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Cockatiels afraid of everything!!

Discuss the methods and techniques of clicker training, target training and bonding. These are usually the first steps in training a young parrot.

Cockatiels afraid of everything!!

Postby Birb_daddy » Thu Dec 22, 2016 6:41 am

I have a cockatiel about 3 years old now named Tio and he's afraid of everything. I got him young and hand raised and even then he was afraid of most things, over the years it's gotten progressively worse and he gets spooked incredibly easily. I'm not sure how to ease his fear as it limits his ability to enjoy time out of the cage. He's spooked by new foods as well, I've tried introducing him to new food since he was small but he hasn't taken to anything even when I chop it up small and mix it in with his seed mix. Has anyone else had a bird this easily spooked? What can I do to make him less frightened by everything??
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Re: Cockatiels afraid of everything!!

Postby liz » Thu Dec 22, 2016 7:46 am

Cockatiels are prey animals and know it. I have found that they depend on each other to be strong. My rescue Cockatiels have gone through such bad lives that they should never trust a human again but feel the safety of not being alone.

My suggestion is to get a rescue Cockatiel to buddy with him. Two birds are not much more work than one. They do not have to be mate bonded and can even be the same sex. Everyone needs a buddy to depend on. Your bird will start calling to the new one while it is still in quarantine. His personality will blossom even before he sees the other bird.

Just my 2 cents.
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Re: Cockatiels afraid of everything!!

Postby ParrotsForLife » Thu Dec 22, 2016 8:41 am

I agree with Liz and because I have other Parrots too I like that the Cockatiels can keep each other company while I play with the others who don't have a buddy and they all learn from each other too like my Plum headed parakeet introduced the Cockatiels to more new foods and my Male tiel also tried holding food in his foot like Mango.
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Re: Cockatiels afraid of everything!!

Postby Wolf » Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:55 am

While I agree that a buddy for this bird is a good idea, it appears to me that he already has a buddy and you have described this one as mad at the world and the other one a mad mostly at humans,which leads me to believe that the problem is in the husbandry. With this in mind could you give us more information as to the daily diet and light schedule of your birds.? Also any information concerning their chests of out of cage time as well as one on one interaction with you. I would observe the things that I am doing with this birdi and take note of how the bird responds to the things that I have done as well as anything new that I try
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