# Holly, NOT treat oriented



## Terri Peters (Dec 24, 2008)

After starting my thread in the introduction section I’m moving my questions here:

A brief “Catch up” for those that haven’t seen my post in Introductions.

My husband surprised me with a Cockatiel for Christmas. He brought Holly home with him after work on Dec. 23rd, purchasing her at a pet shop. Purchasing from a pet shop would not have been my first choice as I would have preferred finding a reputable breeder and getting a tame, hand fed kiddo, however despite that he did a wonderful job. He picked out a stunning “girl” (who really knows…LOL) a very nice cage, healthy food, and nice toys. Needless to say I was stunned beyond words and very happy.

I don’t believe Holly has ever been handled other than the handling required to be transported. She does enjoy our company as long as we don’t touch her cage. I have sat her up in the living room, next to the chair I often sit in. She is nearby all the time even during our meals. When we are at her cage and talking to her she does come over and gets as close as she can often climbing the cage to be at the nearest spot possible. She will then throw a fit when the visit is over until one of use comes back to talk to her again. I know all of this is a promising sign of gaining her trust. However, when we open her cage she becomes very scared and nervous. She wont “Step up” Last night I spent quite a bit of time watching TV with her cage door open and my hand just resting on her perch, making no attempt to touch her. She didn’t care too much for that little activity at all, but she did calm down after several minutes of complaining and went about her normal business. I took that as a sign of accomplishment and removed my hand.

My question/problem is; Holly is not food or treat oriented in any way what-so-ever. The pet shop had her on a seed diet only and even that she doesn’t eat much of. I’ve introduced some healthier food along with her seed diet to get her slowly switched over to a more healthy eating habit. How do you work with a timid, un-tamed bird that doesn’t even like the sight of treats? I’ve tried peanut butter, oranges, small apple slices, and cooked pasta and she turns her nose up at everything. Is there anything out there that a cockatiel simply can’t turn their nose up on? Much of this I’ve offered to her by putting it in-between the bars so that it doesn’t fall and she doesn’t have to approach my hand to enjoy it. She still wont even so much as check it out.

I know this is going to take time and I do have a lot of patience, I just want to be sure I’m doing everything the correct way as to not set any progress we might accomplish back a step or two.

Terri ~


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## Breny (Dec 27, 2008)

HI, I just got my tiel too, so I am learning as well  I got my boy from a breeder, but she didn't handle him much so I am working with him. He is taking food from my hands and stepped up twice today! I'm hoping to tame him real well too, so I will be watching your thread for replies!

Just wanted to say good luck


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Here's some information you could read up on: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/recipes.html

There's also recipes that you can make for your 'tiel on the bottom of the page.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

Your bird is still very new, this is normal behavior until they get used to their new envrioment this can take a day to a few weeks 

Just keep giving her the Healthy food , and as she settles in she'll start exploring more 

Also one good way to get them to eat other foods is either You eating a piece of the same thing your self - or pretending you are- and making sure you make all the Yummy sounds, while doing so 

cockatiels are curious birds and are more of a "monkey see, monkey do" 


Some birds like their veggies hung (like carrot tops, Kale, Broccoli) some like it "cooked" (Steamed), others like it tossed on a newspaper on the cage floor or just in a dish 

Once Holly (love the name by the way), Settles in and starts trying new foods You'll have to try giving her the veggies/fruits/treats in different ways to see what she likes 

She may even be one that doesn't give a hoot how its served as long as its for her  ( I got a few like that one is named Piglet and he earned his name right from the start of hand feeding he didn't want to share with the other 4 LOL)


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

Sounds like you are doing a great job so far! Have you tried millet with her? Most of mine were wild when I got them and there is only one that I can't handle yet. Just keep taking it slow and talking softly to her.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

My 'tiels are much more apt to eat veggies rather than fruits.


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## acefarren (Nov 7, 2008)

I got exactly the same problem as yours.Both of mine were untamed when i got them. Try millets. I have been using those to try to tame them and now I can put my hand in and feed it already.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would try millet, just take it slow and Iam sure she will come around


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## Terri Peters (Dec 24, 2008)

xxxSpikexxx said:


> I would try millet, just take it slow and Iam sure she will come around


 Thank you everyone for the advice. Holly has a millet spray in her cage. I knew from past experience that millet was one thing they just can't turn their backs on. Knowing that she would most likely go off her feed for a day or two due to the stress of her new home I put millet in her cage so that she was at least eating something.

