# games to play with your tiel?



## meaggiedear

So. Grey is obviously tame enough for me... what im having issues with is bonding. How do I get him to love me? What games can we play together? How can I get to know him? How can he get to me? I want us to be buddies. But I don't know where to start.


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## Oakpaw

I'd like some game suggestions too, because I don't really know any.

What I do so far with Chester (which may be a good place for you to start) is:
Do the "finger ladder" thing where you get your tiel to step up on your opposite hand repeatedly.
Put him on the floor (his wings got clipped when I adopted him), and he will follow me all around the room. It's kind of like a peakaboo thing. He seems to enjoy running under the bed and coming back out to find me.
Try making bathing a social thing, if he likes water or spritzing. Chester loves when I fill the sink with warm water. 

I'm trying to teach my 'tiel to whistle, so that's most of our social time right now. He also watches me play video games. Haha.


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## morla

Oakpaw said:


> I'd like some game suggestions too, because I don't really know any.
> 
> What I do so far with Chester (which may be a good place for you to start) is:
> Do the "finger ladder" thing where you get your tiel to step up on your opposite hand repeatedly.
> Put him on the floor (his wings got clipped when I adopted him), and he will follow me all around the room. It's kind of like a peakaboo thing. He seems to enjoy running under the bed and coming back out to find me.
> Try making bathing a social thing, if he likes water or spritzing. Chester loves when I fill the sink with warm water.
> 
> I'm trying to teach my 'tiel to whistle, so that's most of our social time right now. He also watches me play video games. Haha.


Good suggustions! i am going to try that!


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## meaggiedear

Oakpaw said:


> I'd like some game suggestions too, because I don't really know any.
> 
> What I do so far with Chester (which may be a good place for you to start) is:
> Do the "finger ladder" thing where you get your tiel to step up on your opposite hand repeatedly.
> Put him on the floor (his wings got clipped when I adopted him), and he will follow me all around the room. It's kind of like a peakaboo thing. He seems to enjoy running under the bed and coming back out to find me.
> Try making bathing a social thing, if he likes water or spritzing. Chester loves when I fill the sink with warm water.
> 
> I'm trying to teach my 'tiel to whistle, so that's most of our social time right now. He also watches me play video games. Haha.


I never thought about stepping up as a game! I always figured it annoyed the crap out of Grey. LOL. 

All good suggestions except the video game thing since I don't play them. Haha.


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## meaggiedear

Anymore suggestions out there?


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## pluto

My sweetie loves paper! Loves to fetch balls of crumpled paper. That could be something fun you could try. I use printer paper because it's firmer and my bird likes to bite through the harder stuff!
Also every evening I allow it to sit with us while we watch tv. It snuggles up on my chest and loves when I place my hand over it's back and cuddle it close. Oooh and my bird just lives for neck scratches and head massages  
I had my little one from 18 days old though so I've never had to try to bond. I guess sometimes it's the opposite where I need some space or I'll be bird smothered by it!!
Flying games are a hit too. Xiang loves when I put it down somewhere and walk away and call for it. It will come flying as fast as can be back to me and acts as proud as a peacock LOL!

I think the key to bonding may be the amount of time spent with the bird. Just getting to know each other and what personality the tiel has. 

Mine loves to do the kisses thing to. And often I'm the one to initiate it by saying "give kisses" and then kissing with a big mmmmwhaa sound but lately it will come up to my face and just slowly push firmly with it's beak (smooth top part) and hold it there for a few seconds. At first I didn't understand what it was doing but when I caught on my heart just melted!


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## meaggiedear

pluto said:


> My sweetie loves paper! Loves to fetch balls of crumpled paper. That could be something fun you could try. I use printer paper because it's firmer and my bird likes to bite through the harder stuff!
> Also every evening I allow it to sit with us while we watch tv. It snuggles up on my chest and loves when I place my hand over it's back and cuddle it close. Oooh and my bird just lives for neck scratches and head massages
> I had my little one from 18 days old though so I've never had to try to bond. I guess sometimes it's the opposite where I need some space or I'll be bird smothered by it!!
> Flying games are a hit too. Xiang loves when I put it down somewhere and walk away and call for it. It will come flying as fast as can be back to me and acts as proud as a peacock LOL!
> 
> I think the key to bonding may be the amount of time spent with the bird. Just getting to know each other and what personality the tiel has.
> 
> Mine loves to do the kisses thing to. And often I'm the one to initiate it by saying "give kisses" and then kissing with a big mmmmwhaa sound but lately it will come up to my face and just slowly push firmly with it's beak (smooth top part) and hold it there for a few seconds. At first I didn't understand what it was doing but when I caught on my heart just melted!


Cute! Ill have try these. Thank you.


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## stevechurch2222

I saw a video on you tube,a woman taught her cockatiel to play connect four.You can also get plastic rings and teach your cockatiel to put them on a plastic pole and take them off.That video was also on you tube.


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## meaggiedear

stevechurch2222 said:


> I saw a video on you tube,a woman taught her cockatiel to play connect four.You can also get plastic rings and teach your cockatiel to put them on a plastic pole and take them off.That video was also on you tube.


Lol. Grey would look at me like I was stupid if I tried to teach them those things. We aren't on that level yet. Maybe some day when we are bonded more.


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## sunnysmom

Sunny and I play a whistling game. Sometimes he starts it- sometimes I do. But we'll take turns whistling to each other. Sometimes he tries to mimick my whistles but most of the time he does his own tune. He also taught himself to play hide and seek but I had nothing to do with that. He'll "hide"; pop up and made sure I see him; and then move and do it again. It's really pretty cute.


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## meaggiedear

sunnysmom said:


> Sunny and I play a whistling game. Sometimes he starts it- sometimes I do. But we'll take turns whistling to each other. Sometimes he tries to mimick my whistles but most of the time he does his own tune. He also taught himself to play hide and seek but I had nothing to do with that. He'll "hide"; pop up and made sure I see him; and then move and do it again. It's really pretty cute.


I can't whistle! Lol. My boyfriend plays this game with grey though. Even if he is in his cage, if he whistles and kev hears him he will automatically whistle back. Grey loves it. Hide and seek. Too cute. =]


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