# How to bond with my Teil...hes horible!



## meganprice (Jun 29, 2009)

i have a male cockatiel and i found him out side my door step YES found him!!! any way we decided to keep him... im not sure what age he is but he doesnt look too old.

He goes on my finger and thats it! if i even try to touch his head , belly even feet or if i even move while he is on my finger he will bite me and his at me and fly around the room 

my mum doesnt want to get his wings snipped so he cant fly. (dont ask why lol)

so what can i do to get him used to me?

:tiel6:


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

How long have you had him? it'll take time for him to build trust with you. If a bird doesn't trust the human they won't cooperate 

right now clipping his wings would do more good than harm - Clipping wings isn't harmful any way unless done wrong - 

all my birds wings are clipped(and I have a beagle dog) in my house its mandatory for wing clippings it is in the birds best interest I have 2 kids, who run in and out They know how to close a door but it seems all their friends were born in a barn and even if my kids just delay a millisecond of shutting a door behind them thats all the more it takes to lose a bird out a door 

The way to gain trust is to take it slow and easy, while he's in the cage or even on your finger, talk softly to him, Read a book out loud to him, if he freaks out with your hand in the cage Like when your feeding/watering , cleaning etc. 

what i found worked well on my very 1st bird(who was a budgie and very freaked out) I spoke softly to him and told him every thing I was doing, Before i opened the cage door I told him "i'm sticking my hand in to change your food and water" and all the while telling him play by play what i was doing, I never just stuck my hand in with out informing him first that i was getting ready to 

after the 2nd week of doing this he no longer freaked out ( I had him at this time for 2 months and couldn't get near the cage w/out him freaking out) 

I have used it on all my new birds and it seems to calm them down 

remember never go to a bird with your hand above them - Example : if you have to pick him up never reach from above him down to pick him up, just cup your hands around the front of him where his face is "hidden" into your cupped palms This seems to calm them down (or at least has for all of mine even my bitters don't bite when picked up this way) reaching from above them They think you are a predator Since they are prey animals and Predators swoop down from above them. 

it'll take time and patience and repetition. 

Also all birds love to have routine, Do the feeding, water, cage cleaning the same time each time. Bedtime same time each night, wake up at the same time each day 

amazingly enough little things like that help a lot with birdy attitudes 

also some tiels just do not like to be touched at all I have several I can talk to all day, whistle at, but don't even let them think your thinking about touching them they will take off in a new york second 

I have a couple who only allow scratches and being touched on their terms when they want to be touched.


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## Peanutbutter (Jun 29, 2009)

^^ Agreed.

Just spend a lot of time 'around' him with out asking something of him. Bribe his friendship w/ millet (or a sunflower seed, a bite of your apple, etc.) when he is calm. 

Go at the birds pace... its hard to earn their trust and easy to lose it.

When he really wants attention he will let you know... watch for cues like lower his head or giving you a headbutt.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Don't mean to burst your bubble but you should try find his owner first off before you claim it as yours... I've lost a 'tiel and I sure hoped I'd get her back but didn't.. the owners are probably worried sick wondering where he is.


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