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I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

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I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Waffles » Mon Jun 19, 2017 2:19 pm

I Just got my pearl cockatiel about a week ago and I know that she is still scared but I would like to know how to get her used to my hands because whenever I hold a treat through the cage and don't look at her, she hisses and moves away. :greycockatiel:

Sincerely, Waffles the Cockatiel
Waffles
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Types of Birds Owned: cockatiel
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Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby liz » Tue Jun 20, 2017 5:58 am

Hands are scary. Put a perch up at face level. They trust faces long before hands.

Putting your hands in the cage is like invading his home.

There are many posts in the forum of how to tame a bird.
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liz
Macaw
 
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Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Pajarita » Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:01 am

Are we talking about a baby or a rehomed adult? If so, what age? Because taming a baby is one thing and taming an adult is another but Liz is correct in her advice: don't put your hands in the cage, don't stare at the bird, put the cage high up so the bird is perching at the same level of your eyes, talk/sing/whistle and spend hours every day just doing this so she can get used to your presence. But, if you answer the questions, we can give you more detailed pointers.
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Norwegian Blue
 
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Flight: Yes

Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Waffles » Tue Jun 20, 2017 2:27 pm

well for starters, This is the comparison between me and the height of her cage, Also, her age is unknown.
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Waffles
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 21
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: cockatiel
Flight: No

Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Trick or 'Tiel » Tue Jun 20, 2017 3:29 pm

That cage may be up high but it is too small for a tiel. What are the cage dimensions? Need more perches, more toys, and different types, textures, and diameters of perches. The wooden dowels that often come with cages are no good for their feet, too smooth and no variation at all. They can cause sores on their feet from sitting in the same position all the time, since these perches have no variation in diameter or texture. I can see in the picture that a dowel is the main perch in your cage. Get rid of the dowel and use different types of perches such as natural branches (manzanita, dragonwood, and java all do), rope perches (be careful to snip off any loose threads, they can get stuck), cement/calcium perches, and platforms. No dowels, no plastic, no sandpaper. Also, what is her diet like and is she clipped or flighted? :greycockatiel:
Trick or 'Tiel
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Waffles » Tue Jun 20, 2017 5:28 pm

Thank you so much for answering ^^! no, she is not flighted, although if it were my choice I would like her to be flighted. she was clipped when I first got her, also, she has a diet of a blend of Zupreem Fruitblend Flavor mixed with Kaytee Fortified daily diet for cockatiels
Waffles
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 21
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: cockatiel
Flight: No

Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Trick or 'Tiel » Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:05 pm

Kaytee and Zupreem really aren't the best brands... the Fruitblend especially is filled with artificial colors and preservatives that your bird really doesn't need and it's low quality. You will want to gradually transition your bird off these brands and onto a better pellet like TOP's. You don't actually have to feed pellets at all if you don't want to, several people here just skip the pellets altogether. Does your bird get any fresh foods? Birds really need fresh fruits and veggies in their diet, as well as cooked whole grains like quinoa, black or brown rice, barley, etc. Gloop is a dish consisting of cooked grains as well as frozen veggies with a sprinkling of seeds like chia and flax. Many people here, including myself, recommend feeding birds like cockatiels gloop. If you decide to feed pellets along with fresh produce and gloop, TOP's is the best brand, but if you decide not to, you can feed just a regular cockatiel/budgie seed mix with canary grass seed, millet, and oat groats instead of the pellets. As to transitioning your bird, just keep offering the food you want them to eat, and eventually they will eat it. Never just take away the bird's old diet and feed the new food, some birds are so stubborn that they will not eat it and may starve. Mix the new pellets in with the old, and if you are noticing that she is eating the new food, start decreasing the amount of old food until she's completely off the old pellets. If she's bonded to you, try to eat some fresh food in front of her and that should encourage her to eat it. Also, her clipped flight feathers will grow back when she molts and she will soon be able to fly again. Good luck with your new tiel!
Trick or 'Tiel
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Waffles » Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:11 pm

Thank you ^^ your advice was so helpful, Hopefully, I can get new perches and toys and eventually a new cage and hopefully she will stop hissing at me when I am near her ^^

Thank you,

sincerely, Waffles the pearl cockatiel :greycockatiel:
Waffles
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 21
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: cockatiel
Flight: No

Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Trick or 'Tiel » Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:31 pm

That's GREAT!! Your tiel will love her new cage with lots of fun toys to play with! :thumbsup: :greycockatiel:
Trick or 'Tiel
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: I just got my cockatiel but i'd like to know...

Postby Pajarita » Wed Jun 21, 2017 10:34 am

Trick gave you the right advice. As to her hissing at you, just spend time with her without asking her for anything or staring at her and she will stop. The other good thing about feeding gloop is that you can offer seeds as treats which, if you free-feed high protein food (pellets, seeds, nutriberries, avicakes, etc] doesn't work.

Where did you get her from that you don't know her age but you do know her gender? Is she a rehome? If so, can't you ask her previous owner?
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Flight: Yes

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