Hiya!
(there is a TLDR)
In September 2023 my mum decided to adopt two male cockatiels. They had been with their previous owners for about 7-8 years and are about 8-9 years old.
My mum has gotten sick so I’ve been looking after them pretty much since we got them (about 7 months).
The area where there cage is (my mum refuses for it to be anywhere else) spacious but has lots of things for them to fly into and dangerous areas and before I let them out I want them to be able to step up so I can make sure they stay safe. I don’t mind if they aren’t super loving birds because they have each over I just want to be able to weigh them and stuff safely.
The only thing I’ve been able to achieve with them is a change in diet, they where on an all seed diet before we got them and they now have a mix of lifetime formula, seed and vegetables which was no mean feat lol.
My only issue is that they are still TERRIFIED of my hands and me if I get too close. When I try and change the bottom of the cage or clean poop off toys they are screaming and screaming and get so scared. They won’t step up and won’t even take millet I’m holding at the very end of or I’m near and don’t even like it that much. They LOVE pistachios and won’t take them from me directly, I’ve been consistently trying this for the last seven months and I just don’t think they are very food orientated.
I just don’t really know what to do, they wouldn’t leave there cage for MONTHS and when I got them to leave, they wouldn’t go back and I had to pick them up into the cage after one of them was bleeding from their beak, hence why I’m worried to let them out again without more training.
Wing clipping doesn’t seem right to me and I don’t know if it would even solve the problem.
These are the first birds I have ever owned (again not my choice to adopt but I love them so so much) so I’m trying my best but I need some help
TLDR; 2 very stubborn birds still hate hands and being close to them after 7 months of consistently trying with millet, treats ext. Any advice?
(there is a TLDR)
In September 2023 my mum decided to adopt two male cockatiels. They had been with their previous owners for about 7-8 years and are about 8-9 years old.
My mum has gotten sick so I’ve been looking after them pretty much since we got them (about 7 months).
The area where there cage is (my mum refuses for it to be anywhere else) spacious but has lots of things for them to fly into and dangerous areas and before I let them out I want them to be able to step up so I can make sure they stay safe. I don’t mind if they aren’t super loving birds because they have each over I just want to be able to weigh them and stuff safely.
The only thing I’ve been able to achieve with them is a change in diet, they where on an all seed diet before we got them and they now have a mix of lifetime formula, seed and vegetables which was no mean feat lol.
My only issue is that they are still TERRIFIED of my hands and me if I get too close. When I try and change the bottom of the cage or clean poop off toys they are screaming and screaming and get so scared. They won’t step up and won’t even take millet I’m holding at the very end of or I’m near and don’t even like it that much. They LOVE pistachios and won’t take them from me directly, I’ve been consistently trying this for the last seven months and I just don’t think they are very food orientated.
I just don’t really know what to do, they wouldn’t leave there cage for MONTHS and when I got them to leave, they wouldn’t go back and I had to pick them up into the cage after one of them was bleeding from their beak, hence why I’m worried to let them out again without more training.
Wing clipping doesn’t seem right to me and I don’t know if it would even solve the problem.
These are the first birds I have ever owned (again not my choice to adopt but I love them so so much) so I’m trying my best but I need some help
TLDR; 2 very stubborn birds still hate hands and being close to them after 7 months of consistently trying with millet, treats ext. Any advice?
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