# How to find a new home for your cockatiel?



## eflock (Sep 13, 2009)

I am sad to say that I cannot work with my bird any longer. This is a terrifying thing to admit to fellow bird lovers but I am no longer happy and neither is my bird, Lucy. She sits in her cage and I don't know how to entertain her anymore. She has every bird toy you can imagine, but she's never really played. And I can't stand to watch her be miserable and inactive. I think it is time to find her a new home, where she can be happier.

What is the best way to do this? I live in San Diego, CA.


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## SoCalTiels (Oct 8, 2013)

Is it that she has become aggressive? What do you mean by not being able to entertain her? Some cockatiels just don't interact much with toys or the environment around them but it doesn't always mean they're unhappy. I'm so sorry you've come to this decision and I know it's not something you're doing lightly. Is there any chance that possible solutions could still be found?


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## eflock (Sep 13, 2009)

She's far from aggressive.

She just sits in 1 of her 3 usual places all day and only goes to get food or drink when she wants. Sometimes she'll chew on her lava chew. Sometimes (rarely) she'll play with one of her dangly plastic chain toys. Sometimes she'll climb around the bottom of the cage. But that's literally it.

And she'll shriek if I leave the room and don't cover one side of her cage. But then if I do that, she'll just go to a corner and sleep (even if it's daytime).

And I tried to offer a bath today but she was uninterested. I tried to create a little play gym with pillows and toys on the coffee table but she wouldn't stay. She only flew back to her cage, as if scared and uncomfortable. I tried to give her access to me on the couch and again, she left. And now as I type this, she's just sitting in 1 of her 3 usual spots, falling asleep.

I feel like a monster. I don't know how to make my baby happy. And I don't know how much of her behavior can be attributed to the way I've raised her. Although she really never has played much. She does like to explore, but she's not interested anymore.

And I would try getting her a partner for the first time, but 1 bird is already stressful for me. I can't have 2.


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## slugabed (Jul 27, 2014)

Does she like interacting with you at least?


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## eflock (Sep 13, 2009)

She's always been "mommy's" girl until tonight, her behavior has dramatically changed and she wants nothing to do with me. She won't let me give her petsies and she keeps walking away from me when I approach her. It's really quite sad.


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## NotAfraidEver (Jun 26, 2014)

Sorry for your problems. My Muddy is exhausting all bird training knowledge very fast. But I still have hope. Muddy doesn't like any toys or me... but, I still try. I agree with trying to get a second bird. My two girls are the most helpful thing I have, in trying to bring him around. The girls were both hand fed and are young, but Muddy loves them... and I believe that they will be my key into unlocking his hidden pet potential. I dont need him to be the best bird, but I need him to allow me to touch him, with out him making me bleed! So my recommendation is get another hand fed, baby bird and keep it in a separate cage! Maybe it will help?


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## Nimra (Aug 4, 2014)

Birds sometimes go upset and all. Then people sell them away. If it is not sitting near you and all, then you need to train it again


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## Fredandiris (Nov 27, 2012)

How long have you had her for? If you've had her since she was a baby and now she's 6 months or older, then what you're experiencing is just the normal change into teenhood and from there adulthood. Puberty and all that. Like people, they change. I handfed one of my males and he was the sweetest guy...until he hit puberty and then everything just went kersplat. He became overly aggressive, stubborn, and just plain bad-tempered. But, I know he'll get out of this phase eventually and my bond to him is just too great for me to give up on him. 

Ultimately, it's your decision whether or not you want to rehome her. I would recommend posting an ad up somewhere, maybe on Craigslist. Make sure you check out potential homes, cages, families, etc. You're the seller and you have the choice of whether or not you want her to go to a certain family. If something doesn't feel right then it's not the right home. It can take as long as it takes, just be patient about it. You want to make sure that she goes to the best home possible and sometimes you've got to wade through all the split-second buyers and unready people to get to that one, great person.

I would take her, but unfortunately my house is already quite the zoo, and I'm going back off to school this fall so I'll only be home once a month or so. Good luck with your bird though, I hope all goes well.


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## slugabed (Jul 27, 2014)

Uh, just one night?


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

It could just be a phase that is being experienced or this could be her normal personality developing. Only time can tell. Are you willing to ride it out for a few weeks or so? Maybe things will be very different. Sometimes we just don't get the relationship we hope for with our birds. If this is the case, just make sure you will happy with your decision at a later date, whatever you decide.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Hellena said:


> It could just be a phase that is being experienced or this could be her normal personality developing. Only time can tell. Are you willing to ride it out for a few weeks or so?


I agree 110%. If you ride it out, she may change. There seems to be a lot going on in her body right now and hopefully it will settle down with time


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

I wouldn't give up so easily. I would get another cockatiel to keep her company. She may perk up.


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

I know it's discouraging, see what happens


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## karendh (Mar 25, 2013)

Birdie is a very quiet little bird and shows hardly any interest in toys, she would much rather sit on me or on the settee next to me. She's very aware of anything I am doing and will call when I leave the room but apart from that she will just sit around and watch. She has just gone through a heavy moult and it's very hot here, so she is quieter than usual. 

Perhaps it's just your bird's personality and that she is perfectly happy being quiet.


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

karendh said:


> Birdie is a very quiet little bird and shows hardly any interest in toys, she would much rather sit on me or on the settee next to me. She's very aware of anything I am doing and will call when I leave the room but apart from that she will just sit around and watch. She has just gone through a heavy moult and it's very hot here, so she is quieter than usual.
> 
> Perhaps it's just your bird's personality and that she is perfectly happy being quiet.


that could very well be it, please keep us posted with what you decide. Only you really know your bird.


