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Captain Log posted:Per a good vet - birds need to learn to properly fly in their first years and should get a few stretches of at least two months to learn it, if not longer. I think there is NOTHING wrong with clips, but go easy on them when the Bird is still growing and learning. Yeah, Trev's original home they clipped him severely as a young fledgling...the vet and his rescuer J were not sure if he would be able to fly properly, if even at all. Trev is a resilient soul tho, and has managed to prove the naysayers wrong... He will never fly gracefully...but he can Zepplin around like a special needs bumblebee with the best of them  We still get him lightly clipped for his safety tho since his flying (even with the feathers grown in) will never be up to snuff. But definitely, don't clip them imho till they are at least decent at flying so they have that... it's so important to their mental health.
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Feb 2, 2020 23:30
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Disco Salmon posted:Yeah, Trev's original home they clipped him severely as a young fledgling...the vet and his rescuer J were not sure if he would be able to fly properly, if even at all. Trev is a resilient soul tho, and has managed to prove the naysayers wrong... As most owners know, cockatiels are absolutely determined, strong flyers. Even fully clipped they can normally get some lift for a few seconds. Serra, missing half her flight feathers from her night fright, now making it a few feet while flying in a semicircle. She then makes a less than graceful plop noise onto the hardwood floors. I'm fully prepared for her to go on a diet, but she might just be a big glorious hen. She was bred by someone in Idaho who does shows, so it's not impossible that she came from some very big ladies. (Apparently, show cockatiels are bred for weight.)
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Feb 3, 2020 01:40
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LITERALLY A BIRD posted:Heck yes! May I offer you a gang tag? Or any of you other recent thread additions, I might add? I'd love a gang tag! I was never into the wing clip idea at all but after yesterday I do wonder if it's the right thing to do, at least til he adjusts. Was awful watching him bump into things.
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Feb 3, 2020 03:20
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Caedes posted:I'd love a gang tag! Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with it initially. I'd just make sure he gets some proper learning time while he is young, but letting them settle in without hurting themselves is important. I won't repeat everything, but did you see my cockatiel specific story on the last few pages about night frights? You really need to watch out about that when they are young. Also, has your cockatiel been DNA sexed? I always ask with them because I've been fooled by all three cockatiels I've owned. Also, the ladies genuinely need a little bit of care to keep them from laying a bunch. Serra has been next to my bed the last few nights with her cover pulled up so she can come over and see me sleeping nearby. Every time I woke up, I looked over and suddenly saw her head in the little opening, spying on me. It was cuter than cute.
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Feb 3, 2020 03:24
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Captain Log posted:Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with it initially. I'd just make sure he gets some proper learning time while he is young, but letting them settle in without hurting themselves is important. I did read the story and it sounds horrible, so glad Serra has recovered so quickly. We covered the cage last night and were looking at getting a little night light as well. We're both light sleepers and he is in the next room so hopefully we can respond really quickly in case of frights. Not DNA sexed, so won't be too surprised if he is actually a she. What are people's thoughts on a cage mirror for when nobody is home? At least one of my wife and I are home for all but a few hours a day, we're leaving a radio on but just constantly worried about stressing him out no matter what we do. We're going to see if he adjusts ok but are definitely willing to get a friend if he can't adjust.
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Feb 3, 2020 03:39
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Put some patterned curtains or stickers over impassable windows early on, it'll help the bird learn the boundaries of the room. When they're learning to fly indoors yeah, they'll bump into things. Just be there and be prepared to help them back up if they fall down a corner or something. I'd say no mirrors, I doubt they alleviate loneliness. Instead they just confuse the bird. (Might be different for greys and cockatoos.)
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Feb 3, 2020 08:29
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nielsm posted:Put some patterned curtains or stickers over impassable windows early on, it'll help the bird learn the boundaries of the room. When they're learning to fly indoors yeah, they'll bump into things. Just be there and be prepared to help them back up if they fall down a corner or something. Patterned curtains are a good idea thanks. We've had to have them drawn since we got him because outside seems to scare him. Actually, everything seems to scare him currently. I had read that and have had family who had cockatiels in the past but I didn't realise quite how skitterish they'd be.
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Feb 3, 2020 08:49
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Mirror = Horny Bird They are banned from the local parrot shop for confused bird horniness. Cockatiels will go into horny mating mode for absolutely no reason. A mirror? That's way more than no reasons. 
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Feb 3, 2020 09:22
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Captain Log posted:Mirror = Horny Bird Would you gently caress me? I’d gently caress me.
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Feb 3, 2020 09:28
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Take away a mirror and a horny tiel will make use of any other reflective surface, take away reflective surfaces and they'll flirt with their own shadow.
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Feb 3, 2020 11:10
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Captain Log posted:Mirror = Horny Bird
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Feb 3, 2020 15:37
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Who among us ISN'T dumb, horny, and scared of everything?
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Feb 3, 2020 15:55
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I mean, my previous budgie tried to court a picture of a circle
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Feb 3, 2020 16:18
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We don’t put mirrors in our cages. He doesn’t seem to care much about them; I’m not prepared to say he passes the mirror test, but he definitely doesn’t think it’s another bird. Speaking of which...you, uh, gotta a little something...all over, buddy.... 
