Taming Tiels?

[boothcreek]

Hi,
I am not new to owning Cockatiels, but I have 2 now since last December which will bounce off the cage sides(even in the 2mx2mx1.80 outside aviary) when I walk by or even do as much as look at them. Going into the aviary is even worse, they bounce off the walls and hurt their wings.The wire on my aviary if full of blood just from them freaking out on the daily food and water changing/checking routine.
Yes, they were shy and jumpy at the Pet store, but the Pet store had them for 2 months so I wasn't too surprised at their behaviour then, but they have not calmed down a bit.
I tried just standing by the aviary that they get used to my presents, after their first freak out episode is over the usually go to the top branch farthest away from me and don't move(that is until I flinch, then they go nuts again).

So that they wont hit the wire with such force I clipped both their wings a bit, now they are at the bottom of the aviary before they can hit the wall across from them(cuts down on injuries, but them hurrying around the floor flapping like crazy and climbing the wire up as fast as possible still draws blood at times.....
I have been researching on the web a lot trying to find something on SUCH wild Tiels(had never had such wild ones before). Found one website that was talking about how wild-caught tiels were tamed and it sounded good. It said to take the bird into a room where it cannot hide or injure itself(bathroom) clip both wings so they cannot fly, and follow it with your finger/hand until you can touch them and they will stop running away. Do this as often as possible, couple hours a day. Try offering their favorit food too to get them to trust you. I tried it and my tiels could care less. They will run around the floor in the bath room(can't even get close enought with my finger for them to even look at it) and when I corner them with my finger they bite to the point that they draw blood and take out a chunk(they even bit the stick the website said to use if they bite too hard instead of a finger...).
Needless to say after doing this for 2 weeks I kinda gave up cause there was absolutly NO improvement in any way. When I catch them they scream and take chunks out of my fingers. They even bite THROUGH the towl. When they see me(or any other person for that matter) they get so hysteric they hurt themselfs(I already see the day when one brakes a wing from constant beating on the fencing).

A Tiel breeder I had talked to about it not too long ago was stumped, she has never heard of any this wild and unwilling to even be a bit curious about a Human.
To this day I have NEVER witnessed these 2 eating, they just wont when anyone is near. So offering any treats from the hand is out of the question.

Certainly saddening when I think of my other 6 tiels I had which were all not hand-tame but still enjoyed talking back at you, eating out of your hand and interacting with you(as long as you wont pet them).

Any suggestions, what else I could try with these guys(well, girls acctually)?

I wouldn't have a problem with them not wanting anything to do with humans but they should just quit hurting themselfs and Relax a bit even when I am there. Its not a life for a bird if they are in constant fear.

Even my finches don't mind me when I am in the aviary and changing feed/water.

I am stumped and desperate to find a way to make them have a better life......

I do wonder tho what ever happened to them to be like this towards humans in the first place. Could this be trauma from when they were chicks?

Anna

[tielfan]

Here's a technique that's frequently recommended for birds that are afraid of humans at the freaked-out-panicky level.

There is some distance at which they will be aware of your presence but not panicky yet. You need to find this distance. Slowly approach the cage until they start to look slightly nervous, then stop. Wait there until you see a visible sign of relaxation, then go away as quietly as you can. Repeat this frequently.

I've never needed to use this technique myself, but they say it works. What happens is that the bird figures out that it can make you go away by relaxing. And since it wants very much for you to go away it starts relaxing in your presence, which paradoxically makes it feel less nervous about you being there. Over time you'll be able to close the distance and the birds will lose a lot of their fear.

There's one problem which is that obviously someone has to approach the cage to feed the birds. Just keep it as nonthreatening as you can. Move slowly and don't look at the birds apart from an occasional glance in their direction. You can talk to yourself in a soothing tone if you like.