Having trouble taming my new tiel...

[funkypotatothings]

I just got a 1-2 year old cockatiel and she's not tame at all. I've had her for a few days now and when I talk to her she'll stay on that side of the cage and listen to me. But when I try to feed her treats like sunflower seeds (which I know she likes) through the bars she moves to the other side of the cage and fluffs her feathers and raises her crest... I don't know how to make her more trusting. Does anyone have tips as to taming her?

[Emmilyy]

I think you need to give her alot more time if you've only had her for a few days. Everything's new to her, and she needs a chance to get used to everything and settle in. Just keep doing what you're doing - talking softly to her.. spend alot of time doing something quiet and calm around her cage so she can get used to you, and so she knows you won't hurt her. Good luck!

[Jag]

Just drop the treats into the bowl from outside the cage at first...then move back a little and keep talking. It will probably take a week or so before it will take food from your hand. Do this several times a day every day. With my boys, I gave them treats in their bowl everytime I went by the cage. It was about a month or so for them to take it out of my hand. You're going to have to be super patient, and don't do anything that will make it afraid of you. Unlike a dog which may take food from a person in a few days...birds are very different. They work on their own schedule, and you have to just wait until it's ready. Good luck!!

[tiel4me]

Originally Posted by Jag

.... It will probably take a week or so before it will take food from your hand. Do this several times a day every day. With my boys, I gave them treats in their bowl everytime I went by the cage. It was about a month or so for them to take it out of my hand. You're going to have to be super patient, and don't do anything that will make it afraid of you. Unlike a dog which may take food from a person in a few days...birds are very different. They work on their own schedule, and you have to just wait until it's ready. Good luck!!

A week! It took Sunny close to a year before he would come near me. I agree with the comment about "they work on their own schedule" but please don't judge your progress by the experience of others. Just keep talking to your tiel in a reassuring voice and it takes as long as it takes. Above all else - DON'T GIVE UP, because just when you do - he'll decide he likes you.

[Astrid660]

Agree with the other posters... My tiel took six months or more to warm up to me. It helped that at the time I had a quaker who was tame, so she saw her being handled. Now she flies to me and loves head scritches. She was worth being patient with good luck taming your tiel!

[Akara Crystal]

My birds where different they were hand tamed, of course so it only took me a day to get them to trust me, but with yours it's a different story. Good Luck

[funkypotatothings]

Hey thanks a lot guys, and I have one more question how do I clean her cage if she won't come out and she hisses everytime I try to open her cage?

[clawnz]

This may not help, but I would just go ahead and clean out the cage.
It is going to get her stressed, if it needs doing, do it, slowly and calmly.
If you are lucky she should figure it out that you are not trying to hurt her, and will settle quickly after you finish.
You did not say where she was tame, handtame, or ex-aviary before you got her?
All this could have some bearing on how long it takes to get her used to you, and there may still be limitations to the way you interact with each other.
Patience is the name of the game, and confidence.

[funkypotatothings]

Well I got her from a guy who didn't want her he got her from his grandma, he said she would leave the door of the cage open and she would come out but she didn't play with her or anything. So I don't know where she was born or if she's even been handled much at all. The guy pretty much didn't know anything about her. :/

We've named her now, her name is Mittu it means sweet :) shes still getting used to us and she hasnt taken food from us yet

[christie99]

Start from the beginning then, pretend that the bird was never tame. With bouncing from home to home, she will have trust issues, so it will take longer to bond with her.

Try looking for the book "The Second Hand Parrot" it should really help you out.