Hello, I just bought a wild cockatiel home..he is of 5 months now…after I bought him home, he did not eat food for the first day but then started eating normally. Between 3-4 days after I bought him, he was scared of our hands and was running in the cage and panicking. But after 4 days he is not scared of our hand and tends to hiss and bite us if we change his food or water bowls..any tips and suggestion for how do I tame him, should I put hand in his cage to do the step up training or what should I do now. Please help!?
Hey there, It's good he is settling in. It's important to give him time. If it was me I'd just get him used to you being around his cage. Sit near him, talk to him, do what you normally do. Then try to offer him treats through the bars when he is a little more used to being around you. Millet is usually a good one to use!
@@TheParrotTeacher thanks for replying! I will give him time and will keep with passive interactions and feeding through the bar..also I wanted to know that why does he open and close his wings again and again for few times!? He does it it’s cage..can i know the reason?
I'm wondering. I have my GGC for 1 week now, and they just let me hold them, but after a few seconds they fly away. I can't pet them or they will bite me. What can I do ?
Be patient would be my best advice! You haven't had them long at all! It can take ages to form a bond with parrots. Take your time bonding with them, get them stepping up normally first and just being around you. Then move on to other things! It's cool they are letting you hold them, but petting is something they won't always want and may need to be in the mood for!
Hey David, my two new tiels will climb up on top of their cage and will be afraid to climb back down. They are still working on target training and step-up. How do i get them down when even trying to bribe them seems to freak them out?
Hey Ben, The best ways to get them down in that situation is usually to try and target them down, or make it easier for them to get down by using a handheld perch in a sleeve or having a platform or perch on the outside of the cage for them to climb to on their way. Sometimes bringing yourself equal to their height can help if they are scared of hands too!
my cockatiels are too scared of me. Feeding through bar is out of question as they goes to other end of the cage just by seeing my hand near the cage. What should I do ?......it's been like a month and I'm not seeing any change. Plz give any suggestion or tip, how to approch to them.
Hey Dragnar, I'd suggest passive interactions. Sit near the cage, do normal things. Like scroll on your mobile, read etc. Get them used to you just being around. Keep your voice calm and don't move suddenly. You could also try target training. Another thing I'd suggest is putting the treat in somewhere then sitting near the cage, so your hand isn't involved.
Hii, I have a lovebird that can’t fly, I originally thought that she flew into the side of the cage at the breeders when I first got her but her fight feathers don’t grow. She is very scared of my hands and I can’t get past the stage of feeding her through the bars of her cage. What should I do?
hello and thank you very much for all your videos! we are a new cockatiel, two cackatiels and me and we are still in the prossess of getting used to eachother. I see you mention that putting your hand in the cage is an advanced stage of bonding. But how do we put things in the cage of clean it without doing so? Could you please recommend how to do it? Thank you in andvance Give my best to Sophie too
Hey Yiota, Stuff like having to clean out is an exception to the rule. You need to clean them out so it's unavoidable! What we usually do or recommend is: just trying to be slow and deliberate when cleaning out, keeping the movements as not threatening as possible. You can also positively reinforce where possible if the tray can't be removed easily or the birds need to stay in for cleaning! I have a cockatiel specific version of this video now too!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank you so much! Slow movements is what i do trying not to disturb them. As you say Tokyo is now not moving but Rio has a mind of her own - is not yet convinced i am the good guy, she is still hissing me. I respect her fear. Thank you again
hey i have a 4 month old cockatiel tamed he isn't scared of me or anything he flys alover the room and comes on my hand on command or without saying but i have an issue he suddenly gets aggressive he tries to bite my hand all over my fingers he doesn't apply force but he does that suddenly whats that ? it hurts some times these actions happen some time randomly but some times if i am hand feeding him and then if i open my finger he does that and if he come for scratches and if stop scratching him things that i have done to stop him saying no biting in low tone (not screaming on him obviously ) when ever he does that i just put him down and look back away from him for 5 sec this has worked but kinda if you have any way to stop this let me know i have heard about the hormonal thing idk (he doesn't hiss )
Hey there, Thanks for the comment! Regarding the sudden biting it's not uncommon for males to do that. If he's doing it without force he's basically saying "stop touching me" or " I want to just get on with my own thing." Our boys do it sometimes to. For example when Fish doesn't want pets anymore, or if Chip doesn't want to step up from somewhere naughty. Your technique for dealing with it is good though. Low tones, no big reaction then just continue as normal. Putting him down every time may not be the best move though unless he is obviously angry as he may think he will get put down every time he bites. But as long as you're not returning him to the cage, it's still ok! Techniques to stop it, mostly involve doing what you're doing already. Reenforcing positive behaviour with reward such as stepping up to keep reminding him it's good! More toys and fun things to do. It might be worth watching my partners videos on hormones and how to control them!
Hey David and Sophie! I finally after three years of research. Brought home two, male, pied brothers. Today is day three in their new home. What is my next best step? Their cage is right next to my chair in my main room so they have been able to stay close and get used to me. Which of your videos would you recommend??
Hey Benjamin! Congratulations on your two new friends! Your next steps would be based on how they are settling in, if they were hand reared/used to humans or not and how they behave around you! If they are confident and relaxed around you/humans in general you could try allowing them out and seeing how they get on. If you'd like to be more cautious you could have them interact with your hands in the cage with treats and having them step on/off! Regardless of the above, treating through the bars and getting them started on target training would be great things to start doing now! I have a training/bonding playlist that may help, but it will depend on the circumstances etc!
