Cockatiel help?!

[Riven]

Hailey has parakeets, but has wanting a bird that will interact with her more.

So she bought a cockatiel at the auction this last weekend. The entire thing has been a DISASTER! I'm on the verge of asking the lady to take the bird back ( no refund necessary! ). She is a breeder/rescue type person.

For ease of me repeating the whole story again, I'll just copy in the email I sent to a gal who does rescue in Nebraska asking for help with what to do.

The lady who sold it replied back insulting my intelligence and treating me like a moron. I know they need time to adjust, but this bird will COME AT ME, not just a you're too close and I'm scared, if you're within 2', it will come at you. I had it on my lap tonight and if it saw my hands, it would go for them.

Anyone have any suggestions, I've never had a bird like this before.

Hey, it's me the crazy chin lady!

We had an auction this weekend, we do a semi-annal exotic auction, and Hailey ( she's almost 9 ) wanted something a little more interactive than her parakeets so we got a cockatiel ( we still have parakeets! ).

Now.. I don't believe in trading animals in, but I don't know what to do with this thing! It is MEAN! it was supposedly hand fed, and I was told it "looks like it's going to bite" because it thinks you're going to feed it ( not by the owner person ) and so I stuck my finger in the cage ( at the auction ) like a moron, and it literally clamped down. This was NOT a warning bite, I have a big chunk missing. So I said, no not that one... and we looked at another one, Joe said no you don't want that one, it's a breeder bird and not friendly. Yet it didn't flipping attack me. Well we ended up getting "Kujo" anyway... they said oh, he's just scared, once you get him home within an hour he'll be fine and you can hold him etc. The lady took him out there and held him, I wasn't there, but she put him on Hailey's hand and he was okay Hailey said.

Now we got it home ( that was Sunday ) and Monday got a bigger cage ( it came in a small cage, which is common at auctions ) and we got home Sunday and realized we only have parakeet food, so we feed it that, when we got the new cage I had to cover it with a towel to get it out of the old cage, I put it on my leg, and it ate some seeds out of my hand, I think simply because it wanted seeds and not the little parakeet food. I got it to step up on my open palm, then tried to move it to the new cage. It tried to fly, but it's clipped. So it kind of fluttered down and I tried to bite me, then finally got back on my hand and I got it to the cage. We haven't been able to get it out, it tries to bite, even if I try to give it a treat and my hand is too close. These are not "warning" bites, these are BITES, I mean, this is coming from someone who had a cockatoo for crying out loud, I know about biting!

Hailey is terrified of it... I don't know what to do. She wanted a friend, not an attack bird. Is there something we can do? It whistles and stuff, but Hailey is scared it will bite her, and my hand is chewed up.

HELP?!

 

[Jenn]

I got a cockatiel early last fall from a lady who had hand-raised it since it was a baby. It took a while for her to get adjusted to a new home with new sounds and different people. Lola has never bitten hard, but she would hiss and attack if we got close to her cage. Even though she knew the step-up command, I held back from trying it with her to give her time to adjust. I had taken her to the vet during this time and he told me to go ahead and have her out of the cage and to work with her. I started by leaving the cage door open and giving her the opportunity to come out on her own. I am home full time so I had a lot of opportunity to get her used to me and me being around. Having a treat of millet in hand can also reassure her that your hands aren't scary and they hold something yummy. After about a month she became very attached to me and spends most of the day out of the cage and on my shoulder. She is constantly preening me and demands to have her neck scritched. She has taken to me the most, and also approves of my husband. But she does not like my boys at all and will continue to peck at them if they get too close. Her bite is very gentle, but she has made it known she does not want the boys anywhere near her. I don't think she likes their energy. But if you give your tiel some time, you may find in the next 2-4 weeks that it becomes much friendlier. A good forum is www.talkcockatiels.com I have had several questions answered from friendly people there. Good luck!!!

ETA - she has been an absolute joy and is so incredibly friendly. My vet owns several different birds and raved about tiels the most. Just give your tiel some time to adjust because I do think that is why he is acting up. After he warms up to you, have your daughter work with millet in hand. And visit the tiel forum, there are people there that can help you better than me

 

[eroomlorac]

I think it just might be terrified of being in the auction, a new home, etc. I think it might settle down and learn to trust you, but I'm not sure. I would give it some time and see if there are any changes.

