# Stressful bird, wing clipping and frustration!



## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

I've had Jasper for about 8 months now, and he is the most un-tamed, fearful cockatiel I have known in my life. He bites, hard. Hisses everytime I walk past the cage and it frustrates me so much, because I want to be able to handle him. He is an aviary bred cockatiel, which explains his fear of people. He has bonded with my hand-tamed female Freckles. I've done everything, sat by the cage and talked softly. Trying to offer treats through the cage bars, he just won't touch them. If I even try and put my hand in the cage he flaps about, screeching and freaking out. It's been EIGHT months. Freckles comes willingly out her cage and I feel bad for Jasper that he can't come out of the cage. So I put gloves on so my fingers don't end up dripping with blood, and catch him and let him out. I get so worried though, because he doesn't have his wings clipped and he is constantly flying into mirrors and windows, so I don't let him out anymore, when I would love too. I want him to have his wings clipped so he relies on me more and will perhaps be easier to tame, but I'm too scared to clip them because of blood feathers. I've researched it, and it doesn't look too hard, but I'm not confident in identifying a blood feather. I think I'd like to have Freckles wings clipped a little too, so she can't fly into windows or mirrors either. I would take them to the vet to have their wings clipped, but it's SO stressful for Jasper when he is put in a transport cage and put in an unknown place and I don't want to put him through that. Does anyone have ANY tips on how to make him tame and or wing clipping advice?


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

Allo Allo! I wish I could be of more help with hand taming . It can sometimes take years for some birds to calm down enough to be handled. I had an aviary budgie who took a year to adjust to me. She never was hand tame and bit like the dickens, but when allowed freeflight time, she would sit with me at the computer and nibble my cheek. Keep in mind, though, I'm terrible at hand taming anything, heh. I hope some of the more experienced folks can help you out there. 

In regards to clipping wings, I find it best to wrap up a bird in a towel at home. Saves a lot of drama at the vets  I pull out their wings and snip the first 5 flight feathers. Blood Feathers are easy to spot - they have a texture like straws, sometimes with a new feather peeking out at the top. I should take about five-ten minutes to clip both wings. It's pretty easy.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

Thank you for the advice on wing clipping.  Jasper is not as fearful when out of the cage, and I can come close to his face, as long as my hands aren't showing! It's just getting him OUT the cage that is the problem.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

fuzzyfrogs said:


> Thank you for the advice on wing clipping.  Jasper is not as fearful when out of the cage, and I can come close to his face, as long as my hands aren't showing! It's just getting him OUT the cage that is the problem.


I was terrified my first time too. It helps for someone else to hold the bird and you to do the clipping. My meanest bird, I had to wrap in a towel. When you are clipping, look for a dark shaft as a blood feather. They are super easy to spot against a regular feather. Regular ones won't have the dark middle.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

That's good to know. So if there is a blood feather, what do I do? Wait until it falls out, stops growing?


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Fuzzyfrogs I don't know what kind of a setup you have, but I have a rescue I'm working with in much the same condition.

First thing I did was to build an elevated play area next to the cage so they can come and go without being handled. Part of that was a piece of heavy plastic net so they can easily climb up from floor. (aprox 1.25 " square) Another part is a spiral ladder that wraps around the 2" pvc base. Which brings them from 18" above floor up to the 4' mark.

The 5 yr old female (Joey) I rescued was totally untamed, and cage bound. She can zip around the cage on the wires faster than anything I've ever seen. But as she has freedom to come and go at will she is slowly thawing. As she spends more time out and about, flying, playing she is losing that fearfulness. As the days go by, more and more often I look over my left shoulder and she is sitting just 6" away from me. 

Just something to think about.

I started out with kind of an H frame. 1 vertical is an old floor lamp base with 2"pvc secured to it, the other is a 5 gal plastic bucket, drilled 2" hole top and bottom for the pipe, then half filled the bucket with cat litter for stability. Crossbar is a stick inch to 1.5" in diameter.


