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i am trying to train my friend cocktail and he is the same way, he hisse4s bits and tries to attack you i know he is capable of being a nioce bird though i want to try to train him to be nice i thought i would get a glove and get him out of his cage nicely with no sounds around him o movement and if he tries to bite to not react so he knows im not scared of him and i was going to take him into a diffrent room where its quit and he doesnt realize and let him go in there for the first couple times and then every time try to hold him longer and longer each time do you think this will work or any suggestions to not do or to do
Our cockatiel was kind of a crab but that was just how he was. One minute he'd be Mr. Friendly, the next he'd hiss at you and take a bite at you. I never, ever got rough with him, even when I had to battle him to get him to go back into the cage.
I did have an insane parakeet though. The guy hated me and had a wild look in his eye like he was nuts. If I put my hand in to try to get him to sit on my finger he'd just bite and bite and bite. I used to let him do it just to see if he'd finally realize my hand wasn't an enemy and get tired out but he'd just keep biting. They can pinch you pretty hard and draw blood after a while. I would handle them to trim their toenails, apply ointment once in a while( scaly face and foot) and while none of them liked it, the others would get over it. I think parrots can go insane.
i am trying to train my friend cocktail and he is the same way, he hisse4s bits and tries to attack you i know he is capable of being a nioce bird though i want to try to train him to be nice i thought i would get a glove and get him out of his cage nicely with no sounds around him o movement and if he tries to bite to not react so he knows im not scared of him and i was going to take him into a diffrent room where its quit and he doesnt realize and let him go in there for the first couple times and then every time try to hold him longer and longer each time do you think this will work or any suggestions to not do or to do
A couple of essential points: The bird's wings should be clipped. When training, the bird should be outside of his cage in a neutral area, ie a room he doesn't usually visit. In other words, if the bird is usually in the den, place him (without cage) into the living room or some other area for training, so he does not feel the need to "defend" his territory - which sounds as if it was already part of your plan Placing the bird on the floor (carpeted), while you are sitting up beside him, is a good place to begin training. That way you have much higher eye level and he has a soft landing if he tries to flee. (Even with clipped wings, cockatiels are so light that they can sometimes fly a bit.)
I do not recommend using gloves. Many birds are afraid of them and will bite for that reason alone. If he is already biting, that will make the situation worse.
A couple years ago when Florida was hit by Hurricane Charlie I found a cockatiel couple days after. He was obviously someones pet but he was starving, lethargic, covered in green paint and wandering around the court house. He came up to me and stood on my foot and started to nibble on my shoelace. I ran back to my office , grabbed a box and kept him under my desk the whole day.. My boss was not happy to say the least lol but I couldn't let the poor guy go. So I've had im ever since that day, about 3 years now and I cannot tame him. He bites and hisses and screetches at me every time I give him new food and water, or clean his cage.. Forget trying to hold him. I've tried having my hands in the cage everyday just to get him used to my hand around him, and I've tried swattling him in a soft towel and rubbing his head. I found that to be too tramatic for him so I stopped that. I just don't know what to do to get him to be semi nice.. Has anyone had any experience in this kind of thing and can anyone give pointers? Also would it be wise to get another bird to keep him company he spends most of his time cooing at the mirrors in his cage and I'm wondering if he's just lonely. We keep him in the living room so he's always around people ,so he's not secluded or anything. I duno I'm lost..
One last thing and I swear I'll shut up, he does this often to me I'm saying its a sign of aggression.. anyone elses bird do this?
1st of all... If you DO get another bird DO NOT put them in the same cage together. He could seriously injure the other bird if he's aggressive.
I have a parrot that injured my other bird for no apparent reason.... they seemed to get along well and then -- out of no where he took a bite out of her wing.. all the way to the bone. Those kind of injuries on a bird sometimes never heal completely.
If you do get another bird, be sure its a hand fed bird and make sure that you spend lots of time holding it so that this bird will see it's not something to be feared. Birds are very intelligent. They watch everything !!!
Also, rather than just putting your hands in the cage... try holding a piece of millet. (that is a safe treat to hold for him while he eats!) Let him nibble on the millet (or some other "safe" treat for your fingers) while you hold it so he begins to see that "all good things come from you"... Most cockatiels love millet.
2nd .... They say to take mirrors out of bird cages if you're wanting them to be more friendly. That the mirror indeed is company to them. Without the mirror for company, they are more receptive to you.
3rd... the bird is probably not a "hand fed bird". In that case, he may never be a lover but he can come around on his own time.
Edited to add:
I agree about clipping the wings. Clipping the wings changes their attitudes almost immediately. You may have to hold him in a towel to do that to keep him from biting you.
