Cockatiels are wonderful pets and have a friendly nature; They are likely to bond with their owners in no time. However, cockatiels are nervous when they enter a new environment. Therefore, their owners need to be patient while they bond with them.
Gaining your cockatiel’s trust is key to building a bond. If your cockatiel trusts you and feels relaxed when you’re around. This means that your cockatiel has accepted you as its caretaker.
Are you a cockatiel owner and looking for some tips and tricks to help your cockatiel bond with you? Then, this article will surely guide you in gaining the trust of your birds. Let’s start with the best tips in this regard.
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Grab the first chance
The day your cockatiel enters your home is the first opportunity to bond with your bird. During this time; It is normal for a bird to feel nervous or stressed. This is because the bird will need time to adjust to a new environment where everything is unfamiliar to it.
You should take advantage of this first opportunity to bond with your bird. However, you need to be patient and take a gradual approach to your bird. Give your bird time to get used to the cage before you approach it.
When you approach the bird’s cage, speak in a soft, kind and gentle voice.
At this early stage, the goal should be to keep the bird as calm as possible so that it is not stressed in your presence. Gradually increase your level of interaction with the bird so that the cockatiel feels good when you are around.
Be gentle and let your bird settle in
As an owner it is important for you to treat your bird with gentleness and kindness. Allow your bird to settle into the new environment and give it some space. At most, it takes about 2 weeks for your cockatiel to heal.
Prepare your cockatiel’s cage in such a way that it has enough space to spread its wings. Make him as comfortable as possible. It is better to consider a rectangular cage than a round one.
A rectangular cage will make your bird feel comfortable as it has evenly spaced bars around it that will provide comfort to your bird. A round cage often creates small crevices where a bird’s beak, tail or legs can easily get stuck.
This will irritate your bird and make it difficult to adjust as a result. So, choose your bird cage wisely and arrange the best things for your bird to live happily.
Approach him slowly
When your bird feels comfortable and adjusted to the new environment, slowly approach the bird’s cage. Talk sweetly to your bird and make sure he feels calm when you’re around.
Take this opportunity when there is no noise around so you can interact with your cockatiel. First, you need to keep your interactions to a minimum that can be extended over time. The following steps can help you gain your bird’s confidence at this stage.
- Sit by your cockatiel’s cage for a few minutes every day so that he starts trusting you.
- Talk softly or use a whistle to entertain him.
- Let him watch you and become closer to you afterward.
- Offer some treats by using his name so that he starts liking you.
- Do these activities for at least a week and you will be surprised.
Set time for daily interactions
Cockatiels are sociable birds and they like to interact with their owners. However, it is equally important to deal with kindness to maintain their interest. Cockatiels are intelligent birds and they like to form an association with their human companions provided they are cared for appropriately.
These birds have friendly and energetic temperaments and you can gain their trust by spending some valuable time daily. Set a specific time for daily interactions with your bird to make him feel special. The following activities will surely help you at this stage:
Talking:
Talk with your cockatiel and make him engaged with you. It doesn’t matter what you talk about or whether he understands. The point is to entertain your bird so that it starts liking your voice.
Your bird might also imitate the words or phrases that you speak, especially if you speak them more often. Spend some quality time with your bird in this way to make him happy and energetic.
Perching:
See if your cockatiel finds it good to perch on your finger. If it does then offer him your index or first finger and he will enjoy it. This activity can also be used to train your bird which will soothe him in the long run.
Whistling:
Cockatiels enjoy listening to whistles. Sing a happy song for your bird or use whistles instead. There is a high probability that cockatiels start dancing when they listen to whistles or songs.
Your bird will start enjoying it with you when you do it. This will also make it easy to bond with your cockatiel.
Offering treats:
Treats also work for cockatiels especially if they are shy. Shy cockatiels might not dance or react when you talk with them. So, you can offer treats to such cockatiels and they’ll surely feel happy and start enjoying your company.
Playing:
Just like dogs and cats, cockatiels also like to play. Engage them in some form of play to form an association with them.
Handle your bird with care
If you handle it well, your cockatiel will likely form a strong bond. Be gentle with it and use a gentle touch when handling your bird. The bird will feel more comfortable when it happily climbs onto your hand rather than you holding it.