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## Fortunate (Oct 31, 2011)

mine also have an elevated play gym to help them in and out. I find also holding out a perch for them to climb on work - instead of your hand


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

Ghosth, that's a nice idea. I've never though of that before. Do you think I could see some pictures of your setup? 

And thanks Fortunate for the tip. I've tried before with a wooden swing, but it seems as though even then my hands were too close for comfort. I'd probably need a tree branch for Jasper to feel comfortable enough to even step onto it!


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

If there is a blood feather, leave a non blood feather on each side so it's got some protection from being broken.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Try offering a perch with millet on it, that may make him more inclined to step up. And you may not be able to put your hand in his cage for a while, some birds can be cage aggressive. How many hours of sleep are they getting every night? It could be that his hormones are high as well and that's why he's so protective of his cage (nest). You may have to sit with your hand outside the cage, just leaning against it til he gets used to that. And try dropping treats in his food cup first, instead of using your hands, so that he looks forward to you coming around (because you bring yummy stuff) even if he's still afraid of hands. O and try getting him to step up using your fist versus your fingers, as most birds that are afraid of hands are afraid of our fingers, not necessarily the hand themselves.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

I've tried putting treats in his food dish but he refuses to eat anything if I'm there. It's only if I walk out the room and can peek my head around the corner that I can see he's eating. He also is not the kind of bird that is tempted at all by food, unlike Freckles who darts across the room with the slightest rattle of seed in a bowl!  He screeches and makes noises almost like a baby bird when it's hungry if I come close and his crest goes down immediately. The closest I have ever gotten to him was when he was sick once and allowed me to stroke his head for about 5 seconds. That's as far as I've gotten, and now that he isn't sick anymore and has all his strength back, it's impossible. I appreciate all the helpful suggestions everyone is giving.  Is there anyway to tempt him besides food?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Does he like anything else? He doesn't have to eat the treat with you standing right there, as long as he sees that its you that gives it, that should be enough.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

He usually can't get to the treat first, Freckles grabs it before he even gets a chance. I've tried putting him in another cage until he's tamed but it stresses him out too much not being with another bird. He'll pace on the bottom of the cage and not eat anything unless he is with Freckles.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That's also probably another issue, he's so focused on her that he could care less what you want to do. It might be best to take him to another room for a 15 minute training session. It doesn't have to be long as tiels don't have long attention spans anyways.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

I'll try that, but I think he'll just be too stressed to know I exist.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The more you do it, the less stressed he'll be. Having a regular routine will really make it easier on the both of you.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

You could also cage them separately and put the cages right next to each other. Even if he is stressed at first, he will quickly get over it


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Since he is bonded to Freckles, he may feel some temptation to follow her when she's out of the cage and he's still inside. Especially if she's nearby and you're across the room. Does he seem to understand where the cage door is, and how to get to it? Taking Freckles out and placing some millet spray (or other treats) just outside the cage door might help him get used to the idea of coming out of the cage on his own initiative. It's OK if Freckles eats all the treats before he gets there - that will help teach him that if he wants to have some he needs to go out and get it. It might take a while for him to summon up the courage and initiative to do it, but he'll probably make the move eventually.

Last year I adopted four untame adult cockatiels. Azazel was the most timid, and it took about a year for him to start coming out of the cage on his initiative to join the others, who were having fun on top of the cage and taking advantage of the special treats on the play gym. But he eventually started doing it. He's still shy and runs the other way when I come around, but if I handfeed millet spray to the other birds for a few minutes, he'll usually take some when I finally offer it to him. It's helpful to interact with another bird first to show the shy bird that it's safe.


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Warning I do use materials that "could" be considered hazardous. Many of the connecting links on this setup are braided of plain old warn out terry towels. I do watch for loose threads but I am almost always here. Spiral ladder is the same material. This is also a work in progress and I find new ways to improve it regularly. I'm not suggesting anyone cut corners but I am on a quite severe budget and often have to made do.









This shows both bases, low climbing net from floor to ladder, and the spiral up. The spiral is just a piece of heavy copper wire which I braided cloth around. It is zip tied at regular intervals to deck screws going into the center pvc. All is then covered to limit exposure of metal's.










