# No more cuddles with Hooligan :(



## kelpinator (Aug 8, 2011)

When my two birds Chris and Gloria had five babies, we decided to keep the oldest one, Hooligan. 

Hooligan is now five weeks old, and has been handled pretty much constantly since he was born. He wasn't handfed, because the parents were doing a really good job of it and I saw no need to interfere with that. But he (and all the other babies) were all taken out everyday and cuddled and petted.

The thing is, now he has just started learning to fly, and every time I take him out, all he wants to do is fly back to his cage. He doesn't seem to be interested in cuddling any more, and even if I try and tempt him with millet he just nibbles at it briefly before flying back to his cage. I've tried standing right next to the cage with him on my hand, and he will tolerate that * a little* but after a few minutes he wants to go back in again. He is still mostly being fed by his parents, although he is starting to show an interest in millet and the seed bar thing that hangs on the side of the cage.

What can I do? I want my snuggly boy back! Will he be happier to be out when he is fully weaned? Is this just an age thing, because he is still so young? I would appreciate any help or advice.


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## kelpinator (Aug 8, 2011)

Nobody has any advice? 

I noticed the other babies do the same thing, to, despite all having been handled a lot almost from the time they hatched. The parents were always okay with the babies being handled, and I thought it would help to socialize them. I read about other people's birds and they seem like they actually *want* to spend time with their humans - is it just because mine are so young? AM I doing something wrong?


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Mine still do that, my thoughts is that its a safety thing, they get a bit nervous being away from the cage so they want to go back, like a security blanket thing hahah. If they can see their cage they want to go back regardless of what I tempt them with


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its sounds like they may be cage bound...if you want to cuddle you may have to take them into a separate room away from the cage, otherwise all they'll ever want to do is fly back to it. Also, they are learning to fly so they're independence is building. Once they get really good at flying you can clip their wings to tame them up a bit.


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## jaw2004 (Sep 17, 2011)

I don't know if this is the case, but, I wonder if it's just his age & flight is "new"? Our two adult cockatiels are pretty tame, yet, if they've been cooped up in their cage for awhile, they just want to fly when they first get freedom. Once they've flown around a bit, they're happy to come back and sit on our shoulders. 

Hopefully once flying becomes 'normal' for him, he'll be happy to cuddle again!


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## kelpinator (Aug 8, 2011)

Thank you all for the advice - I guess I just shouldn't take it personally - Hooligan is only a baby still so I supose it is only natural he's more interested in flying than cuddling right now! Hopefully he and I have many more years ahead of us to catch up with snuggles!


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