A case of mistaken identity!!

[Donna]

Flying already!!!! Holy moly I guess they do grow fast! Cricket is very pretty!! Thanks!

Yeah and momma is sitting on 8 more eggs!!

[MAK]

Flying already!!!! Holy moly I guess they do grow fast! Cricket is very pretty!! Thanks!

Yeah and momma is sitting on 8 more eggs!!

  8 more!!!!!!

[Donna]

http://cricketbird.tumblr.com/post/17572215482/perlie-feeding-cricket Daddy feeding Cricket 

[MAK]

http://cricketbird.tumblr.com/post/17572215482/perlie-feeding-cricket Daddy feeding Cricket 

My goodness with all that jerking how can they enjoy their meal!?!? 

[Donna]

OK question for any bird breeders out there. Gregg is having problems with Perlie the dad Cockatiel. I say he has not interacted with him enough over the years with Perlie and Lemon, (mom). He brought in a new female last week, who is gentle as a Peach and he can hold her and she is calm. He used to be able to let Perlie out and he was nicer but not now. He wants to get rid of him, I say no. Any ideas?

From Gregg,

 Yep. It's time. This is not mating season hormones, and Storm, the new female has nothing to do with it. Perlie has been like this for well over a year. I can barley maintain the cage or interact with the birds at all. He attacks relentlessly without interruption. I can't even LOOK at the cage, he will come to my face and try to bite through the bars to get at me. I barely get to handle or interact with my birds because he turns it into a screaming, biting, flailing warzone. I sure as heck don't want Cricket growing up like this. Every time i try to take Cricket out, or check on anything, it's SCREAM & ATTACK. Plus, even when I'm not in there, Perlie screams so much that I often don't even want to be in the house anymore. I had no idea that Cockatiels could be gentle, till I got Storm. Lemon never comes near me, and Perlie is nasty. Storm, at least let's me take her out and put her on the cage to hang out. Cricket would, but Perlie makes it a nightmare to get to Cricket. I've tried everything from an expensive new cage, to fancy toys, to birdy snacks, and everything in between. The last thing I am willing to try, is to quarantine him for a bit. I've read about this in several places. I will let him be in his own cage, on his own for a bit. I will let him be covered longer to sleep longer, and other details I've read, to see if it works. I will also continue to look into any other possible causes. But, ultimately, a bird is not going to ruin my ability to be comfortable the house, or to enjoy my other pets. My patience is extreme, and Perlie is luck for that, as I doubt many would put up with a bird who treats them like this. The ball is in his hands.

[nycbird]

There is not a single thing wrong with Perlie! He is acting 100% normal....he is protecting his nest, his mate and now, his family!!  It's instinct. You can take the bird out of the wild, but, you can't take the wild completely out of the bird.

If you re-home Perlie, you must let Lemon go with him.  She will simply take over the "protection" duties if Perlie is gone.  She will "awaken" the same in Cricket and Stormy.  

Also, clipping a 'tiel's wings will not solve your problem.  A 'tiel is so aerodynamically (sp) built that I have seen them fly quite well without a single flight feather.

Good luck finding them a new home....possibly a breeder would adopt them.

[Donna]

Thanks nyc, I'm trying to keep him calm over all this, he is frustrated with Perlie. He just tried to get Cricket out and Perlie went after Gregg and spooked Cricket, who flew into the walls. Maybe he should just leave them alone for a while and stop going in the cage after cricket.  He said Perlie was nice at one time but no more.

[nycbird]

Gregg needs to act very soon or he is going to have possibly 8 more "problem" birds on his hands. It's very hard to sell or even give away "untamed" pet birds.  Those eggs could hatch even before Cricket is weaned.

FYI: I am not a breeder, just a birdkeeper with a 16 year old Quaker that all my friends call "Dracula" because he has gotten a bite from them all and me too!

[Donna]

Gregg needs to act very soon or he is going to have possibly 8 more "problem" birds on his hands. It's very hard to sell or even give away "untamed" pet birds.  Those eggs could hatch even before Cricket is weaned.

FYI: I am not a breeder, just a birdkeeper with a 16 year old Quaker that all my friends call "Dracula" because he has gotten a bite from them all and me too!

He doesn't think any of the eggs will hatch, lemon's been off them more than on. He got mad at me for giving him some advice and killed his thread on FB. He's taking Perlie and putting him in a cage by himself. Guess he has no patience. (Either do I at this point) Stubborn man!!

My Moe loves Kara and bites me! I'm with him all the time, not her! Pffft!! "Dracula" lol!! 

[nycbird]

That is the worst solution to his problem!! In fact, it is cruel! 
Maybe you could convince him that a re-home would be best for him & the tiels.
Lemon is not going to "be his friend" either and Cricket is not yet weaned, cricket needs
her Papa still.

[Paul Hamilton]

I'm not a breeder, but have trained several birds.

I agree with nycbird.  Perlie is just being a bird.  And Donna, I think you are also right that your friend has not interacted enough with him.  

With birds, you basically get what you give.  If your only interaction is to periodically reach into his cage and kidnap his kid for a while, he's going to regard you as a threat, not a flock member.  Reaching into the cage is just going to reinforce hostility - Perlie learns that the threatening hand goes away once sufficiently bitten. I would work with the birds outside the cage, where there are no territory issues.  

I think they all need a lot more out of cage time.  If they are unclipped, it's best to have window shades partially drawn so that they can learn about windows instead of smashing into them.

Good Bird e-magizine is a good source of training info.  Rewarding good behavior with treats quickly builds friendship.  Parrots are always learning -- that can be a problem, because hostile behavior is one of the things they can learn.

Paul

[Donna]

I agree with you both! I sent him off an email with basically what you and nyc said. He's not really my friend, my daughter's but I know him from her. NO PATIENCE!!

[nycbird]

Just shows to go you..........some people should NOT keep birds.

All good birdkeepers KNOW the birds are 10 times more clever than us
and will always "have it their way"!

If he wants information.....

http://www.cockatielcottage.net/index.html

a tiel expert answers questions.

[Donna]

Just shows to go you..........some people should NOT keep birds.

All good birdkeepers KNOW the birds are 10 times more clever than us
and will always "have it their way"!

If he wants information.....

http://www.cockatielcottage.net/index.html

a tiel expert answers questions.

Now that's funny, I sent him that link a few weeks ago and the last thing I clicked on is still highlighted! Cockatiels that scream!!

[Donna]

Well just when you think the eggs won't hatch, 1 did and Cricket, yes Cricket is taking care of it!

Here's the link: http://thebirdies.tumblr.com/post/18379463331/yesterday-was-my-birthday-the-same-day-i-said?ref=nf video