@@TheParrotTeacher at the store where I bought them I was able to hold them. A little skittish but manageable when they were moved away from their cage. I am pretty excited for this adventure.
@@benjamineckles It is definitely an exciting thing to be part of and lots of fun! Their behaviour may change as they get used to their environment, but that's a promising start. I'd go for the treating through bars, popping your hand in the cage with a treat and keeping it still and target training to start! If that all goes well you could consider going to the next step!
Hello, hope you see my comment. Been watching your vids and enjoying them. I have a male conure. I’ve had him for 3 days now. He is 7 months. When we go near him he screams. But then stops. We have sat and talked to him. Let him out the cage and let him fly around. I’ve tried to put a treat in his bars but he goes to the other side of the cage. Please tell me I’m just too keen yet and it takes time. People never explain how long roughly each step takes. Hope you can reply.
Hey Nic, It’s important to remember that every bird is an individual and takes different amounts of time to bond! Take your time and keep interacting with him but don’t push too far. Timescale wise it can be very quickly a parrot bonds or it can take lots longer, it all depends on their experiences and personality!! I’d suggest keep up with the passive interactions and let him get used to you. Keep trying with the treats through the bars but stop and take a step back if it’s stressing him. You could also try target training with him!
I adopted a cockatiel: Very aggressive bites if ur near and always hisses Conure: VERY VERY SCARED and now bites White budgie: VERY AGRESSIVE LIKE COCKATIEL Green budgie: a bit aggresive scared Other green budgie: a little aggresive but still scared Blue budgie: less AGRESSIVE but scared
Hey Teddy, That’s lots of birds. It sounds like they all need to get used to being around you and lots of time and effort put into forming a bond with them! Training could also help, target training is usually best!
100% it's never too late to do step up training! I have lots of different videos on the topic. We also have a blog post going up on our business site coincidentally on step up training soon!
@@leannexx5964 Lots of time to begin working on training! Start with just passive bonding and targeting through the bars! Then begin working with him. Lots of time to go at his own pace and relax with it. I have lots of other videos on cockatiels too!
I originally bought one green cheek from a bird sanctuary but i ended up with a second one after seeing him at the pet store severely underweight and they had him in a cage that was too small for a finch so i couldnt leave without him ..but im having trouble getting my 2 birds to get along..any tips or ideas please
Hey Andrew, I have videos dedicated to that topic on my channel! They both feature conures too as we worked through the process with our own birds! If you're still having difficulty or need more help after watching those videos, we have a parrot consultation business too (links in most descriptions!)
We got our cockatiel at a place that isn’t very friendly with their animals. It was an impulse buy because my sisters wanted her. She only had one foot and has trouble balancing, but she’s alright now. We can’t move on from the “feeding through bars” stage, and she tends to bite us often, though we spend a lot of time with her. What should we do? :(
Hey Janey, If she's ok with you being near her and will take food from your hand I think the next steps should be getting her to step up and target training. I'd work on getting her to hop up onto a sleeved hand or a perch, especially if she has only one foot. The extra biting may possibly be due to her having to use her beak to help with her balance. We actually had a consult with someone who had a one legged parrot and they found initially stepping up onto a perch or sleeved hand helped loads as it was easier for them to grip. I'd also recommend target training as it's a no contact form of training and is useful in so many situations! If you get a moment I'd watch my cockatiel bonding video along with my target training one!
Hi! I need some advice I have a female cockatiel and a male one the male one is a wild one he bites hisses, and tries to bite but the female one ( jerry ) she is calm she doesn’t bite but she moves away once I tried hold a treat in my hand and she hopped on this perch stared to eat the Millet then I started to move the mullet a bit further so she puts her leg on my hand, so she did I was really proud but she hesitated. So she’s a bit trained. My concern is that once I took jerry out of her cage and let her sit. Idk she got scared or panicked, but she started screaming and fly around the house I got really scared she kept flying from one end to the other end of the house. Then I calmed her down and put her into the cage. Idk how will I provide her outside cage time..I’m scared she would fly again like crazy! I need ur help! P.s jerry is kind of trained than Tom ( male cockatiel ) btw they act just like Tom and jerry 😂 they fight a lot sometimes which is why I named them like that.
Hey Maryam! Very cute names, seems to match their personalities very well! So it sounds like she got spooked as cockatiels often do! They can be very skittish and loud noises can make them take off and fly around. There's a few things you can do, but there are solutions and it mostly just takes time and effort! - Start by doing what you're doing but in the cage. Keep giving her rewards for stepping up onto you over and over in or near the cage. You want to be to be a consistent behaviour so you can help her if she gets scared, or sees you as a good place to be if worried. - Once she is confident stepping up onto your hand all the time, do it around the cage. Do it on top of the cage as that will be a safer place for her to be. Move her away from the cage gradually, so she can get used to being in other places around the house. Always provide rewards for the step up behaviour too! - You could provide her a perch near her cage, or somewhere fairly high up. Reward her for being on the perch, so she sees it as somewhere positive/somewhere to go to! - You can also do some target training with her. (you use a stick and get her to touch it for praise and a reward) this will be useful to build your bond but also to direct her to places. (You could also use a clicker for this too) - Another thing you can do is get her used to loud or scary noises and movements. So for example, the boys were scared of the hoover. They would get very scared of it even in the cage. So we started by running it around when in their cage, then talking to them softly/giving a treat. Then we did it when they were out. Eventually they got used to it. - Cockatiels will spook from time to time, so it's important to provide safe places to land and have good recall. I have a few other videos that might be useful including one on fear and step up training! Hope this helps!
