Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Bringing Your New Cockatiel Home

When you buy a cockatiel, you will need to
integrate him slowly into your family. Do not
overwhelm him on the first day, let him settle in
first and get used to his new surroundings.

Make sure the cage is set up and ready before you
bring your bird home. Place food containers on
the floor and some near perches so that your new
bird can choose where it wants to eat.

When you first let the cockatiel out into his
cage, he may fly around wildly at first, before
settling on a perch. Leave the cockatiel on its
own for an hour or so to get accustomed to its
new surroundings. Turn on the light before it
gets dark, as a young cockatiel will get a fright
if a light suddenly comes on and it is used to
darkness at night, especially if he has been
living in an outdoor aviary. This fear will
pass, but do try and avoid turning the lights on
and off for the first few days.

On the second or third day you can try offering
your new bird some greens through the mesh of the
cage. Hold it still and keep it a slight
distance away so you don't overwhelm him. If he
shows no interest at first just drop the food
through the bars, and repeat this process every
so often. With a bit of patience, the cockatiel
will start to enjoy taking the food from you.

How long it takes to train your new cockatiel
depends on how tame or wild he is when you
acquire him. Hand reared birds will generally be
easier to tame, and if you have bought a young
cockatiel, it will also be a faster process. The
more time you spend in the company of your
cockatiel each day, the shorter the training
period will be.

The experts recommend letting your new cockatiel
settle in for a week or so before starting to
finger train him. You can offer him food in your
hand for the first week so that he can start
getting used to you and learning to trust you.

Next you can open the door of the cage and offer
him the food directly. Always move slowly so as
not to upset your bird.

Once your cockatiel is used to you, you can
slowly start tempting him to climb onto your
finger. Coax him gently by offering your finger
just above the perch that he is sitting on.
Start by touching his toes and gently running
your finger up his feet.

Once your new cockatiel steps onto your finger,
half the battle is won and you can start by
moving him short distances within his cage, and
then eventually taking him out of his cage.
These are the moments that build trusting
relationships, so make them all count.

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Michel Maling enjoys owning parrots. She has
dedicated her blog to covering all you need to
know about cockatiels.
http://cockatielsaspets.com

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