Training and bonding

[Gavb8]

Hello all! Want your opinion on how we're getting on with our new Cockatiel, Chico!

We got him 6 days ago now.

Day 1: Left him in cage, speaking to him

Day 2: We accidentally let him out of his cage but managed to get him back in by putting cage on the floor and getting him to walk back in. (with a lot of effort!) He also started nibbling curiously on spray millet, from our hand.

Day 3: Unfortunately we had to go out all day and night so we left music on for him

Day 4: He started to eat spray millet from our hands a lot closer, he started to love the stuff! However, when trying to touch him, he got scared and jumped back away from us

Day 5: Yesterday, I managed to get him on my finger, I laid the millet flat on my hand and moved closer and closer to him before pushing his feet back, causing him to jump on my finger!

Day 6: This morning, I tried going near him again but he just jumps off his perch to the back of his cage.


So, how does this sound for progress? He isn't hand-reared and he's our first ever bird. Do you think I should carry on doing what I did last night? Is there any way I can get him to stop jumping off his perch? (His perch is at the front of his cage so he just jumps to the back)

He also sometimes lets us stroke his breast when we use the same technique with the millet (putting it flat on hand and moving closer to him). Sometimes he nibbles our fingers when we do this. Most of the time he'll jump away.

When he comes out of his cage, he seems really scared of us and will run away from us. Even if we go to him very slowly with millet. He isn't clipped so can fly too.

So, thoughts and what next steps would you recommend?

 

[moochyesh]

You are doing great. Building trust will take time. When you are able to get him on a play gym he may be more out of his comfort zone and able to be worked with more.

 

[MonicaMc]

Sounds like you are doing ok, but I would recommend a slightly different approach to stepping up. Instead of pushing him to step up, reward him instead for coming to you. Reward him for choosing to step up.

The following link shows how one person taught a budgie to step up using millet.

Living With Parrots Cage Free: Bucky and Strider - Millet Eating Fiends!


If you have to chase your new tiel to get him back into the cage, then keep him in the cage and train him. Chasing him around can make him more fearful of coming to you and can undo any training with him.

Below is a video of training a fearful lory to step up. Please note, this took several days of rewarding Beans (the lory) to accept treats from the hand, then asking him to step up.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PIT9BAMUUA"]Training a fearful bird to step up, Day 6 - YouTube[/ame]



Once Chico is comfortable with you, you can then start training him to come out of his cage and going back in without it being a negative experience for him. If you work with him right, you wont need to clip him to train him!

 

[Gavb8]

Thank you both for that. Monica, we will try that!

Yesterday he was really good, he was standing on our hands a lot more to eat his Millet.

This morning he seemed really excitable - he was quite look and when I started speaking to him he started climbing around his cage. Is this normal for them to be excited first thing in the morning?

Also, since we're not sure if he's a boy, when should we expect him to start singing/copying us etc. He's not even been home a week yet so we're not expecting him too. Just curious.

 

[MonicaMc]

If male, you might expect singing at any time!


Being excited could be a great sign! A sign that he(?) is starting to warm up to his new surroundings and looking forward to interaction!

 

[baseballfanatic]

So, thoughts and what next steps would you recommend?

Make sure the music you leave on has words you want him repeating. It is said that they can repeat music if played enough. Building trust is the best thing you can do right now. You are doing great right now. If you want you cockatiel to learn some tricks, just search some up. But you should still do some research to see what works best for you and your cockatiel. They truly are gret birds to have.