn't usually work with him. 
One thing most cockatiels like is anything they can shred and destroy (as you have already seen!) Try some paper shredding toys. My vet also gave me an idea as a type of "foraging". Loosely wrap a piece of millet spray in an un-dyed, white piece of paper towel. In shredding the paper, they'll find the treat underneath.


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## cocoandmisty (Aug 27, 2016)

Janalee said:


> Cockatiel owners sometimes make fools of themselves for their birds.
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Haha it is funny to think back on after trying to make a toy seem appealing to them!! Luckily for me when it comes to food she'll eat absolutely anything and everything (not so good when she wants my toxic food, which I make sure she most definitely doesn't get a bite of!!!) 

She has a couple of shred toys which she's nibbled at briefly and then ignored lol, HOWEVER I will try that wrapped millet idea because that sounds good and I reckon she'd really enjoy that one, thank you!!


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