# Help getting female cockatiel to bond better with my wife



## dja041687 (Apr 7, 2012)

I have owned Apollo for about 6 months now. She is extremely affectionate towards me to the point where I can just about to as I please with her. She kisses, preens my mustache, snuggles, and loves to be held BY ME only!!! Lol Im not complaining about her love for me as I love her just as much but I would just like some tips on getting her to bond with the other part of my flock (MY WIFE) lol. Apollo will accept my wife as a temporary perch for a short period of time only for a few neck scratches, and then looks to me and fly's my way. Any tips guys on getting her to bond better with my second half?


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## MeghanNichol (Mar 2, 2012)

My tiel is the same way.. She LOVES me and will "allow" my fiance to hold her for a little bit... I found that it doesn't help when I'm in the room. If my tiel can see me, she will want to be with me. If my fiance is wanting some one on one time with our birdy, I leave. She will sit with him for a long time if I'm not in the room. 
Maybe if you give Apollo some one on one time with your wife, she will appreciate her more?
Just an idea!


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

Is your wife involved in Apollo's care? Does she feed her, cage clean, etc. Those things can help. But like MeghanNichol said, some one on one time without you might be a good idea.

Also, have your wife feed Apollo yummy treats while she is on her. Millet, or whatever Apollo goes nuts for! Food bribery is always good


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## Charlie292 (Feb 1, 2012)

My cockatiel was more bonded to me than my partner. I started having days where only my partner spent time with Charlie. Now he comes to us both more equally.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I have learned that sometimes tiels can 'imprint' or show preferences towards the sex of the person that handfed and raised them? Do you know if the breeder was a male or a female?

I've learned when handfeeding to try and socialize the babies to various people, both male and female so that they can adjust better when they leave home.

I have bought birds that were raised by a male, and when recently weaned they adapt to me (I'm female) but if they are older birds they have never learned to like or trust me....yet if a strange man came near them would run right to them!


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## delawaregirl (Dec 2, 2011)

I wonder if it is not also a gender thing. I am the primary caretaker of our female tiel, I clean the cage, feed her, bathe her. The person who handfed her was female. I spend the majority of the time with her. She loves to be on my shoulder as I go about my chores. BUT when she hears or sees my husband get up in the morning he gets the loudest flock call. When we sit on th couch 90% of the time it is him that she goes to. He plays with he for a little and then gives her back to me. But before long, back to him she goes. I cannot figure out why she has such an attraction to him but she really does. Obviously though she loves us both. I do think though if you are not the chosen one for your birds affection that you have to work a little harder at building that relationship--just like people. That's why I love tiels--they teach us an awful lot if we just listen.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I wonder if it is not also a gender thing.


Sometimes it is but that's not always the case. We had a female tiel who was super bonded to me (got her from a pet store, don't know what the gender of the breeder who raised her was) and she was totally bonded to me, to the point where she would fly to me just to be with me. So I think in all reality it has a lot to do with the personality of the tiel as well.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

My tiel is definitely more bonded to me than my fiance. I think in part because his prior owner was female. At first Sunny wanted nothing to do with my fiance. For over a month. I would have him hand feed Sunny treats. And have him come and sit beside me when Sunny was with me. If I'm not home, Sunny will now play with my fiance. If I'm home, Sunny only wants me. However, if my fiance is not with us, Sunny will flock call to him. So he does like him... not just in the same way as me and I don't think that will change. Maybe just try to let your tiel and wife have one on one time with you not there?


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