# Will she ever like to be touched?



## Set (Mar 14, 2011)

Lilith is doing wonderfully. I still can't get her step up in the cage, but she readily steps up on a perch to come out and will step up on my hand when out of the cage. She's still flighty but is doing so much better. And her poops are back to normal when she's out of the cage; no more watery grossness (and much easier to clean up).

But she doesn't like to be touched. I've never had a female 'tiel before, so I don't know if this is a female thing, or if she'll grow to like it? Cadaver loves cuddles and head scritches, and Henry loves his scritches, but Lilith wants nothing to do with my hands unless she's sitting on them.

Is there any way to encourage her to enjoy being handled?


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## lisaowens (Oct 17, 2011)

angel was the same way she would step if she was out of the cage but wouldn't inside the cage. if she stepped inside the cage i would bring her out but if she refused i would let her come out on her own. as for head scratches and cuddling she would not let me near her with my hands. then one day she started stepping up every time i reached in to get her then one day she was on my chest and i came from the side and scratch her head and rubbed her wing it was the first time she let me touch her with my hand. don't give up she will come around. i am still working with my other two.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Sometimes it helps to have the bird away from eye shot of their cage. Their demeanor can change be more apt to work with you this way. Just make sure that where you have her is a safe room for her also.. meaning nothing for her to get hurt on should she fly off. Pull the curtains, cover mirrors, etc, etc.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It takes a lot of trust for a bird to accept head scritches and it sounds like she's not there yet. If you keep on acting trustworthy she might eventually want some scritches, although there are some birds that never learn to like it.


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

Daisy doesn't like me touching her. I was very disapointed, but I love her.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Some birds just don't like scritches...Luna loves it and Kirk runs away...


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

There's also something about the outstretched hand. I'm finding it with mine. If I have my hand curled up.. fingers in, I get more leeway with my oldest two. You could try this and perhaps work your way up from a knuckle rub.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

A lot of my birds accepted nose rubs before they accepted finger rubs. So I'd start rubbing their head with my nose and then sneak my finger in when they weren't looking. At first they'd get mad when they finally noticed the finger, but it didn't take long for them to accept it.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I started giving my tiels scritches by holding them to my chest and letting them distract themselves with my necklace. Ava and Luna permitted this (Luna actually begs for them now) but Kirk usually gets to making horrible noises and pecks at me. =P


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## LeopardPrintBee (Nov 22, 2011)

I'm glad she's stepping up out of the cage!  When we got Gertie she would already step up and she would let us rub her head with our faces (she'd beg for these!) but not with hands. But we have convinced her they're lovely! 

This worked for us (my partner just came home one day and she was having scritches! His skepticism soon disappeared! lol) but obviously it may not work for you as all birds are different. 

Does she eat out of your hand? This is a good place to be because then you can easily reward her  Find a snack she likes, for us, it's sunflower seeds. She only gets sunflower seeds when she does something special (she has tiny ones in her seed but only a couple and I;m talking about MONSTER sunflower seeds!  )

I then got the seed in between my middle finger and my thumb. I curled away my fourth and little finger and I had my index finger bent but above the seed. Just a bit higher than her head. (Have you ever seen those fish that have a dangly thing hanging off their head to entice fish in to their mouths? My index finger looked like that! lol)

then she'd come and eat the seed. Tentatively at first then more confidently. When she was more confident I started resting my index finger on her head, which she hated but I kept doing it(she loved the sunflower seeds and I could see the mental battle between running from the finger or eating the tasty seed!) and not pulling away when she'd bite. then I started moving it slowly. and by doing this she eventually learnt to trust the finger and have scritches!

That took about a week (my partner had no hope she'd ever like fingers!) and at first we have to only have the index finger poking out, and the rest in a fist, but now (a few months later) she's completely fine and will push her head into a cluster of fingers 

Sorry if this is a bit long! And hope it helps  x


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## chkinut (Dec 9, 2011)

wow! i'm glad i read that! it sounds like wonderful advice! thanks for sharing that!! i can't wait to try it with Bosley!


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

Set said:


> Lilith is doing wonderfully. I still can't get her step up in the cage, but she readily steps up on a perch to come out and will step up on my hand when out of the cage. She's still flighty but is doing so much better. And her poops are back to normal when she's out of the cage; no more watery grossness (and much easier to clean up).
> 
> But she doesn't like to be touched. I've never had a female 'tiel before, so I don't know if this is a female thing, or if she'll grow to like it? Cadaver loves cuddles and head scritches, and Henry loves his scritches, but Lilith wants nothing to do with my hands unless she's sitting on them.
> 
> Is there any way to encourage her to enjoy being handled?



I have had mines for a week now and they step but they don't let me pet them.My female starts running trying to get away...lol.Cant wait till they trust me.


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

Daisy now lets me rubb like my cheek against her! she feels so soft!


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## hscockatiels (Sep 21, 2011)

My cockatiel Ella loves to be scratched. She is a solitary cockatiel and spends almost every hour of her day with me. I got he hand thamed at 5 months old. Now, I am probably only accomplishing this because she is not a flock bird. Touching your flock bird is like a mother giving her teenage girl hugs and kisses at a party that all her friends are at. You don't look like a bird, you you will be slightly excluded from her nice list, but with a lot of hard work, I am sure she will warm up to you.


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