# Cockatiel advice



## Milly (May 7, 2008)

Iv had my tiel just over a week now and hes petrified of me! I keep going and talking to him and spending as much time as i can with him and hes shaking all the time! Sometimes he gets brave and comes to my side of the cage, sometimes to whistle loudly at me and sometimes to hiss at me, but as soon as i move, even just to scratch my head he runs to the other side of the cage with his back to me.

He hasnt had his wings clipped. Should they be done? 

Really want to hand tame him and just wandered what the best way is? Iv heared about toweling him but i dont want to scare him anymore than i have to!

One last thing, I keep a small bowl of water on his cage floor for him to bath in, and i havent seen him go near it, will he bath when hes ready for it or should i get a mist spray?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for the advice!


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## Kay73 (Mar 26, 2008)

Slowly does it!
i used to mist my cockatiels.
it will take time and patience for your bird to trust you.
i never had my birds wings clipped, i think its more parrot owners who do that. you could try using a stick or another perch,to encourage him to sit on, some birds are scared of hands, as they seem big scary and have wiggly digits on the end!!!
did he come from a shop or aviary?
is it a boy or girl?


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## scosha37 (Feb 24, 2008)

hi, yeah take ur time with him/her rome wasent built in a day 
where did it come from?
just talk as much to it when its next to u have it eye level with you and never really give a new bird eye contact as they take it as a thret, but just dio things very slow and each day will get better hopefully  av had a birds all my life budgies, teils,parrakeets, parrots, hope you enjoy your teil


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## Milly (May 7, 2008)

Cheers you 2.

Its a he. I got him from a shop but he'd only been in the shop 24 hours. Where he was before that im not sure. Iv tried encorouging him onto a seperate perch but he wont have it. Ill keep at it anyway. 


Do you let yours out to fly around? Iv let mine out twice and he just flies to the highest perch in the room he can find and just sits there for hours and wont go back in his cage so im leaving him in the cage for abit until he trusts me enough to get near him so i can place him back in his cage.


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## Kay73 (Mar 26, 2008)

i havent got mine any more my ex made me get rid of them
they were a lovely friendly pair, hand tame, and they came from an aviary!
birds usually fly to a high place to feel safe. 
do you leave a radio on when you go out?


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## jeanie (Nov 11, 2007)

I have a cockatiel, i had six but they were all old Joe is the ony one left and hes 29yrs old i have never heard of them having there wings clipped, they need to exersise when tame enough, It takes a long time for them to trust you and you need to talk to him lots, but let him settle first, when you let him out leave cage door open and he will come back to it even if you have to wait for him to roost as when its getting dusky they usually fly back to cage anyway, ours is very tame but still hisses at us if we move to fast near his cage and sometimes when we change his treat, even though he will sit on our hand for ages, take your time a week is nothing you will get there in the end its just time.


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## Milly (May 7, 2008)

Thanks you 2. Yes i set me alarm radio to come on during the afternoon for him.


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## yukidoo (Jun 4, 2008)

hi i breed cockatiels. the best way is to be patient and calm. if you want to tame him, try doing it gently with food. put your hand in the cage, with a piece of fruit for example, keep your hand still and wait for him to come to you, it may take several attemps, but he needs to know that he can trust you. all it is for him is a new enviroment new sounds and surroundings. he needs to setttle. give him time and im sure he will become your best friend.they make fantastic pets, i only have to let mine her my voice and he wolf whistles and sings for me, good luck it will happen just be patient,


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## Milly (May 7, 2008)

Thanks Yukidoo.

I have been trying that but he just flies around his cage crashing from one side to the other.


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