Say hello to my little friend!

[lotus15]

Beauuuutiful!! How lucky you are to be able to play with him while he weans. You two will have a very special relationship

[Shani]

I can believe it! My cockatiel was found as an adult in a park, & is just now getting accustomed to handling. He's a cutie, so I really have to rein myself in to give him time to warm up to me before I indulge in loving on him like he's a stuffed animal!

That's just lovely! Good on you for saving him, he's a very lucky tiel to have found such a lovely home I can totally understand having to rein yourself in though! Was he tame when you found him? How's taming/training going with him?

Beauuuutiful!! How lucky you are to be able to play with him while he weans. You two will have a very special relationship

I am very lucky, and thankyou! <3 I certainly hope that we do

[Jenny]

Was he tame when you found him? How's taming/training going with him?

well, initially he would step up onto my finger, but that was about it. He didn't come out of his cage on his own for about a month, didn't want me touching him in any way, & didn't appear familiar w/any food other than seed.

Now, his favorite spot is the top of my head. When I'm home, he's almost always hanging out outside of his cage. If he's inside his cage, it's his choice. He'll let me tug on his tail feathers, rub my nose on his chest, run my finger lightly along his wing, & in just the past couple of days has started letting me touch his beak w/the tip of my nose (I wear glasses, which he finds most interesting, so I can move my face close to him & he's distracted w/the glasses while I nuzzle him). He's still pretty leary of hands, but is getting a lot more trusting & comfortable w/any kind of general movement I make around him - he doesn't fly away if I suddenly move quickly. When he flies to me, he'll land on my hand if I hold it out toward him. I haven't done a whole lot of training w/him because he is so leary of hands, but we're close to starting clicker training. He's just now staying calm & not dropping his treat when the clicker clicks. That amount of progression has taken place since mid August. I'm sure it would have happened faster if I wasn't gone 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week.

[leomacaw]

so cute!!

[Shani]

Good on you Jenny! Don't underestimate the progress you've made - that's a lot of progress in a pretty short time I think What a lucky cockatiel

[Jenny]

thanx for the encouragement!

[pchela]

Was he tame when you found him? How's taming/training going with him?

well, initially he would step up onto my finger, but that was about it. He didn't come out of his cage on his own for about a month, didn't want me touching him in any way, & didn't appear familiar w/any food other than seed.

Now, his favorite spot is the top of my head. When I'm home, he's almost always hanging out outside of his cage. If he's inside his cage, it's his choice. He'll let me tug on his tail feathers, rub my nose on his chest, run my finger lightly along his wing, & in just the past couple of days has started letting me touch his beak w/the tip of my nose (I wear glasses, which he finds most interesting, so I can move my face close to him & he's distracted w/the glasses while I nuzzle him). He's still pretty leary of hands, but is getting a lot more trusting & comfortable w/any kind of general movement I make around him - he doesn't fly away if I suddenly move quickly. When he flies to me, he'll land on my hand if I hold it out toward him. I haven't done a whole lot of training w/him because he is so leary of hands, but we're close to starting clicker training. He's just now staying calm & not dropping his treat when the clicker clicks. That amount of progression has taken place since mid August. I'm sure it would have happened faster if I wasn't gone 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week.

You are doing such an amazing job with him! I think you may be a natural born birdy rescuer!

[Jenny]

that's kind of you to say

this morning, he finally flew over & landed on the new birdgym I bought him, & hung out there while I tightened some screws a bit more. Now if he'll just start playing on it! (I was beginning to think I'd wasted my money )

[Becco Lunatico]

Cutie pie!!

[Shani]

I'm sad - haven't been able to see Barney this weekend The breeder and her husband had to go to Horsham (they took all the babies with them )

I should have some more pics in the next couple of days.

that's kind of you to say

this morning, he finally flew over & landed on the new birdgym I bought him, & hung out there while I tightened some screws a bit more. Now if he'll just start playing on it! (I was beginning to think I'd wasted my money )

Haha, awesome. I'm in the process of making Barney a play gym at the moment. I was going to buy one, but the only ones I could find were either macaw/cockatoo sized ones, or tiny flimsy 'budgie' sized playgyms, grrr.

Anyone have any toys that their smaller birds (GCCs, cockatiels, lovebirds etc) enjoy? I've got the means to make replicas, but ideas/inspiration would be awesome!