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

I'm so sad! 

Murray is a little like this sometimes. She doesn't play with toys much either, nor does she enjoy baths. She chirps when I leave the room too, and had her way she and I would just sit in the living room dozing and eating all day. While I'm out of the room, she sits quite still and does very little. Sometimes she even holds in her poop until I get back! The difference is that Murray will play, climb and fly outside of the cage. 

I think covering her cage when you leave will just put her to sleep and avoid the issue. You need to tackle that problem by putting up with the screams and ignoring them. I know that's bloody tough, but you and I share that problem! 

If every tiel is different, perhaps some have mental issues or other problems that affect their happiness as well as just their owner's actions. I understand if you want to move her on. If you are not up to the challenge (which is nothing to be ashamed of, by the way) then I think you're doing the responsible thing by admitting it and looking for someone who is. Just make sure they are the right one. I'm sorry I can't offer her any help, but I thought I'd lend support


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## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

eduardo said:


> I wouldn't give up so easily. I would get another cockatiel to keep her company. She may perk up.


Do not get a bird just to be a companion to another bird. It can cause further problems with your relationship with the original bird, and you have NO guarantee that they will get along. I know firsthand just how badly this can go wrong.

I'm pretty sure that if a bird wants another bird around, this tends to manifest itself in frustration (beak banging, aggression, biting, screaming, and sometimes excessive clinginess to humans) rather than what appears to be boredom and listlessness, but I could be wrong.

Our tiels are not playful (though they are improving a little bit on that note) and spend 90% of their time just sitting in place and doing nothing no matter how much we try to stimulate their attention. We have tried and tried (we have been concerned about weight problems) but they are simply very inactive and we're not sure that would change if they moved to a new home.

That said: It took them NINE FREAKING MONTHS for them to realize that the shreddy paper ball in their cage was a toy! And THEN they started playing with it.


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## Lu*lu (Jul 4, 2013)

Cockatiels have bad days and good days, just like us. Especially in the 6 months-3 year hormonal range. My girl doesn't play with her toys, she just sits on the top of her cage vocalizing and then screaming when someone leaves/enters the room. Sometimes she doesn't want to be with me, but it doesn't mean she is unhappy. She's just her own little unique soul, doing what she wants to do.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

It took Jaid 3 weeks to even lick a toy. They both play, but they like shiny toys, versus chewable ones


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## eflock (Sep 13, 2009)

It's not that I'm giving up soon. I've been dealing with this reality for a while. I feel like she has been giving me signs for some time now. About a year ago, when I would walk into the room after hearing strange chirping, I would find her contorting her body against the wires of the cage. I would have to physically block her to get her to stop. She would do it when no one was in the room. 

But regardless, after placing a craigslist ad, and receiving some disturbing emails (with the intention of breeding her) I'm growing less and less willing to place her in the hands of a stranger. So it may well be that I continue to work with her somehow.

And I agree that getting a second bird is not a solution. It's twice the work and she may reject the other entirely because she's never lived with other birds other than when she was a little chick. She pretty much hisses at anything that's not me.


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

Craigslist can really be a hit or a miss. When I was rehoming one of my birds some random person wanted to trade me their coffee maker for my bird. They thought it was a nice gesture because the coffee maker cost more! Your birds behavior does sound a bit odd since you have elaborated more. Where did you get her and what was her environment like before she was with you? Contorting her body against the cage wires? Interesting, not sure what that would mean. What was she like when you first got her?


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## eflock (Sep 13, 2009)

Wow, a coffee maker!

I wouldn't charge for rehoming my bird but I would interview and do a home visit.
Yeah so, I've had her since she was 2.5 months old. I bought her from a breeder. As far as I know, she was kept in her own cage but was handled frequently. She came entirely tame. At first she was really shy but then she warmed up to my family and was nice with everybody. I used to have a lot more time to play with her. And I would let her climb on my dresser and I would make caves for her in my bed sheets (which she loved). Then we moved and had interaction primarily with me. Somewhere along the way she became unfriendly to everyone but me. But then I had less and less time and the shrieking when leaving her sight developed. And some time after that she began occasionally doing the weird body contorting thing.


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

She may be responding this way because there is such a change in how much you interacted with her compared to now. She may benefit from a companion, especially when you aren't around. I would at least consider it. If not, make sure she has a fun playgym to spend time on and set aside some time once or twice a day for awhile to interact with her. If this is not possible then I would probably consider carefully rehoming her so she can have that.


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

eflock said:


> I wouldn't charge for rehoming my bird but I would interview and do a home visit.


Whether you choose to charge or not, pretend you are going to charge so you can see who seriously wants your pet and weed out those who think only of a bargain bird.


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## Lu*lu (Jul 4, 2013)

YES what Charlotte said -- never ever ever ever advertise a "free bird" because you will get those who won't take care of her, or may have bad intentions. Ad a re homing fee and once you find a good family let them know no re homing fee. Please do this, craigslist is full of freaks.


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

Agree with the above comments. Charge a decent rehoming fee too if you decide to sell. Not something cheap like $20. Some very strange people respond to ads on Craigslist.


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## FrostNBandit (May 29, 2014)

The contortions..could that be masturbation? I have read that females will do this as well as males (I had 3 months of a mustache parakeet moaning and groaning this year). If that's the case then it's just hormonal and could maybe be kept in check with less daylight hours.


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## FancyFeathers (Sep 13, 2013)

Could she be Egg Bound (contorting against cage)? A friend for her may help her perk up. My three Cockatiels really enjoy each other's company. They love to sing and talk to each other. Also you may want to add some avian probiotics to her water.


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