If you don't know how to clip the wings, you probably need to bring him to an avian vet to let them show you how. If you cut a blood feather, you need to know what to do. The bird can bleed to death if it is allowed to stay bleeding.
If you bring him to the vet, let them trim the beak, as well.
Also, I agree about the gloves. I've never seen a bird who wasn't afraid of gloves.
Thanks for saving this little guys life!
Last edited by World Citizen; 11-23-2008 at 08:47 AM..
Don't get another one,Becuase one of them will die i have experienced that.The mean one killed the nice one.So i am warning you.I had both my birds for about 16 years then one morning the (Nice)Female lie ded on the bottom of the cage.
I have two cockatiel's, one female, and one male. They have been around eachother since birth and have never faught or pounced to one another or anything in that nature. My female cockatiel has just recently been losing her feathers on her legs, stomach, and somewhat on her back (not as bad). Is it mites? I am very scared, I love birds, but I have no clue what is happening! Anyone have suggestions? Ways I can help her regrow her feathers and prevent her from picking at them? I think she is either getting bored, or she could be stressed. I need more information, she picks at them by herself none stop all the time, her body is very red and there is a bald spot on her back and I am not sure, but I think I can see her bone. Ok, on to my male cockatiel, I am sure many of you have this same problem, but I need direct advice. He has never been mean to my other bird, but he is very aggressive and I am never able to hold him, or take him out of his cage. He is very well groomed, he is not sick, and certainly not injured. I have tried to have him step up on a toy ladder, a kitchen spoon, and my finger, he has bitten me several times.. But the bite is not painful. Is it because he is over protective of his cage? Is he sick or injured in anyway?
-Please anybody with even the slightest clue, reply?-
-Thank You All So Much-
I have two cockatiel's, one female, and one male. They have been around eachother since birth and have never faught or pounced to one another or anything in that nature. My female cockatiel has just recently been losing her feathers on her legs, stomach, and somewhat on her back (not as bad). Is it mites? I am very scared, I love birds, but I have no clue what is happening! Anyone have suggestions? Ways I can help her regrow her feathers and prevent her from picking at them? I think she is either getting bored, or she could be stressed. I need more information, she picks at them by herself none stop all the time, her body is very red and there is a bald spot on her back and I am not sure, but I think I can see her bone. Ok, on to my male cockatiel, I am sure many of you have this same problem, but I need direct advice. He has never been mean to my other bird, but he is very aggressive and I am never able to hold him, or take him out of his cage. He is very well groomed, he is not sick, and certainly not injured. I have tried to have him step up on a toy ladder, a kitchen spoon, and my finger, he has bitten me several times.. But the bite is not painful. Is it because he is over protective of his cage? Is he sick or injured in anyway?
-Please anybody with even the slightest clue, reply?-
-Thank You All So Much-
You mention two distinct, separate issues. One is regarding training, which is what this thread was about. I linked an article in my previous post #13 above. If you follow the link, you will find answers to the questions you've raised about your male.
While deserving of it's own, separate thread, I will reply here to your concerns about your female - because it's serious business. Feather plucking is a complex behavior, which could have a nutritional, environmental, psychological or medical basis. Before you could treat her, you need to find out why she is plucking. Therefore, a trip to your avian vet is in order - sooner, rather than later. (Additionally, if there is redness or - heaven forbid - bone showing, she requires immediate intervention from the vet.)
some birds bite and carry on when their taken away from their cage because it is the only safe place they know and they are prot6ecting their home. I find if you cover the cage after you take them out it helps. Put some of their favorite food treats on top of the cage and see if he will eat. After a while, and it may be a long while, he may get the idea that getting out is a good thing. For sure don't get another bird. That bird has had enough bad things happen to him. one day he will realize you are the best thing.
Be careful taking in strange birds I got sick from one of my birds and I had three and had to get rid of all of them because I developed psittacosis and am just now recovering five months later . I can no longer have birds because of this illness and my husband will no longer allow any strange animals in our house . Im just saying having a good heart can cost you alot of money in the long run . I miss having my birds but dont miss the illness i got from them . Just saying to be careful about taking in strange animals because you never know what they are carrying . good luck and take care .
The only way to tame them is to constantly handle them from a young age - remember, they are wild animals.
Even then some revert...they are just not intended to be pets. He may also need a mate.
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Placing the bird on the floor (carpeted), while you are sitting up beside him, is a good place to begin training. That way you have much higher eye level and he has a soft landing if he tries to flee. (Even with clipped wings, cockatiels are so light that they can sometimes fly a bit.)
I hope I'm not repeating anyone's advise...
My female and Male cockatiel.. Somethings wrong!