How can I get my conure to stop biting he's only 2 months old and just learned how to perch and I know that he's curious but when ever I let him on my finger he runs straight to my ear to bite it 😩it hurts and now I'm a little worried that when ever I have guests over he's going to scare them
Hey Rey, I think ears are like candy to conures. Every single conure we have dealt with through work and even our own loves to nibble or bite ears! I have a video on biting that might be worth watching, but there's a little bit more to it with ear biting. Not reacting is very important. Training such as target training is also important as you can distract him from biting with it and help him get some of his energy out. Providing lots of chewable toys also helps! It's good that he doesn't bite your finger as that means he is just curious or play biting. I'd focus on step up training too! There are other factors such as diet, sleep, environment and the fact he's still a little one that come into play too!
I got my bird home.. and it’s not tamed..they said that it’s 5 months old male..but when I picked him up to put him in the cage from the box I brought him in…he did bite me and blood was coming..so is it like because of he is 5 months old or older than that and have told us that it’s 5 month old..so is it normal that bleeding is there after biting?
Hey there, It depends on how hard they bite. Of course it can be normal for them to bite very hard if scared. He's just got home and very scared/nervous! You'll need to let him relax and then work on bonding and training with him!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank you for replying!!... And I also wanted to ask you that he is sleeping a lot.. he is sleeping in morning and night also and he didn't ate or drink water for almost 24 hours.. he's panicking when I try to give him some treat or even change his food bowls.. idk why he is sleeping a lot.. even in the morning and night
@@pranjalkakandikar8964 If he isn't eating that is a cause for concern. Make sure he has food and water available high up in his cage so it's easy for him to access. Also give him multiple perches high up in the cage so he has options. It'd be best to let him settle in if he is very nervous or sleepy. If this continues and he doesn't eat or drink I'd contact an avian vet for advice.
I've a rescuded kakariki (he was with a budgie in a cage and the budgie tore his feders out) he don't trust me so much but we make progress, the tips are very helpful! I want to get a friend for him, what do u think is the right species. I tryed it with a kakariki but he was scared (that was a few months ago) , now he is lonley. (sry for my bad english, i hope u can understand it)
Hey there, Your English is fine! It sounds like the budgie bullied him a bit (they often do with other species!) I'd keep working with him and building up the trust with you. The best choice would be a bird of his own species, like you already tried! It can take a while for parrots to bond, especially if they have had bad experiences. You need to be really patient with bringing another bird in.
Hi, I love your videos! I just wanted to ask something ... I have a female cockatiel for two years, she was hand reared and quickly started to bond with us. She always hopped on our hands, but never wanted to be pet. Now, she usually hiss at our hands and doesn’t want us to touch her. But she likes to sit on our arms, be hand fed through the bars and also outside the cage. I really don’t know what I should do ... can you help me please?
Hey Zuzana, Thank you! Did anything happen with your hands? Have you ever had to grab her? My suggestions for this would be to work on targeting and step up training with her. The fact she is happy to sit on your arm or shoulder is great as it means she still considers you a good place to be! I would reward her for being near your hand when outside of the cage. I would also try to target her onto your hands from your arm and reward her for that! Repeated step up training off of a neutral perch. There are a fair few things you can try!
@@TheParrotTeacher Thank you so much for responding! Well, no I have never had to grab her, but I had a theory about her not liking our hands ... During the first year we might have made a mistake, because we haven't read or watched any useful videos about cockatiels and I had many hectic days when I returned her back to cage after short time ... I think she got used to it and every time she sees a hand nearby she thinks I'm going to put her back to cage .. But I don't know, because I've made a plenty of time for her since then ... and now she goes to her cage whenever she wants or when it's urgent. But I'll definitely try targeting and rewarding her afterwards. Thanks for helpful advice!
@@zuzanamarekova6501 Hey Zuzana, No problems! It's possible it's due to that. BUT if it is just due to that it is possible to fix through training and positive reinforcement! Ask any other questions you might have too!
@@TheParrotTeacher Thanks again! I hope it's just due to that and I will try to fix it ... I'll let you know how's it going .. Thank you for being so nice :)
Today i just opened the cage door for a long time and both of my cockateils came out and flew for the first time . I just got them a few days ago and they are doing so great ... They are still out of the cage and im kind of nervous how to get them in thier cage
Hey Ridita! Sounds like they are doing fine! But, do keep in mind if you let them out without training they may be tough to get back in. I'd consider target training so you can target them back into the cage if they won't step up onto you!
@@TheParrotTeacher yes it was so hard !!😭😭 i ended up holding them and i guess i kind of lost their trust .... I wanna dieee . But thanks for ur advice ! I'll train them first
It’s going to be about using the high value treat and working with what you have. If he will step up in the cage then keep working on it in there and build up the skills. Then try it in small steps outside of the cage or just on the cage. I have many more videos which are more modern as these are some of my first!
I had my conure for 3 years and he is still afraid of me if I put my hand in the cage he will step up but if I take him out of the cage he will fly away and never comes near me so I have to chase him around to get him inside the cage please help I really want to bond with my bird as you do
Hey there, I actually have a video about specifically bonding with conures on my channel along with lots of training and tips! Most of it comes down to treat motivation, training and patience from Us!
