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First time cockatiel owner, is my baby bird ok?

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First time cockatiel owner, is my baby bird ok?

Postby zachpoff » Sat Jan 21, 2017 9:29 pm

I picked up my 8 week old baby cockatiel today. He was really sweet and would step up onto my finder when asked to. He was in a cardboard box with holes in it on the way home which was an hour drive. Send to pick him up to put him in the cage and leave him alone for the rest of the day and he hissed and tried to bute me. I realize he wa just extremely scared. Once put in the cage he sat on the bottom and has been for the past for the past 4 hours. He hisses at me every time I come near. I put some little bowls of food and water on the floor of the cage because he doesn't seem to want to climb yet and the food is about 18" off the floor of the cage. I'm just wondering if it is normal for him to be sitting at the bottom of the cage for so long. Thankyou!
zachpoff
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 1
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: White Faced Pearl Cockatiel
Flight: No

Re: First time cockatiel owner, is my baby bird ok?

Postby liz » Sun Jan 22, 2017 8:42 am

Your baby is a baby and scared out of it's mind. You, a big preditor with big hands, have taken him from everything he ever knew and put him in a strange land with strange people, strange sounds and smells. You have moved him from his world an put him in yours.

He should still be with his parents and flock. Feed him warm baby bird food.
Keep him in a quiet room that you spend a lot of time in so he can learn about you without forcing yourself on him.
He is afraid of hands. Move him so his highest perch is at your eye level. Keep your hands out of his cage. It is the only thing that he knows is his
Talk to him, sing to him, talk to the TV or read out loud without making eye contact. He needs to learn about you to calm down.

I don't think your baby is sick. He is just so very scared.

Others will come on soon to give you more help.
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liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
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Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: First time cockatiel owner, is my baby bird ok?

Postby Pajarita » Sun Jan 22, 2017 12:33 pm

I agree with Liz 100%. He is just a little baby and is very, very scared. Put his cage up high like Liz said and cover an entire half of it with material (so there is a little hidey-hole for him), make sure he is kept extra warm (babies need warmth for growth as well as comfort - I suggest putting a heating pad on the bottom of the cage in a low setting if he is going to stand on it). Make sure he has warm, soft food served fresh twice a day as well as soft seeds (like millet, for example but, if you can, cook some whole grains for him and mix them with a jar of baby food -like sweet potato puree, very nutritious!) and put it on a paper plate at the bottom of the cage (cockatiels are partial ground foragers). Spend time talking to him but don't put your face next to his cage and stare at him (that's what a predator does!). If you are loving and patient, he will come around in no time at all.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Location: NW Pa
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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: First time cockatiel owner, is my baby bird ok?

Postby Wolf » Tue Jan 24, 2017 7:54 am

Take the information that Liz and Pajarita have shared with you as it is species specific information and combine it with the hand taming information that I wrote in this link viewtopic.php?f=11&t=15840 It will work wonders for you and your bird in getting the bird past its fears and establish a routine that is conducive to building the birds trust in you.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes


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