# Should I split them up?



## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

Okay, so some of you may know my predicament with my two new aviary birds.
I think to tame them, I may have to split them up, Diablo is calm, and curious, while Diente flys around frantically. The thing is with these pair, its a case of monkey say monkey do. They mimic eachother in every way, if Diente flys to the other side of the aviary, Diablo will too. Im not sure if they will handle being split up though, and its really worrying me :/ Do you guys think I should split them up? because I think it may be easier for them to bond with me individually that way.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yes I think splitting them up would be a good idea. Start working with them one on one in a small room. You may also want to clip them, just so that during training they have to rely on you more.


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Trying to work with 2 birds, both flighted in a aviary where you have zero control really sounds like an exercize in futility to me. Granted you could move a chair out there, put millet on your shoulders and eventually have them come to you. I think it would just take a long long time.

However I also understand you have to work with what you have.

Perhaps move 1 into the house in a cage for a week or 2 of intensive work. Once that is showing results switch birds. 

Partially I think it depends on just how attached you want those birds to be to you.


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## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks guys 
What your saying makes alot of sense... I think I may split them up when I get back from NZ? (I leave next week) Cus I think if I do anything before then it will probably be lost over the time Im gone.


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

Hello My suggestion is that you read through the taming
& bonding posts on site & select one to follow.....B.J.

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=31981


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> My suggestion is that you read through the taming & bonding posts on site & select one to follow


The problem is that these are flighted birds in an aviary and it's difficult to apply techniques that work well in a smaller cage.

If you separate them they will probably spend a lot of time calling for each other at first, and the problem will be worse if they can actually hear each other. If I understand correctly, these are two males so they probably have a flock bond rather than a pair bond. That's good, because pair-bonded birds will be more frantic to get back together than flock-bonded birds. 

They will settle down eventually, but if you can bring both of them into the house in separate cages that might work even better than separating them. They'll still have each other's company and you can work with them one at a time.


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

Hello All I can say is my advice is based on experience
& not on what I think might happen. The size of cage 
or aviary will not affect the training. One of the first things
you teach is, Step-up this can be achieved in exactly the
same way in an aviary or cage......B.J.

.http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=31981


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Well since you've posted your link twice (once is enough), I would also like to give the original poster the option of using this information too: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=22073

The problem though is that with that size of the cage (aviary) is that the birds will be able to get away from your no matter what. And although training is *not* about force, it is about giving them positive choices to make while interacting with you. With 2 untame birds, trying to work with them in a large space is going to give them 2 choices to make...either interact with you or run away. Obviously, in a large area the birds will choose to run away because it is safer in their eyes. Training in a small room give them the same 2 choices, they always have the option of interacting. And of course they still have the option to run away..but keeping them closer to you and letting them observe you in a small space will have a much bigger impact than allowing them in a large space to run away from you constantly.


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## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everyone  I think I will bring Diablo inside as he seems to be the less frightened one and work with him and then Diente, alternating each week, and once they are tame let them both live inside together  Do you guys think I should separate them after my NZ trip? I go away next Monday for 2 weeks. Or start ASAP? I can think of pros and cons for both options, birds could get lonely without eachother and me, but on the upside they have time to acclimatise being away from one another...


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## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

I will also clip them


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I would vote to separate them after you come back. If you separate them before you leave, each bird will be completely alone while you're gone and that's a stressful situation for a flock animal.


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## Motley (Jun 5, 2012)

Okay, thank you


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

bjknight93 said:


> Well since you've posted your link twice (once is enough), I would also like to give the original poster the option of using this information too: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=22073
> 
> The problem though is that with that size of the cage (aviary) is that the birds will be able to get away from your no matter what. And although training is *not* about force, it is about giving them positive choices to make while interacting with you. With 2 untame birds, trying to work with them in a large space is going to give them 2 choices to make...either interact with you or run away. Obviously, in a large area the birds will choose to run away because it is safer in their eyes. Training in a small room give them the same 2 choices, they always have the option of interacting. And of course they still have the option to run away..but keeping them closer to you and letting them observe you in a small space will have a much bigger impact than allowing them in a large space to run away from you constantly.



Read the post. No where does is disagree with what I say. Perhaps you
would like try this little experiment.. Go to any city centre where pigeons
abound & feed them. Twice a day roughly at the same time. I guarantee
within a few days, you will have countless new feathered friends. Pigeons 
are no more intelligent than teils.B.J.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Bird Junky..the *only part* of my post directed toward you was the first part. Where I gave them the other training link.

The rest was for the original poster and I was agreeing with tielfan and elaborating on what they had already said. 

Pigeons are different than tiels anyway. Sure, I go feed pigeons from time to time and they will perch on me while they eat. BUT, everyone else does too! These tiels are birds who have never had any true positive reactions with humans (they have not had negative interactions either) so to compare them to pigeons who are fed daily by eating food off the ground at the feet of people is not a good analogy. Just my opinion. Pigeons are born into that type of flock/feeding style..they've known it all their life. Aviary cockatiels haven't.


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