Omg I think I’ll have to postpone watching this one for later.. I started watching it while waiting for my conure to eat as it’s breakfast time and he just started screaming at the sounds of your cockatiel lol .. this makes me even more hesitant to add him to my cockatiels room “sigh” well one step at a time.. one Davids video at a time .. now where is that conure sounds meaning video “ marching to tutorials list “
Hey Kevin, You'd need to look at the reasons why they are doing it! Is the cage too small? Is he scared? Does he have enough to do? Is he stressed? Is he hungry etc etc There could be loads of reasons why!
@@avi_perosn3931 You'll need to be patient and let him get used to stuff. It's worth also testing if he finds people scary. If you move away from the cage and just peek into the room does he calm down? Make sure his cage is big enough, that he has easy access to food and water, that he has some toys and that he has a high perch to go to! I have a cockatiel playlist on my channel that may be worth watching!
Iam having pineapple concure 5 months old he is bitting with anger. I don't know what to do?. For a little while he is sitting calmy in my shoulder if try to put him done he start biting me. If anybody come to my house and make interactions with him he coming very close to bite them all his hairs standing up. What to do pls help me...
Hey Sangeetha, It sounds like it might be worth working on some training with him. I also have a couple of videos on conure biting specifically that might be worth watching!
Hi,I have two cockatiels(male and female),they are separated in medium sized cages,If I buy a large cage for both of them,will they fight?They have been living together for about 5 months,(they are 6 months old)
Hey Mahomed! Thanks for your comment! Generally if they interact together and are happy there should be a good chance they can live together in the same cage. However there is always that chance they could become territorial (although much less likely with a male/female pair). The other thing that may occur is mating! You may end up with little babies if they are housed together. If you're ok with that possibility then it's fine. The only way you'll know is if you try sadly. You could put them in together in one of the medium ones for a short period (few minutes) and observe them to get an impression of their interactions. The bigger the cage you get for them both the better the chance they will be happy in the same cage. (apologies for the essay reply! ended up writing more than I planned lol)
WarGamingParrot I tried putting them together in the medium cage,the male gets nippy if the female gets too close,but they act normally,(until the female gets too close)
That sounds reasonably positive. The fact they aren't attacking each other immediately and the male isn't chasing her around the cage means there's scope to have them in the same cage. If you do get a larger cage and have them in it together, make sure you provide two sources of food and water on separate ends of the cages. This makes it much less likely they will be defensive over them! The more space the better too! A little fighting may be normal, but if it gets too much you may need to separate them again. Also may take some time for them to get used to each other! Finally, are you certain they are male/female? If they are both males it may explain any fighting. I hope this helps!
Hey Charlyn, There's two things you can look at. The first is training and desensitization to help with the skittishness. The 2nd with regards to men is training, exposure and desensitazation. There's lots to write in a comment (a bit too much) so I'll try to paraphrase. Cockatoos tend to be pretty highly strung too which makes it a little tougher. 1. Work on exposing your cockatoo to stimulus he finds scary such as sounds etc in a controlled way and provide positive reinforcement for calm behaviour 2. Reward for calm around men and get men to interact in a safe and non exciting way. This can be as simple as just some target training. If you're really struggling you could consider booking a consult with our business!
My Conure hates me! The only thing she does is climb on my shoulder and then comes down and that's it! All she does is bite me and come on my shoulder and bite my neck! I cant stop crying 😭😭😭
Hey there, It might be worth looking at some of my other videos, especially my conure specific ones! Conure often do this kind of thing, but it can be trained and worked on!
@@TheParrotTeacher Thank you I stop doing it. The bird was abandoned in a small cage off the road I took it to the vet its super scared I just let it do its thing bought a huge cage and toys.
@@Jedi529 That's really kind of you and it's great you had them go to a vet and set up in a big cage! Just take your time with them and let them get to know you. Training through positive reinforcement and bonding is so much more rewarding. Grabbing/restraint should only really be used in an emergency situation!
So glad I found this video! Glad you're here and thank you for the information on rescues. I had never heard of the rule of 3 before!
No problems and glad it was of help!
I only learned about it myself a while ago, but it provides a useful guideline with rescues!
U deserve 5 million subs u and Sophie for all ur hard work just to teach people u deserve it
Hey Simply,
Thank you, that's very kind!
No, I have to disagree. They deserve 15 million subs for always replying to comments and helping lots of people! 😃😃😃
🥺🥺🥺 I really want my bird's this close to me
Honestly, it mostly just takes time and patience!
Lots of time spent with them, building trust, giving reinforcement etc
Excellent advice. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
i think this is the best channel on #YT to look for information about your pet birds!
Blimey that's some high praise! Thank you!
Hello, I just bought a wild cockatiel home..he is of 5 months now…after I bought him home, he did not eat food for the first day but then started eating normally. Between 3-4 days after I bought him, he was scared of our hands and was running in the cage and panicking. But after 4 days he is not scared of our hand and tends to hiss and bite us if we change his food or water bowls..any tips and suggestion for how do I tame him, should I put hand in his cage to do the step up training or what should I do now. Please help!?
Hey there,
It's good he is settling in. It's important to give him time. If it was me I'd just get him used to you being around his cage. Sit near him, talk to him, do what you normally do. Then try to offer him treats through the bars when he is a little more used to being around you. Millet is usually a good one to use!
@@TheParrotTeacher thanks for replying! I will give him time and will keep with passive interactions and feeding through the bar..also I wanted to know that why does he open and close his wings again and again for few times!? He does it it’s cage..can i know the reason?
I'm wondering. I have my GGC for 1 week now, and they just let me hold them, but after a few seconds they fly away. I can't pet them or they will bite me. What can I do ?