 

[Chinniechantel]

I thought you needed cocktail help- Lol, can't help you with a cockatiel! Hope the birdie calms down...sounds painful- maybe you do need a cocktail!

 

[Riven]

Last night I took him out, I was the only one up, this is something I didn't want to do because I don't really want it attached to me as it's supposed to be Hailey's friend. So put the towel over it, which is doesn't mind, took him out and put him on my bed then laid there. I tried to share a strawberry, didn't want it, but I would put it down about 1' away, then pick up up, take a bite, put it down, continue, until he stopped freaking out so much about my hand moving there. I was laying on my side, and he kept looking at my hip, I encouraged him to move up there and he slowly did... an attacked my hand. So I hid that hand and he just kind of stood there for a while, I was talking to him the whole time, and then he came at my face to try and bite it. So I turned and made him fall of before he got there, but he was coming full force ready to attack.

Over all I think he is a very, very angry bird. He will attack anything near him when we are close ( with in 3' ) the bars of his cage, perch, swing, anything near by.

Hailey loves birds, and I really don't want this to turn out really bad and ruin that for her.

This lady breeds and does rescue, we were told it was a young baby ( why it was wanting us to "feed it" ) by a friend of this lady, then yesterday she tells me that it's 2. She lives near Omaha, a big city, where adoptions would be pretty easy. I'm wondering if she brought this bird to the auction because it was a problem bird that come as a rescue. I really feel I should've trusted my first instincts about it and not listened to "people who knew more".

As far as offering treats in my hand, that's a no go. I will not allow this bird to keep chewing up my hand, it literally takes chunks out, not just breaks the skin, but whole chunks. I guess my question is, how many bites does it take, how long do we need to be scared of this bird? We leave the door open he does not come out, but will actively come at you if you try to open or close the door, or get anywhere near the cage.

This is from the lady who had it, she is supposedly a "certified avian specialist" whatever that means:

I don't know why he is acting like he is. He readily sat on Hailey's arm after the auction. She was having her hand in and out of the cage a lot and he was not attacking her.

ETA: I have not, and will not hit a bird.

 

[Megan]

Nicole, I would do the same thing we do with most new animals. A total 2 week shutdown. Feed it, water it, clean the cage. No more. Let it get totally used to you, the surrounding. I'd stop forcing it to be held/come out. If it's scared, its going to act out.

I'd maybe after a few days of a total shutdown, let you and your daughter start talking to him in a soft voice. Is the cage higher then eye level? A birds cage should be lower then you and your daughter, or they'll feel like they are dominant.

Don't rush the bird..take it slow.. Keep in mind, even though they tried to tell you it wasn't nasty--you knew this bird was not friendly when you purchased him...hense why you weren't going to buy to begin with.

 

[Jenn]

I would give your tiel more time before you take it out of the cage. Do a lot of socializing with it by just standing next to the cage and talking softely. Do this as much as you can. After a week or two, try letting it back out of the cage by opening the cage door and letting it come out on its own. Do not stick your hand in the cage because it will be very territorial. I think you had said you got it a bigger cage and maybe you should leave him in his original cage during this transition. Something familiar. Too much change is stressful. My tiel will continue to be nippy at times, and when she bites, she goes directly back into her cage. Like a timeout. After a couple of minutes she can come back out again. Some birds can be taught to bite. If they get attention for biting, they will continue to do so. It sounds like maybe this bird has been "allowed" to bite in the past and has to relearn that it is not ok and will not receive attention for such a aggression. I think your daughter needs to be with you as you try to bond with this bird, but I wouldn't have her do more than sit next to the cage and talking or singing to the bird until the bird shows signs of bonding. Hands can be very intimidating to a bird. And when you do have to put your hands in the cage to change food and water, for now, try putting on leather gloves. And remember, do not give your bird any attention for misbehavior. Good luck - and check out that forum - it's full of great information that might help you.

