New tiel

[CommaCole]

Got a new tiel and I thought i did my homework but wasn't ready for this!
I've read the target training article and will try it tmrw. I have been getting him out of the cage by force and he even seemed to enjoy out time. But a day later he's on my shoulder and going up and down on me, screaming and pecking trying to get my attention. He doesn't enjoy rubs and is staring to scream. How do i manage this?! I'm willing to work but how long will i? i've had him 3 days.

[marie83]

Give him longer to settle down. 3 days isn't long at all, if someone took you away from everything you ever knew as a child and stuck you with a new family I imagine you like most children would be very very unsure of everything for quite a while. Of course the difference between parrots and children is that you can sort of explain to a child whereas a bird hasn't got a clue whats going on.

I would also suggest that you stop using the force out method, you risk making your bird scared. Fix a perch on the outside of his cage and wait for him to come out. In the meantime you can start target training whilst he is inside his cage.

Ignore and screaming and pecking otherwise it will get worse, the screaming will get louder and longer, the pecks will turn into bites. This is because they quickly learn what gets them attention. If your bird pecks you and you don't respond then the pecking wasn't worth wasting his energy on.

Just take things nice and slow. You have a lifetime with your bird.

[CommaCole]

Thank you for the reply, i will take it slow now. Had been feeding him millet through cage bars to make him comfortable with me. Is there a limit to how much millet i feed him? Don't want him to be spoiled, when i take away the millet he does a little screech. Is there any other way to gain his trust? Unfortunately he's been somewhat neglected by my family who banged on cage a yelled when he screamed.Sorry for all the questions, want to start off right.

[marie83]

Sorry but thats not neglectful, that is abuse. From the little I know Harlie came from a home like that, possibly much worse. They would bang on the cage, shake it, poke stuff in through the bars at her and she hadn't been let out of her cage ever and couldn't fly because she had no muscle. For the first couple of months she would flap round her cage screaming if I even entered the room never mind went up to her.

Anyhow you do right, sit outside talking to him. Millet is good but too much of anything is bad so try to offer other stuff he likes too if you can. Don't push him too hard as it will be easy to destroy any small amount of trust built up but don't be too scared to push him a little either (just go straight back a stage or 2 if he reacts badly).

Sorry but no not really, there isn't any other way to earn trust. Some people use flooding methods but I cannot agree that is an ethical/moral way to go about it when there are much kinder methods.
I have worked with birds as terrified as Harlie before and they all tamed down much faster (within a few weeks to a year). I'm on my 5th year with Harlie now, she has come such a long way but there is still a long way to go. She will do certain things but I still cannot push her much or we are right back to square one (almost).

[liz]

First - your family needs an attitude adjustment.

Second - give it a little freedom. Let it out in a closed room that you are in. If it can't fly yet just put it on the floor and keep track of it. Make it feel like you are it's buddy and not feel like a caged animal at your mercy. Sit on the floor with a goody after a little while and see if it will come to you.

[CommaCole]

Thanks for your reply and my family and i have talked. In the meantime, i'm confused- before even starting target training, he's screaming, i wait till he stops then opens the cage door, leave and when i come back he's sitting on door. I go up to the door he goes into the cage and does i guess a warning screech when i try to make him step up. Do i even need to do target trainning if he's coming out on his own?

[Eurycerus]

Thanks for your reply and my family and i have talked. In the meantime, i'm confused- before even starting target training, he's screaming, i wait till he stops then opens the cage door, leave and when i come back he's sitting on door. I go up to the door he goes into the cage and does i guess a warning screech when i try to make him step up. Do i even need to do target trainning if he's coming out on his own?

Yes I would do target training first. Listen to marie. I would not force him to do anything. Don't force him out, or onto your hand. He doesn't trust you and rightly so.

I would be a calm presence and come sit by him and talk to him and feed him a small treat by hand for coming over. If he screams when you come close, then he's scared and just calmly wait and then step closer and closer, slowly. Wait each time till the screaming stops. You're going to have to be patient and calm and loving.

[liz]

Myrtle was neglected and abused. She was skinny, dirty, afraid of everything especially hands. I let her make her own way into the family. It was like adopting a child from a war zone. I loaded her cage with good foods and left the door open. I talked to her as I went by and never tride to touch her. My memory is bad but I think it took 24 hours before she would come out and go to the top of her cage. It was baby steps.

I treat my critters like children. They each have different personalities and different needs. Since they are my children I do not trick train. They learn just like children.

Myrtle is not the same bird I rescued. She is extremly social and well balance as any animal can be. I also believe that now she is the happiest one in the house.

I have a thread Rambo & Myrtle.

[Eurycerus]

I treat my critters like children. They each have different personalities and different needs. Since they are my children I do not trick train. They learn just like children.

I'm pretty sure I'd trick train my kids if I were to have any, maybe they'd become the next olympian I think the tricks are fun for both Nika and I, but I understand where you're coming from. I didn't actually ever think about teaching a parrot tricks before I got her and I certainly don't do it as a circus act but it's a fun thing to bond over. It's also direct one on one attention and since she's so active she doesn't want to just hang out with me, she needs something fun to do!

[liz]

Each one is different and each parent is also.

Rambo put all his energy into learning. Since he doesn't fly he was limited to his activities.

Myrtle is highly animated. She does some weird movements on her own. She flipped her head sideways and said "awwwww". So Rachel pretended to shoot her. She caught on fast and now she pretends she is dying when we shoot. She learned peek a boo really fast and is now trying to teach Rambo.