Be patient would be my best advice! You haven't had them long at all! It can take ages to form a bond with parrots. Take your time bonding with them, get them stepping up normally first and just being around you. Then move on to other things!
It's cool they are letting you hold them, but petting is something they won't always want and may need to be in the mood for!
Hey David, my two new tiels will climb up on top of their cage and will be afraid to climb back down.
They are still working on target training and step-up.
How do i get them down when even trying to bribe them seems to freak them out?
Hey Ben,
The best ways to get them down in that situation is usually to try and target them down, or make it easier for them to get down by using a handheld perch in a sleeve or having a platform or perch on the outside of the cage for them to climb to on their way.
Sometimes bringing yourself equal to their height can help if they are scared of hands too!
my cockatiels are too scared of me. Feeding through bar is out of question as they goes to other end of the cage just by seeing my hand near the cage. What should I do ?......it's been like a month and I'm not seeing any change. Plz give any suggestion or tip, how to approch to them.
Hey Dragnar,
I'd suggest passive interactions. Sit near the cage, do normal things. Like scroll on your mobile, read etc. Get them used to you just being around. Keep your voice calm and don't move suddenly.
You could also try target training.
Another thing I'd suggest is putting the treat in somewhere then sitting near the cage, so your hand isn't involved.
@@TheParrotTeacher ok, I will try that..👍
@@ankushghosh7835 Awesome!
@@ankushghosh7835 I know it's been a long time, but how did it go for you? Im at this point now with my pionus
Hii, I have a lovebird that can’t fly, I originally thought that she flew into the side of the cage at the breeders when I first got her but her fight feathers don’t grow. She is very scared of my hands and I can’t get past the stage of feeding her through the bars of her cage. What should I do?
Chip and Fish. I like it. Not at uncomfortable.
Thank you! What made you uncomfortable??
Congrats, 100 SUBS!
Thank you!
hello and thank you very much for all your videos! we are a new cockatiel, two cackatiels and me and we are still in the prossess of getting used to eachother. I see you mention that putting your hand in the cage is an advanced stage of bonding. But how do we put things in the cage of clean it without doing so? Could you please recommend how to do it? Thank you in andvance Give my best to Sophie too
Hey Yiota,
Stuff like having to clean out is an exception to the rule. You need to clean them out so it's unavoidable!
What we usually do or recommend is: just trying to be slow and deliberate when cleaning out, keeping the movements as not threatening as possible. You can also positively reinforce where possible if the tray can't be removed easily or the birds need to stay in for cleaning!
I have a cockatiel specific version of this video now too!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank you so much! Slow movements is what i do trying not to disturb them. As you say Tokyo is now not moving but Rio has a mind of her own - is not yet convinced i am the good guy, she is still hissing me. I respect her fear. Thank you again
@@YiotaTheodossiou No problems!
hey
i have a 4 month old cockatiel tamed he isn't scared of me or anything he flys alover the room and comes on my hand on command or without saying but i have an issue he suddenly gets aggressive he tries to bite my hand all over my fingers he doesn't apply force but he does that suddenly whats that ?
it hurts some times
these actions happen some time randomly but some times
if i am hand feeding him and then if i open my finger he does that
and if he come for scratches and if stop scratching him
things that i have done to stop him
saying no biting in low tone (not screaming on him obviously )
when ever he does that i just put him down and look back away from him for 5 sec this has worked but kinda
if you have any way to stop this let me know
i have heard about the hormonal thing idk
(he doesn't hiss )
Hey there, Thanks for the comment!
Regarding the sudden biting it's not uncommon for males to do that. If he's doing it without force he's basically saying "stop touching me" or " I want to just get on with my own thing."
Our boys do it sometimes to. For example when Fish doesn't want pets anymore, or if Chip doesn't want to step up from somewhere naughty.
Your technique for dealing with it is good though. Low tones, no big reaction then just continue as normal. Putting him down every time may not be the best move though unless he is obviously angry as he may think he will get put down every time he bites. But as long as you're not returning him to the cage, it's still ok!
Techniques to stop it, mostly involve doing what you're doing already. Reenforcing positive behaviour with reward such as stepping up to keep reminding him it's good! More toys and fun things to do.
It might be worth watching my partners videos on hormones and how to control them!
Hey David and Sophie!
I finally after three years of research. Brought home two, male, pied brothers. Today is day three in their new home. What is my next best step? Their cage is right next to my chair in my main room so they have been able to stay close and get used to me. Which of your videos would you recommend??
Hey Benjamin!
Congratulations on your two new friends!
Your next steps would be based on how they are settling in, if they were hand reared/used to humans or not and how they behave around you!
If they are confident and relaxed around you/humans in general you could try allowing them out and seeing how they get on.
If you'd like to be more cautious you could have them interact with your hands in the cage with treats and having them step on/off!
Regardless of the above, treating through the bars and getting them started on target training would be great things to start doing now!
I have a training/bonding playlist that may help, but it will depend on the circumstances etc!
@@TheParrotTeacher at the store where I bought them I was able to hold them. A little skittish but manageable when they were moved away from their cage. I am pretty excited for this adventure.
@@benjamineckles It is definitely an exciting thing to be part of and lots of fun!
Their behaviour may change as they get used to their environment, but that's a promising start.
I'd go for the treating through bars, popping your hand in the cage with a treat and keeping it still and target training to start!
If that all goes well you could consider going to the next step!
@@TheParrotTeacher excellent, thank you.
