Cockatiel will NOT leave me alone

[SimplyBirdLover]

Hi everyone! I’m having a bit of an issue with my newest cockatiel. Now, while you read this keep in mind he is out ALL DAY EVERYDAY so it isn’t even like he’s in there often. He bonded with me pretty much instantly and he definitely trusts me a ton. He will fly to me any chance he gets, shower with me, eat what I’m eating, etc. however, the issue is, he won’t stay in his cage. Sure, I can put him in the cage and shut the door to make him stay in but he absolutely hates it. He will run across the bottom of the cage and he will climb all over. This isn’t just an occasional thing either. He NEVER wants in the cage at all. He never sits still when he’s in there either. Even at bedtime when I think he’s tired he will beg to come out again. First thing in he morning when I uncover him he jumps out as fast as possible and gets onto me. I can’t even put him on a playset at all because he won’t stay. He won’t even eat without me standing near him because He flies to me. I don’t know if this is anxiety or something but I just want to help him. It breaks my heart. Trust me, I love spending time with him but it makes it very hard to give my other birds attention too. I would appreciate any advice possible! I’m going to see if my vet has any suggestions. Everyone just seems to keep saying that it’s a good thing that he wants to hangout with me but nobody seems to understand the extent of what is going on.
P.S, please don’t take this as “I don’t want to deal with my bird” because that’s definitely not the case. I want to spend every minute that I can with him but I do have 4 other birds too. Also, I don’t give in to everything he is begging for so he isn’t just used to getting everything he wants.

 

[SailBoat]

Must be a stain of the Tiel DNA that keeps bouncing up now and again! Just cannot seem to get enough Tiel /Human time!

If I recall another Tiel on Parrot Forums is much the same (BB's).

Your life is now and at all times, connected to a Tiel living on and around you! Looks like you are going to have to work-out some boundary issues.

 

[YUMgrinder]

My tiel is very much the same way. Especially if I take him to work. He just calls and calls and calls and climbs up and down the cage door. LET ME OOOOOUUUUUUTTTTT. Even after a full day of work I take him home and he doesn't want to go in his cage. I typically ignore him and he settles down unless I am still the room. But it's not all the time, he does amuse himself about half the time. Sometimes he flops down off the perch and waddles over to me and climbs up my foot. Anyways, I haven't figured out how to quiet him down when he gets needy besides placing some millet in his food bowl lol. distraction!

 

[MonicaMc]

My tiel was a lot like that about 16 years ago, but it got a bit better after she had a cage buddy. (her choice, not mine!) She's still demanding of attention, but it's calmed down through the years. She also no longer likes being separated from her "flock", despite the fact that she doesn't really get along with anyone. (all the birds that she did have since passed from age related health issues)


You might want to look into foraging activities to help keep your new tiel busy for a little longer on his own.

 

[SimplyBirdLover]

My tiel was a lot like that about 16 years ago, but it got a bit better after she had a cage buddy. (her choice, not mine!) She's still demanding of attention, but it's calmed down through the years. She also no longer likes being separated from her "flock", despite the fact that she doesn't really get along with anyone. (all the birds that she did have since passed from age related health issues)


You might want to look into foraging activities to help keep your new tiel busy for a little longer on his own.

My tiel has a friend and they don’t even pay attention to each other. They don’t stay in the same cage but when I have them both on my shoulder or on my desk they just sort be tolerate each other. I have a ton of different toys in his cage and he barely even pays attention to them because he’s way to focused on getting to me.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Yep!! BB is like that! Even with food right in front of him,he wants to be on me..doesn't matter...shoulder..hand...HEAD I have to keep taking him off of me,show him his nummy bowl,then he'll get the idea.
He does entertain himself quite nicely though. Can stay in his house all day and bang and yell at his toy's or serenade me with whistles and song.

I never had a tiel until he came into my life,and personally...I wouldn't have it any other way!
I just get aggro'd at him when he wants/trys to do hanky-panky on my hand!







Jim

 

[GaleriaGila]

Clearly, you are the destined to be a 'tiel-magnet in this relationship!