You can train your bird accordingly so that it becomes normal to interact with you.
Take special care when removing the bird from the cage. Birds’ feathers can be damaged if you don’t handle it properly. Make sure the bird fits easily through the cage door. If the bird is injured while leaving the cage;
It can create fear of the future. As a result, you may lose the opportunity to gain your bird’s trust. So, you have to make sure that the bird feels good in your presence.
Feed him properly to gain his trust.
Your cockatiel will trust you if you feed him properly. Feeding your bird on a stick schedule is another great way to gain your bird’s trust in you. This will make it easier for your bird to bond with you.
Apart from feeding him the right amount of food; You can also use the option of hand feeding to strengthen his confidence.
However, it is also important to train him to eat from his food bowl so that he is not dependent on hand feeding. You can hand feed your cockatiel for a few days. Hand feeding should only be used occasionally to build a bond with your cockatiel.
Engage your cockatiel in an interactive game.
Cockatiels love to play and learn new tricks. So, engage in an interactive play to appease your cockatiel. Playing not only helps bond with the bird, but also calms your bird’s mind. You can buy different toys for your bird, for example, wooden chew toys. It will feel magical.
Bird sports also like cockatiels and you can choose one accordingly. Cockatiels also like the occasional challenge. You can boost your bird every time it completes the bird maze as a challenge.
For this activity, you can build a bird maze on the study material. Keep the starting areas easy to reach and the exits difficult. When the cockatiel completes the maze, offer treats to encourage your bird.
You can also play hide and seek with your pet to keep it active and energetic. A daily investment in these forms of play can help build a close bond with your bird.
Look for these cocktail relationship signs.
Cockatiels love to bond with their owners. However, this bond takes some time to bond with you. Like many other animals; Some signs indicate that your cockatiel is already attached to you.
Although there are many signs that indicate your cockatiel’s relationship with you, here we will discuss only the 4 most important signs. These are discussed below.
He wants to be close to you.
When you spend quality time with your cockatiel, he will start to like you and want to be close to you. If the cockatiel feels comfortable in your presence; It will like to contact you especially when you whistle or use it.
When your cockatiel sees you and sits for a while it’s a sign that he wants to be friends with you. A frustrated cockatiel will not like to be with you and will leave when you approach him in the cage or otherwise.
If your cockatiel feels confident in you; It will like to stick its head towards you. It may be begging to sit on your shoulder or hand. So, a cockatiel that wants to be close to you is probably bonded with you.
He starts imitating you.
Another sign is that the bird starts imitating you. It mirrors some of the actions you take in front of your bird. For example, if you are sleeping or about to take. The bird starts to sleep.
Another example would be food. If your cockatiel sees you eating. It may also approach its food bowl to show a relationship with you.
He feels good in your company.
A cocktail that feels good and magical in your presence is also a sign of bonding. When you sing or whistle a song and the cockatiel starts dancing. It means he likes to be in your company. Likewise, if you see your cockatiel talking to you or in a good mood; It means he wants to be with you.
He answers you.
If your cockatiel recognizes you and wants to respond to your voice. This is a sign that it is already connected to you. Also, you can gauge this sign by seeing if your cockatiel is chirping at your approach or holding its head high.
Cockatiels love to play with and befriend their owners. They get excited to see their owners if they form a close bond with them.
Do Cockatiels Bond With Only One Person?
Yes, cockatiels are more attached to just one person. They like to depend on their owners. However, they also like to make friends with everyone around. However, cockatiels feel comfortable in a quiet environment. Therefore, you need a quiet place to befriend or bond with your cockatiel.
How long does it take to bond with your cockatiel?
Typically, it takes two weeks to bond with a cockatiel. If the cockatiel easily adapts to the new environment and is cared for by the owner; It takes a short time for a cockatiel to form a close bond with its owner. Give him some space first so he can bond with you.
Summary
Bonding with your cockatiel can seem a little difficult at first. However, if you do it right, you’ll quickly form a bond with your cockatiel. Always remember that you need to approach your bird with care and patience so that he feels happy in your presence.
We hope that you have benefited from the information given and that it will help you approach your bird with good results. We wish you the best of luck in bonding with your cockatiel.