Hello, hope you see my comment. Been watching your vids and enjoying them. I have a male conure. I’ve had him for 3 days now. He is 7 months. When we go near him he screams. But then stops. We have sat and talked to him. Let him out the cage and let him fly around. I’ve tried to put a treat in his bars but he goes to the other side of the cage. Please tell me I’m just too keen yet and it takes time. People never explain how long roughly each step takes. Hope you can reply.
Hey Nic,
It’s important to remember that every bird is an individual and takes different amounts of time to bond! Take your time and keep interacting with him but don’t push too far.
Timescale wise it can be very quickly a parrot
bonds or it can take lots longer, it all depends on their experiences and personality!!
I’d suggest keep up with the passive interactions and let him get used to you. Keep trying with the treats through the bars but stop and take a step back if it’s stressing him.
You could also try target training with him!
I adopted a cockatiel: Very aggressive bites if ur near and always hisses
Conure: VERY VERY SCARED and now bites
White budgie: VERY AGRESSIVE LIKE COCKATIEL
Green budgie: a bit aggresive scared
Other green budgie: a little aggresive but still scared
Blue budgie: less AGRESSIVE but scared
Hey Teddy,
That’s lots of birds. It sounds like they all need to get used to being around you and lots of time and effort put into forming a bond with them!
Training could also help, target training is usually best!
I’ve just a cockatiel he’s 6 months old. He’s used to being out of the cage can I still train him to step up etc xx
100% it's never too late to do step up training! I have lots of different videos on the topic. We also have a blog post going up on our business site coincidentally on step up training soon!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank you. I’ve only had him a few days the last owner just let him out and didn’t do much with him
@@leannexx5964 Lots of time to begin working on training! Start with just passive bonding and targeting through the bars!
Then begin working with him. Lots of time to go at his own pace and relax with it. I have lots of other videos on cockatiels too!
I originally bought one green cheek from a bird sanctuary but i ended up with a second one after seeing him at the pet store severely underweight and they had him in a cage that was too small for a finch so i couldnt leave without him ..but im having trouble getting my 2 birds to get along..any tips or ideas please
Hey Andrew,
I have videos dedicated to that topic on my channel! They both feature conures too as we worked through the process with our own birds!
If you're still having difficulty or need more help after watching those videos, we have a parrot consultation business too (links in most descriptions!)
do you have a video of introducing birds with each other?
I sure do Natasha! I have a one on initial introduction and another on housing together! Take a quick peek on my channel!
We got our cockatiel at a place that isn’t very friendly with their animals. It was an impulse buy because my sisters wanted her. She only had one foot and has trouble balancing, but she’s alright now. We can’t move on from the “feeding through bars” stage, and she tends to bite us often, though we spend a lot of time with her. What should we do?
:(
Hey Janey,
If she's ok with you being near her and will take food from your hand I think the next steps should be getting her to step up and target training.
I'd work on getting her to hop up onto a sleeved hand or a perch, especially if she has only one foot. The extra biting may possibly be due to her having to use her beak to help with her balance. We actually had a consult with someone who had a one legged parrot and they found initially stepping up onto a perch or sleeved hand helped loads as it was easier for them to grip.
I'd also recommend target training as it's a no contact form of training and is useful in so many situations! If you get a moment I'd watch my cockatiel bonding video along with my target training one!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank you so much, I’ll try that!
Hi! I need some advice I have a female cockatiel and a male one the male one is a wild one he bites hisses, and tries to bite but the female one ( jerry ) she is calm she doesn’t bite but she moves away once I tried hold a treat in my hand and she hopped on this perch stared to eat the Millet then I started to move the mullet a bit further so she puts her leg on my hand, so she did I was really proud but she hesitated. So she’s a bit trained. My concern is that once I took jerry out of her cage and let her sit. Idk she got scared or panicked, but she started screaming and fly around the house I got really scared she kept flying from one end to the other end of the house. Then I calmed her down and put her into the cage. Idk how will I provide her outside cage time..I’m scared she would fly again like crazy! I need ur help! P.s jerry is kind of trained than Tom ( male cockatiel ) btw they act just like Tom and jerry 😂 they fight a lot sometimes which is why I named them like that.
Hey Maryam!
Very cute names, seems to match their personalities very well!
So it sounds like she got spooked as cockatiels often do! They can be very skittish and loud noises can make them take off and fly around.
There's a few things you can do, but there are solutions and it mostly just takes time and effort!
- Start by doing what you're doing but in the cage. Keep giving her rewards for stepping up onto you over and over in or near the cage. You want to be to be a consistent behaviour so you can help her if she gets scared, or sees you as a good place to be if worried.
- Once she is confident stepping up onto your hand all the time, do it around the cage. Do it on top of the cage as that will be a safer place for her to be. Move her away from the cage gradually, so she can get used to being in other places around the house. Always provide rewards for the step up behaviour too!
- You could provide her a perch near her cage, or somewhere fairly high up. Reward her for being on the perch, so she sees it as somewhere positive/somewhere to go to!
- You can also do some target training with her. (you use a stick and get her to touch it for praise and a reward) this will be useful to build your bond but also to direct her to places. (You could also use a clicker for this too)
- Another thing you can do is get her used to loud or scary noises and movements. So for example, the boys were scared of the hoover. They would get very scared of it even in the cage. So we started by running it around when in their cage, then talking to them softly/giving a treat. Then we did it when they were out. Eventually they got used to it.
- Cockatiels will spook from time to time, so it's important to provide safe places to land and have good recall. I have a few other videos that might be useful including one on fear and step up training!
Hope this helps!
