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Taming

Want to teach your bird talk? Learn about and discuss methods for training birds to vocalize and mimic different sounds on cue.

Taming

Postby Cockatiellover04053 » Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:58 pm

Hello! I’ve had my cockatiel Lola for about 4 months now and when I first got her, she was extremely sick. We took her to the vet and I had to give her shots to have her feel better. (She’s back to perfect health now) But because of what I had to do she doesn’t trust me at all. I’ve tried multiple ways of getting her to trust me and she won’t. Even when I go near her cage to replace her food or water she scoots away. Does anyone have any tips on how I can get her to trust me? Any advice? :greycockatiel:
Cockatiellover04053
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 2
Number of Birds Owned: 4
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiels
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Re: Taming

Postby Pajarita » Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:40 am

You, personally, gave her injections? Or was it that you took her to the vet to get them?
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Taming

Postby Cockatiellover04053 » Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:55 pm

I went to the vet for her first one and the vet showed me what to do and where to give them to her :greycockatiel:
Cockatiellover04053
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 2
Number of Birds Owned: 4
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiels
Flight: Yes

Re: Taming

Postby Pajarita » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:44 am

Well, no wonder she doesn't trust you! Cockatiels are aviary birds and hardly ever hand-fed but, even when they are, they never develop the same deep bond that companion species do with humans so, if to that, you add the trauma she went through from your hands while still a baby (there are studies that show that babies that go through trauma remain high-strung their entire lives)... well, you can see where I am going. I am not saying you cannot regain her trust but it's going to take a lot of time, a lot of planning and a lot of work and she will always be more high-strung than normal. For one thing, she can't be clipped and don't even dream of training her (this requires a deep bond between human and bird even with companion birds). Personally, I would not even try so I would advise you to get her a mate and allow them to live a good life together because although taming her is possible, she will suffer too much in the process (because it will be too long and she will be all alone in the process which is VERY distressing to tiels) and she will never be 100%.

And, my dear, please change vets. I don't know where you live but, here in NJ and in Pa, it's illegal for anybody to give animals injections unless they have received formal education (veterinarians and certified technicians only not even assistants can do it). But, aside from that Injections are NEVER recommended for birds (way too much tissue damage - imagine how much it hurts for us to get a shot and compare it to their teeny tiny body and the size of the needle!) and are only necessary in case of life and death which was not the case here as, most likely, what she got were antibiotics which can be put in the water they drink so there is no pain, no stress, no tissue damage and no lasting psychological trauma for the bird.

This was not your fault. You had a sick bird and took it to the vet which was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, you ended up with a not too good vet and you did not have enough knowledge to determine this in time to avoid the lasting damage... But this doesn't mean that you cannot enjoy your bird or that your bird cannot have a good life. It just means that you will have to adjust your expectations to the circumstances. What you have going for you is that your bird is a cockatiel and there is no sweeter birds than them! Give her enough time without asking anything of her, get her a mate so she has the right kind of company, feed her right, allow her to fly around the house for 4 hours a day and just talk to her and offer her a treat every now and then and, in time, she will forgive you and begin to trust you again.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


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