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Thunil
Egg
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 11
Location: Adeldaie, Australia |
| training |
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Hi,
I just realized i haven't really introduced my self, i'm form adelaide australia and i recently bought a 3 month old white face tiel. i was planning on getting a budgie a while ago but the cage i had had bar spacing that was too big for a budgie (2cm) so i did a couple months of research and last sunday i bought my first tiel.
my question is how do you go about training them, i got a hen-raised one because they didn't have any whiteface hand raised. i let him relax for a couple of days without sticking my hand in but now i want to start training him. all the budgie sites i read said to stick your hand in the cage untill they actnormal around it and then teach hi to step up by pressing your finger softly against the birds under belly or hold a piece of millet just out of reach so he has to climb onto your finger to get it. is it the same for tiels?
Also, can anybody reccomend any good sites on training and lastly how much can a tiel bit hurt?
cheers,
Daniel
p.s. sorry for the long post and thankyou to the people who answered my other posts oh, and his wings are clipped but they lady at the shop only clipped one wing |
Tuesday February 14, 2006 10:19 am |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7967
Location: Australia |
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Hi Daniel
Welcome to the forum. 
It sounds like you've done a bit of research on taming birds. There's no set ways to go about doing it. It really all does depend on what the bird's personality is like.
My first tiel was a hen-raised ones as well, and he was the tamest bird I've ever had!! So it is possible. 
I would recommend just letting him settle for a bit and get used to the things that is going on around him in his new environment. You can however if you feel like it (which I hope you would as it is very good bonding time) is to sit next to the cage just softly talking to him, and even singing to him if you feel like it. Basically this gives him the chance to get to know you and start to trust you and settle down while you're around.
Then you can slowly try the hand inside the cage technique. Don't push it too much, and don't spend too much time on it each session keep it short and brief, say about 10 - 15 minutes each time. Let you bird settle again, then try again later. Eventually, he'll come around. Hold a spray of millet or some sun flower seeds in your hand if you like.. and always always praise praise and praise when he's done something that you want him to do...
Oh, and cockatiel bite can sting and hurt quite a bit. but hey, we all gotta start somewhere. I'm owned by a much bigger beak!!! hehe, a cockatoo's beak..
Good luck, let us know how you go in a few days time.
Take care
Bih |
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Tuesday February 14, 2006 3:38 pm |
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mollybird
Just hatched
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 39
Location: East Bay, CA |
| one wing |
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Hi Daniel,
I have read before that clipping only one wing may be detrimental to the bird because it puts unnecessary/uneven stress on the bird's wing muscles if it tries to fly. Next time you bring your tiel to the vet, you might consider getting the other wing trimmed as well.
congratulations on getting your first tiel! they are the sweetest birds.
-via |
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Tuesday February 14, 2006 7:10 pm |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
My tiel never really bit me (was not tame when I got him). Even when he gets angry of frustrated he'll only try to scare and at the most hit my hand with his beak which of course doesn't hurt at all.
In comparison, my lovebird can give a really nasty pinch when he is looking for attention  |
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Wednesday February 15, 2006 3:30 pm |
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SarahME
Fledgeling
Joined: 30 Sep 2005
Posts: 211
Location: MAINE |
| Hi! |
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I am recently owned by a Cockatiel! I was able to gain trust with him by using an extra perch/stick. It gave enough distancel away from me that he dared to step onto it. Once he trusted that I would talk to him as I tried working him out of the cage. He quickly became used to this and recognizes his perch/stick when I get it out.
My Tiel still bites, and it does hurt. I know not to put my fingers/hands near him while he is IN his cage. When he is out he doesn't mind stepping up onto my finger and does not bite. It must be a territorial thing. |
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Wednesday February 15, 2006 6:34 pm |
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Thunil
Egg
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 11
Location: Adeldaie, Australia |
thanks for all the good info so far, this sight has been very helpfull. in people experience how long does it take to get a bird finger tame |
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Thursday February 16, 2006 8:25 am |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
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Oh, I would say that depends so much on your birds personality & background, how much interaction he had with people before you got him.
Don't give up! He's got to learn to trust you & realize you're OK & not going to hurt him. But have patience, don't get discouraged or frustrated. One day when you least expect it, he's going to hop right up on your finger just as pretty as you please & believe me, that moment will make all the time & effort so well worth it He's young enough that it shouldn't take too much time, I wouldn't think.
Like Sarah, I would suggest using a wooden perch, or long wooden dowel to get him out of the cage & begin working with him. Carry him around on the stick for awhile & let him get used to it for a couple of days.
From there, you may want to start stepping up exercises. Take him into a room he's not familiar with & set him on some kind of a perch (a T-stand works best). Get his attention by beginning each command with his name, then the word "up!" like Thunil UP! in an authritative voice. Then back down to his perch, to your finger & just repeat that several times, praising him or offering a treat the first several times he does it.
Do these sessions at least once a day for about 10 minutes, for at least 2 weeks, or until he's caught on & doing the stepping automaticall on demand. But don't prolong the sessions to the point where either of you is frustrated, distracted or discouraged, try to end each session on a high note.
After that you can start the whole procedure from the room he's housed in & then from his cage.
and always use every opportunity to reinforce the "Thunil UP!" command.
Good luck to you |
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Thursday February 16, 2006 2:02 pm |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
quote:
Originally posted by Thunil
thanks for all the good info so far, this sight has been very helpfull. in people experience how long does it take to get a bird finger tame
For Papug (the tiel) it took a few weeks. For Booboo (the lovebird) it's still an ongoing process - he is not afraid of hands or fingers but feels very insecure sitting on someone's finger and most of the time he will refuse to do it. I think it's because his paws and toes are really tiny, he also doesn't have any toe nails. He was that way when I adopted him. I'm assuming it's a defect he was born with. He loves to sit on hands and arms, something that gives him more support. |
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Thursday February 16, 2006 6:52 pm |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10070
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| Re: training |
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Hi Daniel,
Welcome to fluffies!
I’d strongly suggest to have the other wing clipped too.. Clipping one wing may cause inbalance and a serious ‘crash’. Can you have the other one clipped too?
I’d practice the stepping up in another room. That is, not near the cage, and not a big room. Perhaps the bathroom? The bird won’t be able to try and hide there (I hope) so you won’t have to chase it all the time? |
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Friday February 17, 2006 4:15 pm |
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Thunil
Egg
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 11
Location: Adeldaie, Australia |
thanks for the replies, i'm going to the pet shop today so i'll get a travel cage and take him to the vet to get his other wing clipped. i can get my hand within 10cm of him without him hissing to much, when do you guys think he'll be ready to ba taken into another room and finger trained? |
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Saturday February 18, 2006 5:13 am |
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Papug
Experienced flier
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1293
Location: Canada |
quote:
Originally posted by Thunil
i can get my hand within 10cm of him without him hissing to much
LOL... I remember Papug hissing a lot when he was younger. Now he hisses only when I wake him up in the middle of the night (ie when I come back from work).
I think you can start training him as soon as he feels secure enough to trust you. Might take a few weeks so start with small steps first. |
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Monday February 20, 2006 2:42 pm |
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Thunil
Egg
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 11
Location: Adeldaie, Australia |
good news he will kind of let me rub his belly while i'm feeding him millet and he accepts sunflower seeds from my fingers (if i want to spoil him i peel the sunflower seed and then break it in half so it's a perfect mouthful and he still takes those from my fingers without even hissing) |
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Tuesday February 21, 2006 10:29 am |
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