Thank u for replying! I will surely try this out
How can I get my conure to stop biting he's only 2 months old and just learned how to perch and I know that he's curious but when ever I let him on my finger he runs straight to my ear to bite it 😩it hurts and now I'm a little worried that when ever I have guests over he's going to scare them
Hey Rey,
I think ears are like candy to conures. Every single conure we have dealt with through work and even our own loves to nibble or bite ears!
I have a video on biting that might be worth watching, but there's a little bit more to it with ear biting.
Not reacting is very important.
Training such as target training is also important as you can distract him from biting with it and help him get some of his energy out.
Providing lots of chewable toys also helps!
It's good that he doesn't bite your finger as that means he is just curious or play biting. I'd focus on step up training too!
There are other factors such as diet, sleep, environment and the fact he's still a little one that come into play too!
I got my bird home.. and it’s not tamed..they said that it’s 5 months old male..but when I picked him up to put him in the cage from the box I brought him in…he did bite me and blood was coming..so is it like because of he is 5 months old or older than that and have told us that it’s 5 month old..so is it normal that bleeding is there after biting?
Hey there,
It depends on how hard they bite. Of course it can be normal for them to bite very hard if scared. He's just got home and very scared/nervous! You'll need to let him relax and then work on bonding and training with him!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank you for replying!!... And I also wanted to ask you that he is sleeping a lot.. he is sleeping in morning and night also and he didn't ate or drink water for almost 24 hours.. he's panicking when I try to give him some treat or even change his food bowls.. idk why he is sleeping a lot.. even in the morning and night
@@pranjalkakandikar8964 If he isn't eating that is a cause for concern. Make sure he has food and water available high up in his cage so it's easy for him to access.
Also give him multiple perches high up in the cage so he has options. It'd be best to let him settle in if he is very nervous or sleepy.
If this continues and he doesn't eat or drink I'd contact an avian vet for advice.
@@TheParrotTeacher okay.. thanks for replying..now he’s better and he is eating and drinking well🥰
@@pranjalkakandikar8964 Awesome!
I've a rescuded kakariki (he was with a budgie in a cage and the budgie tore his feders out) he don't trust me so much but we make progress, the tips are very helpful! I want to get a friend for him, what do u think is the right species. I tryed it with a kakariki but he was scared (that was a few months ago) , now he is lonley. (sry for my bad english, i hope u can understand it)
Hey there, Your English is fine!
It sounds like the budgie bullied him a bit (they often do with other species!) I'd keep working with him and building up the trust with you.
The best choice would be a bird of his own species, like you already tried! It can take a while for parrots to bond, especially if they have had bad experiences. You need to be really patient with bringing another bird in.
@@TheParrotTeacher thank u for your answer!
Hi, I love your videos! I just wanted to ask something ... I have a female cockatiel for two years, she was hand reared and quickly started to bond with us. She always hopped on our hands, but never wanted to be pet. Now, she usually hiss at our hands and doesn’t want us to touch her. But she likes to sit on our arms, be hand fed through the bars and also outside the cage. I really don’t know what I should do ... can you help me please?
Hey Zuzana,
Thank you!
Did anything happen with your hands? Have you ever had to grab her?
My suggestions for this would be to work on targeting and step up training with her. The fact she is happy to sit on your arm or shoulder is great as it means she still considers you a good place to be!
I would reward her for being near your hand when outside of the cage. I would also try to target her onto your hands from your arm and reward her for that! Repeated step up training off of a neutral perch. There are a fair few things you can try!
@@TheParrotTeacher Thank you so much for responding! Well, no I have never had to grab her, but I had a theory about her not liking our hands ... During the first year we might have made a mistake, because we haven't read or watched any useful videos about cockatiels and I had many hectic days when I returned her back to cage after short time ... I think she got used to it and every time she sees a hand nearby she thinks I'm going to put her back to cage .. But I don't know, because I've made a plenty of time for her since then ... and now she goes to her cage whenever she wants or when it's urgent. But I'll definitely try targeting and rewarding her afterwards. Thanks for helpful advice!
@@zuzanamarekova6501 Hey Zuzana, No problems!
It's possible it's due to that. BUT if it is just due to that it is possible to fix through training and positive reinforcement!
Ask any other questions you might have too!
@@TheParrotTeacher Thanks again! I hope it's just due to that and I will try to fix it ... I'll let you know how's it going .. Thank you for being so nice :)
@@zuzanamarekova6501 please do and no problems!
Today i just opened the cage door for a long time and both of my cockateils came out and flew for the first time . I just got them a few days ago and they are doing so great ...
They are still out of the cage and im kind of nervous how to get them in thier cage
Hey Ridita!
Sounds like they are doing fine!
But, do keep in mind if you let them out without training they may be tough to get back in. I'd consider target training so you can target them back into the cage if they won't step up onto you!
@@TheParrotTeacher yes it was so hard !!😭😭 i ended up holding them and i guess i kind of lost their trust ....
I wanna dieee .
But thanks for ur advice ! I'll train them first
@@riditarahman3501 Hey Ridita!
Don't be too harsh on yourself!
I have some videos that may help!
@@TheParrotTeacher hmmmmm ... i am reasearching and again thanks
@@riditarahman3501 no worries!
Mine will go on top of my flat hand in the cage but just flys outside the cage what do I do whenever I approach him he flys away
It’s going to be about using the high value treat and working with what you have.
If he will step up in the cage then keep working on it in there and build up the skills.
Then try it in small steps outside of the cage or just on the cage.
I have many more videos which are more modern as these are some of my first!
