Introducing a Cockatiel to Our Home! - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

Reptilehoundz · 01-06-2013, 11:49 PM

Hey DT, it's been a while. My two little sisters have saved their money, and we are adding a young cockatiel to our home. I've been doing loads of research, and am pretty excited to help them with this. They are responsible and I'm confident that they will devote time to handling and training. Anyway, we are checking out a 3 month old Lutino Cockatiel that someone is rehoming, tomorrow. If we decide to buy him, how would you guys go about interacting with him the first day/week? He can be kept away from the dogs, although I'm sure they'll eventually want to check each other out.

Is it best to leave him be the first day and get used to his new cage/environment? Or should we talk to him, maybe give him a few treats? Is it advisable to work on step-ups immediately, or give it some time? Thanks!

Sherryh · 01-07-2013, 01:33 AM

Make sure the cockatiel is handfed which means they aren't afraid of you.It means they are handled when they are born and trained to sit on your finger or hand. Make sure you feed them Harrison diet which is pellets. Have some millet in the cage. My doberman hates my birds she is jealous she charges the cage so we keep our birds away from our dog. Your dogs may be different, I have a friend her birds and dog talk and play together....LOL! Girls chirp and boys sing and talk...............

Hilary · 01-07-2013, 08:44 AM

My little cockatiel is 15 years old and was our first "baby" after we got married. His name is Baby (i know, real creative) but we just love him. He has seen cats and dogs come and go and is the lone original pet left from our first year of marriage.

Since he was here first all incoming pets have just accepted him and there has never been an issue. Even the dober pup hardly notices him. So no advice on how to introduce, but I do echo Sherryh - loads of handling! Mine is a real lovebug because of all the attention he gets.

ETA: My boy is a talker! He can say "Baby's a pretty Bird", "Hello", "I love you", and has several songs down. He's a cutie pie!

Reptilehoundz · 01-07-2013, 09:44 AM

Thanks for the info! Yes, I'll definitely go with pellets...do you feed many fruits and vegetables? Annie (my dachshund) is the only dog I'm kind of worried about. Her prey drive and fixation with things that move might be a problem, but I think she'll accept that it's there and that she's not allowed to touch it, as she did with our chickens. Rocky...well, I got him trained to walk through the flock of chickens and not mind them at all, so I'm hoping he'll be alright. We'll see!

Reptilehoundz · 01-07-2013, 07:48 PM

He's home! We bought the 3 month old Lutino Cockatiel, and I think we're naming him Loki. So pretty, I'll see if I can get some good pictures once I find the better camera. Any tips would be great!

Sam1491 · 01-07-2013, 07:53 PM

Congrats!
I'd def leave him be for the first day then just relax in the same room the next day and handle the third day. When I had my cockatiel he was about the same age when I brought him home and that worked best for us, he was a big sweety too, at least until my sister ruined him. He was never ever a hard biter but she paniced and boped his little nose one day and well from there on he realized he could bite hard and get his way. I ended up rehoming him to a very bird savy new owner who has fixed his temperament and has him happily spoiled

Anyways good luck and give him lots of soft, gentle love and he will be a great little bird...like mine was lol

Reptilehoundz · 01-08-2013, 02:53 PM

We are doing just that. He is already pretty interested in everything going on, and displaying pretty neutral body language. Now, we want to clip his wings, as least while we are bonding/taming him. Tomorrow the girls plan on working on step-ups. We have a few friends that know how to clip the bird's wings, should they do that before or after we let him out to fly around? I know it's a painless thing to do, but would the bird start associating the hand with anything negative?

Obviously, super noob questions, I'm sure. If I decide to help with something, I want to do it right!

Sam1491 · 01-08-2013, 03:01 PM

I'd get them clipped right away, if he'll always have them that way then start off on that foot so he doesn't try and fly like "like a big boy" not knowing he can't do that.

I got mine from a pet store so they did it when we bought him and we kept on it from there

Jazi · 01-08-2013, 03:09 PM

My roommate just rescued a female tiel (argh more birds). She's actually currently just a foster home but she's already in love and wants her. I hate screaming so we are waiting to see how loud she is before my roommate formally adopts her. If she's a screamer she's remaining just a foster to preserve sanity and relationships throughout the apartment.

Previously owned by a young lady who died in a car accident. Her brother got her, hated her, and she's been living with a blanket over her cage for the past two months. Needless to say she's skittish and a biter. Since she's already been through a lot we're keeping Skoll very far away from her. He tried to eat the rats through their cages so we're just not even going to try for the birds.

Lori Z · 01-08-2013, 03:23 PM

I don't believe in clipping but I have a great deal of experience. If you are going to clip do not let him fly. He could bash into a window. I would leave him be for a few days but offer treats and talk to him all the time, whistle etc. Although a good pelleted diet is the best he may not eat pellets. Give him what he was used to seed/or whatever. Once he is very comfortable offer him real food, green you can hang in his cage such as Italian parsley, cilantro, carrot tops (washed very well). Was he ever tame?