How do you get cockatiels from chewing on things around you house?

[HelloBird]

How do you get cockatiels from chewing on things around you house, like things you don't want them to chew on? I have told it NO but it doesn't react to that very well.

[Shadow190]

Originally Posted by HelloBird

How do you get cockatiels from chewing on things around you house, like things you don't want them to chew on? I have told it NO but it doesn't react to that very well.

Some people recommend the bird version of spanking.

I never tried it and I am not sure if it works.

[christie99]

Provide the bird with PROPER distractions such as a playgym with lots of chewable toys. When the bird goes to a place they shouldn't, calmly pick them up and move them back.

You won't be able to curb all the chewing, it comes with owning birds, but you can provide what they should chew on.

NEVER EVER USE PHISICAL PUNNISHMENT! All it will do is damage the trust a bird has in you, and they will still chew, it is in their nature.

[kbordeau]

You can spray your items with NO CHEW bird spray. Its non toxic. Should be able to find it at the local pet store or on line.

[christie99]

The no chew spray doesn't work for birds. They don't taste things the same way mammals do.

[Lady Kakata]

I'll share my experiance. Bonnie response to a voice command, but she HESITATES. That's right, if I spot her chewing something, I say "'EY!' (yes, a specific way and tone of saying it. Having a verbal knowledge of Scots dialect is wonderful). She will hesitate and look up at me, as though to guage how serious I am about her not chewing something. If she thinks that I'm not serious, she goes back chewing. BUT, if she thinks I AM serious, and I make a move as though I'm going to come over and make her stop it (or, if shes near me outside the cage, I raise a finger in front of her) she wanders away

I'd recommend you do that with your 'tiels. Give them a warning not to do with (with a 'Hey' 'No' or some other word command, preferably in a specific tone so the bird knows that you're talking to him/her specifically. If they continue to chew the item, take it away. Keep doing this until the bird either realises that you mean it, or gets bored with you taking away stuff.

Another piece of advise I've heard is to take the object away (if you can) with a firm 'no', then give the bird a specific item to chew but I worry that the bird could interpret that as a reward. Anyone else got any ideas?

[kbordeau]

I have seen it work. I got my kings cages, NO CHEW from the bird show in NH this fall. Its non-toxic & zinc free. I have sprayed all my wood work. It al depends on how much your bird wants to chew on somthing & how attentive you are while they are loose to do so. It at least gives you a chance to divert them before they do the damage.

[clawnz]

For me it has been fairly easy.
Let them fly free, do what they want with-in reason.
And spoil them rotten for choices of food and natural perches to chew on.
Seems to work for me so far!
I have not had to try and change anything with Tinkerbell & Henry.
Tweety did have this thing, if you tried to distract her, she would go back to what she was doing, so I just flicked things her way, the noise was enough to make her stop and if you did this long enough, she would stop. I am talking about just one piece of paint in a corner. She did very little damage around the house, but did have a little spot on the seat in the car she chewed. But only a very small bit. I think this was due to her getting stressed at my absence. away from the car when we were out. She had a routine and did not like it being changed.