Too Fast, Too Slow or Just Enough?

[LemonAida]

A couple weeks ago I adopted 2 cockatiels from the SPCA. These birds are not hand tame and we are working on that. I wanted to run what I have been doing by everyone and get your opinions on if I'm going to fast or to slow.

I have thier cage on a table that is about a foot off of the ground recently they have been coming out of thier cage in the evening and checking things out they have gotten rather comfy with this. They will also eat millet out of my hand like there is no tomorrow, but if I get a hand too close they will scoot back onto or into thier cage.

The last several days each bird has explored the world around off of the table. They hop, coast, fly off of the table onto the floor. Side note, they are ALWAYS supervised while out of thier cage. I won't leave the room if my SO is not here to keep an eye on them or I wait until they are back in thier cage to leave the room.

When they are on the floor I let them look around and usually put my hand down near them. 75% of the time they will hop right on my hand. This is where I need to know if I'm doing the right thing:

When they hop on my hand I hold my hand still for a few seconds and then put my hand down on the floor and they hop off. Repeat this whole thing once. On the third time I carry them over to the cage so they don't get too freaked out by whats happening. The other day one actually flew to my shoulder and started preening my hair

So am I going too slow should I hold them until they don't want to held, take them directly back to thier cage or do what I've been doing to get them used to my hand not being a bad thing....

Any and all advice is appreciated...thx

[skthurley]

I think you're doing great! I'd continue this for another few weeks, and continue to let the birds determine what they want and don't want. Continue lengthening the time they perch on your arm, and eventually allow them to decide when they don't want to sit with you anymore.

It sounds like things are moving great!