Author: Anna Hartman

Training Cockatiel Birds – In the Beginning If the bird has any health problems, he will not be easy to train. One common problem with cockatiels is blood feathers. These are feathers that are not fully developed, and may have become infected. Do a quick inspection of your bird for any problems before you begin.

Initially, the most important thing is to let your bird adjust to his new surroundings and get to know you. Place his cage in a busy spot in your home, like the kitchen. The bird will get used to the comings and goings of your home. Initially simply sit next to thr bird cage and put your hand inside the cage and offer the bird millet treats so he can get used to you. Do this every day for a week or two.

You must work with a cockatiel to tame him. We recommend using a T shaped hand held perch the first time you take him out of his cage. Put the perch against his lower chest, just above his feet, and say the command “Up” to get him to step up, and give him a millet treat. Bring the bird out of the cage on the perch and talk quietly to him to calm him. Next, while the bird is perched on the dowel, offer your finger as a perch in the same manner as you did with the T perch. Always say the command “Up” to que the cockatiel to step up on your finger or a perch. Next, work on trying to get the bird on your finger. Place your finger under the birds belly and press in, while giving the command “Step Up”. If the bird nips at you, firmly say “No Bite!” and repeat the exercise.

Then take him into another room away from the cage on your finger or on the T perch. It is good if you have a gym or stand for him but you can hold him on the perch, too. Without the cage to distract him you can just talk to him quietly – see if he relaxes. It may take awhile for him to calm down. If he preens or stretches or fluffs out his feathers, he is feeling more relaxed. See how he does with this. Once he’s comfortable with leaving his cage and seems happy when out you can try getting him more used to hands as perches. See if he will start taking treats from your hands, see if he will step up onto the handheld perch if you shorten it so he must go closer to your hand. The idea is not to force him to accept your hands, but more to desensitive him to your hand gradually.

Training Cockatiel Birds – Shoulder Training Once your cockatiel has mastered perching on your finger it is time to initiate shoulder training. Some birds would instantly climb on your finger then straight to your shoulder. It is better to remove all necklaces and earrings before training the bird to ride on your shoulder.

Another thing that you should be careful of when having your cockatiel trained in shoulder training is that you might not remember that your pet is on your shoulder because of its lightness and this can be very dangerous for your bird. You may forget the bird is there and walk outside, and immediately your bird takes to flight. Be careful about letting the bird ride on your shoulder or your head around hot pots on the stove.

About the author:
Cockatiels are intelligent and can be taught all manner of tricks and behaviors. Please visit us at Cockatiel Care Secrets for comprehensive information on keeping your pet cockatiel healthy and happy.
Please visit us at Training Cockatiel Birds for more free information.

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