I myself am a Patagonian-magnet.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Yup, those tiels. Ducky calls for me if he hears me anywhere in the house. If you leave the room and he’s out of the cage, he starts flying around like crazy and screaming until I come back. When he was a baby, he was a lot worse though. I couldn’t put him down on a perch because he would run back up my arm, and he had to be with me all the time. He got better though, and now he goes in his cage like a good bird (most of the time)

 

[reeb]

Berry is pretty similar... although, since I’ve been taking my birdies out in their outdoor cages (they spend about 2-4 hours outside in the summer months, which is right now in South Africa) she has become a lot less “clingy”, but she definitely still calls for me, and likes to fly to me/climb on me any chance she gets. I think it is definitely a cockatiel thing haha.

How often are you out of the house? It will help him to be more independent if he has even an hour or so with you not around. I always leave soft music or the radio on when my birds are home alone.

At first Berry also hated bed-time, but has become quite accustomed to her sleeping routine over the past little while. I think it just takes some patience and time, and the adjustment to his new-ish environment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Frozengirl]

Teach him to forage and play with toys. Hide his favorite treats in his cage, when you are spending time with him, hang out by his cage with him and play with his toys in there to show him the cage can be fun too! If your cage doesn't have a lot of fun things to do, it would t want to go in there anyways.

If your tiel is already playful and is just pacing because he sees you, try moving away from the cage abit . Mine sees me and thinks I'll let her out so she greets me near the cage bars, but if I move away she will start playing. You can teach them to have some independence unless you want to be with them all day.

Here is a video of my cage setup, my tiel loves it.
[ame="https://youtu.be/XIigiIPdMpY"]Cockatiel parrot cage tour - YouTube[/ame]
Here's a video of her actually ignoring me by her cage because her favorite treat is in there... a bird muffin!
[ame="https://youtu.be/0OuKiWJS7kQ"]Cockatiel parrot treat bird muffin on skewer - YouTube[/ame]

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I suppose I am the one to blame I have never been pwned by a cockatiel,until now. Smokey (TAG) was NOT a touchy-feely me type,and Amy,for an Amazon,is pretty accommodating.
But when BB came along,and he was just a "little boy",I spoiled him rotten and prolly loved on him way too much,and now I'm paying the price.

Yep,he hollers for me the instant he can't see me..he runs after me if I go into another room..he walks around the coffee table,looking right up at me "c'mon...c'mon" The instant he jumps on my hand,he RUNS up my arm to my shoulder,beak pressed against my cheek,and whistles/sings his heart out,right in my ear

He begs for head skritches. I can cup his little self in my hands and lay 100 kisses all over his fluffy face while he goes "kiss kiss kiss" in my ear.
But now,he walks down my arm to my hand..doesn't matter WHAT I'm doing..and he try's to "make it" with me And he will NOT stop! Put him back on my shoulder and he runs down the other arm,to my hand,and it's repeat..repeat..repeat!
The other night he was at it once again..I YELLED at him! "BB!!! KNOCK IT OFF!!!"...his little "hat" went straight up,his eyeballs got as big as dimes..and he RAN back up my arm..only to go to the other shoulder,down THAT arm,and back to my hand,where he does the "two step" on my fingers,while rubbing/wiggling his butt sleeves back and forth on my hand! And it's starting to get real old and P.M.R.O!!
And if that's not bad enough...he thinks my ear lobe is his personal boxing bag! He'll sit on my shoulder,then all of a sudden BANGBANGBANG on my ear with his beak! Thank GOD it doesn't hurt! ( but VERY aggravating!)
I can only imagine if it was Amy that did this! My ear/neck/side of my face,would be a bloody MESS!





Jim

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Your muffin recipe was a HUGE hit with Amy AND BB!

THANKS!! And Happy New Year!!!!







Jim

 

[Frozengirl]

if your bird is hormonal it's time to give him or her 14 hours of sleep for two weeks, cage and environment changes , and maybe less allowing your birb in your hands and shoulders for awhile . Try wearing some gloves and a different shirt to make him see his human has become different.., less mateablw

Birds thrive on routine, if you let her come out and put them in through the day a few times, it gets them more used to your schedule. If you have just one tiel in that cage, well youot to make that cage fun with foraging opportunities so hey are busy instead or bored and lonely.