 

[equus_peduus]

If the bird gets any reaction at all out of its biting and attacking, it will continue to do so. I'd do what Megan and Jenn said... and possibly wear a light glove when having to come into the cage so that it doesn't hurt (as much?) when it bites - do not react beyond a stern "no" - don't pull away, don't look at it, don't shake your hand, don't howl. It'd be better if you could manage this without the glove, but you may need to start with the glove until it learns that biting isn't getting it anywhere. Also learn to read the warning signs. stand outside its attack range while it's calm, and slowly bring yourself closer in - if it starts to pin its eyes, or whatever warnings it gives before attacking, step back half a step. Once it's calm, bring that step in closer... and closer... it learns it has a little control over the situation, but that you are the one that is slowly pushing the boundaries. If it knows that you will back off when it warns you, it will consistently warn you before attacking - so you can watch for the signs and change what you're doing before you trigger the biting. Birds that don't warn before they bite are birds that have learned that warning first brings no results - because people weren't reading their body language very well. So they launch straight into the attack. By backing off slightly if it's warning you off (but not backing all the way off), it learns that having you standing there slightly closer than it thought it was going to let you before isn't necessarily a bad thing. Eventually the goal is to decrease its warning and attack radius without stimulating the full attack.

 

[addictedtochins]

[It is MEAN! it was supposedly hand fed, /QUOTE]
Oh it's hand fed alright, just look at your hands! The thing that stands out to me about the bird is it's not just cage territorial which is 100% normal for just about everything including us humans. I would return/exchange him if I could. I really don't think he will ever be suitable for a 9 yr old and her friends. 'Teils are great, try again for a nice tame one. Good luck

 

[Renee]

Riven I read your post and notice that you are feeding your tiel seed. The seed your feeding does it have sunflower seed? they make tiels aggressive and act hyper and crazy. When you add a new home to the mix its just a receipt for diaster. I have two tiels of my own that i hand fed as babies and keep them on a pellet diet as with seeds they tend to pick out what they like and not eat all the various seeds to get good nutrients from. Another thing to consider is taking out mirrors out the cage if you have any. It encourages the bird to bond to the reflection in the mirror and not you. Be very clam around the bird, it will take some time to adjust but if you do feed seed with sunflower I would strongly suggest you take the sunflower seed out. I learnt this from doing months of research before I got my tiels.

 

[Riven]

I have never heard of sunflower seeds making anything aggressive or crazy. He gets a cockatiel seed mix and pellets 50/50.

The cage it came in was not a cage big enough to keep a bird that size in, it is maybe big enough for 2 finches. I don't think it was the cage it was kept in.

"Kujo" will sing with me... we can get him out with the towel. I personally don't think that "letting him be" is the way to go, because I guess to me that's letting him get away with being mean. Because he tried to attack you when you even change his food, wouldn't that just make him think, oh I'm being aggressive and they leave?

Like addicted said, with her and her friends, we have kids who come over often, and even after we get him friendly to US, I'm kind of nervous he's going to bite someone else. Even when you try to prevent something you can't guarantee some kid isn't going to stick his hand in there. It's kind of like having a dog that will attack and just tying it up with a sign that says "dog will bite", you're just asking a kid to walk up to it.

Has anyone had a bird like this, personally, and gotten it to accept not only one person, and become a social bird?

 

[Jenn]

Unfortunately, taking Kujo out in a towel only keeps up the distrust. They become even more fearful of your hands. I understand the situation you are in, but I wouldn't take him out at all, especially with a towel. It will only prolong the bonding process.

How long have you had Kujo? I just think you need to give it some time. Like I said, my bird was in a much friendlier state when I got her but it still took a few weeks before we really bonded. She hated me near her cage and definitely did not want my hands inside her cage.

Your bird needs to be caged in an area that has people present so he feels part of a social group. As mentioned, do not have a mirror in the cage or they will only bond with their own reflection. Only put your hands in the cage to change food and water, and it should also be fed fruits and veggies. Wear a glove for now and ignore your bird's protests as much as you can. He needs to learn that your hands will be in his cage with no harm intended toward him.

If this bird was abused by human hand, he may or may not socialize with you or your daughter. But if this isn't the case, time is your only way of teaching this bird that he is part of your family now and that he can trust you. It is possible.

But no more towels! Towels are very bad at gaining his trust!

 

[Renee]

I agree with Jenn, we dont even use towels at the clinic to take the birds out the cages to care for them, in time Kujo will come to trust you but it will not happen overnight. Get him use to you sticking your hand in there, I have my bird in the play room where the sit and watch tv and there cage is near my laptop so who ever is on the computer, the birds are right there so they get use to us. Just take your time with Kujo and yes if you ask anyone who knows a lot about tiels, they will tell you that sun flower seeds is a no no because it changes their temperiment sp, it really does make the bird aggressive and its not recommended and we are not talking about anything we are talking about tiels. Just how some fruits are toxic to some animals, some seeds are just not recommended for some birds.