As you can see the top of the PVC was just drilled to let the main crossbar come through. I made it a fairly snug fit. The top of the post is one of Cara's favorite spots to sit and sing/whistle/talk.









This is the other end of the main crossbar. Swing in the middle, climbing net up to the shelf. Shelf is mostly just a place to put a treats bowl, a small mirror, water bowl for bathing, etc. At one point I had a piece of climbing net in the center also but they didn't use it much. 









Shelf is actually 2 pieces of wire shelving ziptied together, attached to wall, and supported by the red cord on the right. The other red is a rope with a wire in it that spirals up to the high perch.









High perch is a piece of natural wood (well aged) mounted about a foot below the ceiling. They will fly to it, or climb up the spiral rope.

That is Cara on the left, Joey on the right and yes that is a Batleth. 

Obviously I am a tinkerer, a jack of all trades, and a clutterbug. Sigh, what is, is.

I'll finish with a picture of the new cage.









That is a Petco designer finch flight cage. 30x18x18 it is quite roomy. 3 small silo feeders for seed, a larger one for zupreem fruit pellets, 2 silo water's and a new bath which I absolutely love. (lower right corner) Nutriberrys, more pellets, some bigger seeds are in the treat bowl on the shelf. The light on the right side is just a 2 bulb ceiling light that I jury rigged and shoehorned into the remaining space. Wintertime it makes a warm spot, and it gives some light if I leave the room and turn the main room light off.

Cage arrangement is somewhat basic but designed for low maintance. 

Most everything else could be done better with a bit of thinking, a few trips to dollar stores/hardware stores and some planning. Mine just kind of grew on me, adjusted from 1 cage, up to 2, then back down to 1.

I firmly believe that anyone can do almost anything if they set their mind to it.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

Wow! Such a creative setup, your tiels are very lucky. 

And tielfan, he does know where the cage door is, but once he comes out there's no willingness to go back in. I do try to play with Freckles and feed her in front of Jasper to show that I'm not scary. I suppose he's just a naturally fearful bird. I'll try putting millet near the cage door and see if he is tempted, although I doubt it. I think I'm going to clip his wings soon, so that should make it easier I hope.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It's actually a good sign that he's unwilling to go back in the cage once he comes out. The cage is a bird's "safe place", and if he was terrified he'd be doing everything in his power to get back in the cage.

Wing clipping is controversial but I think it's an excellent safety measure, at least until a bird is manageable enough to have out of cage time without risking life and limb.


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

I agree. I have a friend who knows how to clip wings so next time she comes around I'll ask her to show me how, at least until he doesn't fly away if he sees my hand.


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## smays810 (Dec 27, 2011)

I started working at a bird rescue a few months ago and I have learned from them to use towels to cover your hands instead of gloves because the glove is still in the shape of your hand. You may want to try placing a hand towel over your hand and see if he will step up on that since he cant see you hand anymore. They also use sleeves of old sweat shirts and wrap their arms and hands up in that for the bigger birds. You could even try that and see if that wouldn't work. They also work with birds in the bathroom and for small birds they use the bathtub because its a small inclosed space and the bird cant really get into to much trouble just make sure the toliet seat is down and dont work with the bird for to long maybe start out with 5 mins and then you could work your way up to longer times. I hope this helps


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your tips! I have no idea how, but today, after moving Jasper to a new cage, my hand was in the cage and he wasn't screeching, he was actually FALLING ASLEEP. It's amazing. Maybe he just didn't like his old cage!


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

fuzzyfrogs said:


> Thank you everyone for your tips! I have no idea how, but today, after moving Jasper to a new cage, my hand was in the cage and he wasn't screeching, he was actually FALLING ASLEEP. It's amazing. Maybe he just didn't like his old cage!


That's most interesting! Sure sounds like he likes his new cage. Maybe there were old memories tied to the cage that kept him afraid. 

In a birds' mind, who knows what was going on


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## fuzzyfrogs (Jul 31, 2012)

Who knows.  He seems much happier today as well. He was singing all day to Freckles and she just wanted him to be quiet! Poor thing!


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