I had my conure for 3 years and he is still afraid of me if I put my hand in the cage he will step up but if I take him out of the cage he will fly away and never comes near me so I have to chase him around to get him inside the cage please help I really want to bond with my bird as you do
Hey there,
I actually have a video about specifically bonding with conures on my channel along with lots of training and tips!
Most of it comes down to treat motivation, training and patience from
Us!
Omg I think I’ll have to postpone watching this one for later.. I started watching it while waiting for my conure to eat as it’s breakfast time and he just started screaming at the sounds of your cockatiel lol .. this makes me even more hesitant to add him to my cockatiels room “sigh” well one step at a time.. one Davids video at a time .. now where is that conure sounds meaning video “ marching to tutorials list “
Lol, sounds like he likes cockatiels lots then!
haha, I'm glad you are finding so many useful!
What do I do if my cockatiel is running around aggressively in the cage and biting the cage
Hey Kevin,
You'd need to look at the reasons why they are doing it!
Is the cage too small? Is he scared? Does he have enough to do? Is he stressed? Is he hungry etc etc
There could be loads of reasons why!
@@TheParrotTeacher ok
@@TheParrotTeacher I thinks he’s very stressed I only just got him
@@avi_perosn3931
You'll need to be patient and let him get used to stuff.
It's worth also testing if he finds people scary. If you move away from the cage and just peek into the room does he calm down?
Make sure his cage is big enough, that he has easy access to food and water, that he has some toys and that he has a high perch to go to!
I have a cockatiel playlist on my channel that may be worth watching!
Iam having pineapple concure 5 months old he is bitting with anger. I don't know what to do?. For a little while he is sitting calmy in my shoulder if try to put him done he start biting me. If anybody come to my house and make interactions with him he coming very close to bite them all his hairs standing up. What to do pls help me...
Hey Sangeetha,
It sounds like it might be worth working on some training with him. I also have a couple of videos on conure biting specifically that might be worth watching!
@@TheParrotTeacher thank u very much any link for that videos
@@sangithaaraghu2860 Sorry Sangeetha, I can't do direct links due to the amount of comments I need to reply to regularly!
Hi,I have two cockatiels(male and female),they are separated in medium sized cages,If I buy a large cage for both of them,will they fight?They have been living together for about 5 months,(they are 6 months old)
Hey Mahomed! Thanks for your comment!
Generally if they interact together and are happy there should be a good chance they can live together in the same cage. However there is always that chance they could become territorial (although much less likely with a male/female pair).
The other thing that may occur is mating! You may end up with little babies if they are housed together. If you're ok with that possibility then it's fine.
The only way you'll know is if you try sadly. You could put them in together in one of the medium ones for a short period (few minutes) and observe them to get an impression of their interactions.
The bigger the cage you get for them both the better the chance they will be happy in the same cage.
(apologies for the essay reply! ended up writing more than I planned lol)
WarGamingParrot I tried putting them together in the medium cage,the male gets nippy if the female gets too close,but they act normally,(until the female gets too close)
That sounds reasonably positive. The fact they aren't attacking each other immediately and the male isn't chasing her around the cage means there's scope to have them in the same cage.
If you do get a larger cage and have them in it together, make sure you provide two sources of food and water on separate ends of the cages. This makes it much less likely they will be defensive over them! The more space the better too!
A little fighting may be normal, but if it gets too much you may need to separate them again. Also may take some time for them to get used to each other!
Finally, are you certain they are male/female? If they are both males it may explain any fighting.
I hope this helps!
WarGamingParrot thank you,I think that they are male and female,because one only screeches,and the other one sings ALOT
And also,if they are caged separately,do they still keep each other company when i am not around?or it isnt the same as being caged together
I have a cockatoo, but he hates men, and is very skittish. How do I fix it?
Hey Charlyn,
There's two things you can look at. The first is training and desensitization to help with the skittishness. The 2nd with regards to men is training, exposure and desensitazation. There's lots to write in a comment (a bit too much) so I'll try to paraphrase. Cockatoos tend to be pretty highly strung too which makes it a little tougher.
1. Work on exposing your cockatoo to stimulus he finds scary such as sounds etc in a controlled way and provide positive reinforcement for calm behaviour
2. Reward for calm around men and get men to interact in a safe and non exciting way. This can be as simple as just some target training.
If you're really struggling you could consider booking a consult with our business!
My Cockatiel doesn't like to eat from my hand and whenever I put my hand in the cage it runs away, it’s scared of my hands😢😭😭😭
Hey Afroja,
They will be initially! It's why it is so important to work on bonding and positive reinforcement with them!
@@TheParrotTeacher Okay ☺️
My Conure hates me! The only thing she does is climb on my shoulder and then comes down and that's it! All she does is bite me and come on my shoulder and bite my neck! I cant stop crying 😭😭😭
Hey there,
It might be worth looking at some of my other videos, especially my conure specific ones!
Conure often do this kind of thing, but it can be trained and worked on!
🤩🤩
Thank you!
I just grab them is that ok?
Hey Sergio,
I wouldn't say grabbing is the best tactic. It can break trust and confidence with you and make hands seem scary/like the enemy!
@@TheParrotTeacher Thank you I stop doing it. The bird was abandoned in a small cage off the road I took it to the vet its super scared I just let it do its thing bought a huge cage and toys.
@@Jedi529 That's really kind of you and it's great you had them go to a vet and set up in a big cage!
Just take your time with them and let them get to know you. Training through positive reinforcement and bonding is so much more rewarding. Grabbing/restraint should only really be used in an emergency situation!