 

[addictedtochins]

One our 'teils Terra is very cage protective, we were told about it and it hasn't changed one bit. I have found one way of presenting my hand that he can't bite it. Simply make a fist and tuck your thumb inside and point your hand downward, then I present the top of my hand to him. He tries to bite for awhile but can't, then he gives up. I find it so funny and ironic that they think can climb all over us, but how dare we try to touch them.

 

[Riven]

Just thought I'd toss out an update on Kujo.

I use the towel, yes I'm defiant. A gal who does rescue that I know fairly well recommended it. Kujo still sings to me, but I'm running out of songs I actually know the words to. He likes musicals.

Using the towel we can pick him up, it doesn't seem to stress him too much, and even if we put the towel over our arm and hand he will step up. We are working towards moving the towel out of the picture, and just using the sleeve of our shirt. The towel is like a security blanket for him it seems. He likes to stay on it and preens it. Yesterday he preened Hailey's hair for her, her hair is longer and so he didn't have to be right by her face.
Yesterday after my shower I got ready to go to the gym and was wearing like a tank top, and he was chattering to me so I sat by him and leaned my hair by him and he preened it for me, it sat up then and was talking to him, he climbed onto my arm on his own accord and made sure my moles weren't anything to eat ( softly ) and preened me some more. I then took him back to his cage on my arm and he was on my wrist by the time we got there. He did good until he realized he got "too close" to those creepy fingers of mine, which was right as he stepped off.

Even with the closed fist method, he WILL find something to bite onto. This is not your run of the mill cockatiel here, no siree. This one is part great white shark.

 

[Jenn]

It sounds like he is starting to warm up to you a bit. I think with more time the bonding will continue to grow, especially if you're able to work with him a lot.

 

[Riven]

Arrgggg!

He seems to be warming up some, but will still attach, and without warning. Today he attacked me. He climbed up me willingly and was kind of preening me, he was getting towards my face which makes me nervous because of his freaking out history on us, then he just freaked out and started attacking my neck drawing blood.

Regardless of what you're "supposed to do", I flung it, I didn't even think about it, it was instinct. I don't know what to do. It's like a bipolar bird, one minute it's totally fine, the next it's attacking you. It doesn't give any warning is the scary part. It's not like back off I'm scared or I'm going to bite, it will be fine then just freak out. I really feel like we're still at square one right now.

 

[amsue0222]

I don't know that much about birds but I recently bought a baby quaker parrot and took her to the vet the day after she was home. They wanted to make sure that we had her tested for chlamydia and a few other zoonotic diseases. Please make sure that, especially if she is drawing blood, that you have her tested. The vet said that can be deadly and they don't always show symptoms-- I have small children and she was a bit worried about that.

I know that even my quaker parrot that is a baby does bite sometimes. If I take her away from her cage and she doesn't see it-- she is less likely to bite. Also I take a baby link toy for her to bite on instead of me.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Riven I read your post and notice that you are feeding your tiel seed. The seed your feeding does it have sunflower seed? they make tiels aggressive and act hyper and crazy. but if you do feed seed with sunflower I would strongly suggest you take the sunflower seed out. I learnt this from doing months of research before I got my tiels.

I've had birds for 25 years and have never ever heard of sunflower seeds making a bird aggressive or hyper, and crazy. If anything to much sunflower seed can be bad because of the high content of fat, but that's it.
I've bred tiels, lovies etc and they all have had sunflower seed in their diet.
Where did you hear this from? Just curious.
Nicole, cockatiels are one of the easier birds to resocialize, and he is probably scared to death of all the new change. I'd have some patience, and try working with him at first, but to be honest, unless you know if he was handfed, and even then it still might be a lot of work. It all depends on what works for you. I'd probably suggest a handfed tiel myself since the bird is supposed to be your daughters.

Sounds like your making progress, that's great! I have a rule that no birds on my shoulder unless I totally trust them. I have a macaw I just brought home this week. Mean little thing! Wanna trade? LOL
I think he'll come around. One thing that can help is the earthquake. Basically if the bird is on your hand, and tries to nip, or bite, you move your hand, and this makes them a bit unsteady on their feet. It redirects their attention from biting you, to staying on your hand.