Yesterday she really started eating well and I removed the millet so it can be used only as a reward on her positive reinforement training.
The problem is coming from the fact that IF she has to take any food as a treat for any reason what-so-ever, she would just as soon do without. Right now I'm working on "touch", when she touches me (my hand or finger) that is a "GOOD HOLLY" and she can get a treat. I'm sure once I break through and she can see these treats as something good and fun the rest of the work should flow easily. I just can't seem to break through that first step yet.

Terri ~


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Well Terri you are making progress! The fact that she calmed down with your hand in the cage for a while is a good sign. If you could do the same thing with a little millet in your hand she might just go for it! So just sit with her and watch TV. Don't even look in her direction. Just keep your hand in there with a little bit of millet between your fingers or in your palm. Even if she just calms down and goes about her business it's a step in the right direction so when you get ready to take your hand out leave the millet as a reward for her calm behavior.


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## Terri Peters (Dec 24, 2008)

I'm so excited! I've had a huge break-through with Holly  As part of our morning routine, I move her cage to the kitchen with me and place it on the center island. I've done this every morning since I got her last week. I talk to Holly while I do the dishes and fix me something to eat (I don't cook in the kitchen with her in there) I typically have a bowl of cereal and yogart. Holly took some dry cereal from my hand! HA! I feel like a kid with a new toy...LOL She then sampled some yogart I put on a cabbage leaf, turns out she loves cabbage and lettuce as she has a small amount of both in her cage.

I would nibble on some then offer it to her, the whole time saying.."OH Yummm" and I made a big deal out of eating with her. This is where I knew she was bonding. When I stopped nibbling food she picked up the slightly larger piece of cabbage from her food bowl and Offered it to ME, as I was doing for her moments before. Of course I took the cabbage and nibbled on it saying..."OH, Yummm, Good." Of all things it just HAD to be cabbage, not something I'm terribly fond of but if that is what Holly wanted me to eat with her then by gosh I was...LOL

Terri ~


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## kimmikefids (Aug 2, 2008)

that is fantastic!! congrats Terri!!! sounds like she really is bonding with u slowly but surely!!


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Wow! You are really making progress! That is such a cute story! It's good to hear that things are going so well.


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

Congratulations Terri, trust me on this you will be just as excited every time she does something new. My bird belle was terrible when i first got her and now even though she is still a bit skittish she has made amazing grounds and now she comes up and gives me kisses. Good luck with your baby!!!
Mikey


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## Terri Peters (Dec 24, 2008)

Once again, we ate breakfast together. She now expects her share of cereal and waits for me to give her some. My husband was working with her today also and she reached out with one foot and touched his finger...YAY!! Jim wanted to continue but I told him that was a great achievement and that he should stop there and remove his hand. Thus really giving Holly what she wanted (getting a hand out of her cage) and in hopes of showing postitive reinforcement. She made contact, we ended the session. Small steps but I think we're getting there.

I told my husband that I really want to add a second tiel as soon as possible. To my surprise he said O.K. He thought it would be good for Holly and of course twice the fun for us 

Terri ~


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

You're doing it exactly right! Rewards for small steps will lead to bigger steps! You're on your way!


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

Very very well done Terri. When i got belle she had never had human contact and was between 8 months and a year old. It took me 8 weeks before i started to make progress with her but she has come a long long way. She will still not let me get her out of the cage unless its thru the top but if i open the door she will climb right out. Now she like to give me kisses and will step up for me. It all takes time and i think you have a great approach on winning your birds trust
Mikey


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## Terri Peters (Dec 24, 2008)

Well, I'm not too sure I taught Holly to do anything more than to make me go away. I was very excited when she finally reached out and touched us on the finger with her foot. As I stated earlier, when she made contact we brought an end to our session. Each day she would eventually reach out and touch my finger or my husband's. Now when I open the cage, she will rush to my finger, quickly reach out and touch then get real upset if I don't acknowledge this feat by leaving her alone.

I've come to the conclusion we didn't teach her anything, she taught us.."I touch, you go" Geeesh!


Terri ~


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Just remember it's not training...it's trading. That is the basis of all training. It's awfully cute that she rushes over to touch you. Time to work up to something else. Maybe Step up.


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