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Feb 3, 2020 17:37
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nielsm posted:Put some patterned curtains or stickers over impassable windows early on, it'll help the bird learn the boundaries of the room. When they're learning to fly indoors yeah, they'll bump into things. Just be there and be prepared to help them back up if they fall down a corner or something. We also take our two around and practice "taps" on all the windows, so we take our finger and tap on the window and then have them do it at each window. We have stickers as well, but I feel it helps reinforce the boundaries. Mostly
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Feb 3, 2020 17:42
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Tsaedje posted:Take away a mirror and a horny tiel will make use of any other reflective surface, take away reflective surfaces and they'll flirt with their own shadow. Serra is in an ongoing war with her shadow reflecting in a picture hung above her cage. I’m both impressed with her ability to see it and worry about her possibly flirting with it. Will try to get a video.
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Feb 3, 2020 19:38
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My boys have a toy or two with a reflective part, but nothing that's really a full mirror. Sera flirts with his reflection, when he catches it in a big mirror. He also loves feet. He's a big perv. Ozzy refuses to look into mirrors. He doesn't trust strange cockatiels.
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Feb 3, 2020 20:38
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Serra is 100% doofus cockatiel and scared of everything, but also one of the smarter cockatiels I’ve ever met. She will turn over a cup to look underneath for a treat. If I’m not paying attention to her, she I’ll unplug my headphones. She knows she can press the home button on my pone to make the screen change. She is starting to understand touchscreens. Then she will run away from a blanket she doesn’t like.
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Feb 3, 2020 21:03
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A friend of mine had her old cockatiel pass away this morning so I'll be snuggling my flock extra hard today
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Feb 4, 2020 18:50
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Still having screaming issues with Mochi. I feel like a bad pet owner but I know all his needs are met and he's just regressed to pushing limits to demand attention, but god my head hurts. Nothing works except my husband literally leaving our home and Mochi figuring there is no chance he'll get attention from him after that. I just don't know what to do.
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Feb 5, 2020 01:11
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I've been thinking about this since you posted and thought of one thing. I apologize if it's already been asked. How is the ambient noise in the room? Serra and the parakeets always have a tv or radio left on when one of us isn't sitting with them. When the house is silent, I can roll over in bed and suddenly have Serra screming for me. When there is ambient noise, it isn't the case. Could it be cockatiel excitement at the premise of one of her humans being nearby?
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Feb 5, 2020 03:52
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I've tried a multitude of different ambient sounds while my partner's asleep but I'm open to suggestions. Bird noises are automatic scream. There's almost always something in when we're awake.
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Feb 5, 2020 05:00
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I do love the fuss noises because they can hear I'm awake and I'm not out of bed yet.
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Feb 5, 2020 05:33
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I am glad that our guy is so quiet at night. We are lucky enough to be able to close a door on him, but it’s right off the kitchen so it’s not super duper quiet. Even then, he basically doesn’t make a peep until the light turns on at 7:30. It’s about a 50-50 chance of small screm or clicks as I’m making coffee.
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Feb 5, 2020 12:02
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Thankfully the screm is still limited to bird's waking hours. He has figured out that bedtime (only bed, putting the covers on will not trick him) means quiet, so he will just quietly go, 'aaaaaaaaaaaaaah' in his cage which is honestly hilarious and much preferable to his flock call. We had gotten to a point where he would call nicely after us, and either call baby for me or beep beep for my husband, but over the last few months since my husband has been employed again he's just regressed. I know it will pass, and he's cranky that he used to get all day with my husband (8-9 or whatever) and now has to spend 9:30-5 on his own save for Bradbury. I moved their cages closer this weekend (but not so close Mochi can reach) in the hopes they'll distract each other a bit, but we'll see.
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Feb 5, 2020 15:42
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Based on Captain Log's posts I started turning up one corner of Nemo's cover at night so she can see out; she seems happier. I used to think she was having nightmares in the early morning, but it turns out her "fighting with my toys" noise is the same as her "pissed off that you exist near me" noise.
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Feb 5, 2020 16:22
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Crouton and Galbedir are very good about bedtime. If it's dark it's time to sleep and if they think I'm keeping them up past their bedtime they will go back to their cage of their own accord. If I have the light on in the main area of my unit but in their little room they will go in and start making their sleepy sounds and nodding off. When they are fairly certain I'm awake in the morning they start clanging doors and beeping to let me know it's time to let them out but they are hard to stir while it's dark. Turning the bathroom light on at night can wake them up, usually resulting in great indignation until I let them get back to sleep. Loud noises outside don't bother them much. Usually a beep or two and they get back to sleep. Neighbours on the other side have parties every week or two but it's not on the bird window side so their darkness is not disturbed and they just sleep through it. Cockatiels are very prone to night frights, unfortunately. I've known a few who have experienced it but never owned cockatiels myself as an adult. My uncle swears by crocheted blankets for letting in a little light but keeping it mostly dark.
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Feb 5, 2020 17:07
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I haven't had too much trouble with night frights, fortunately. But I also use sheets to cover the cage which still let a lot of light in. I don't use top sheets on my bed, because I just kick them off in the night, so whenever someone gifts me a nice set of sheets the birds get the flat sheet and I get the fitted sheet.
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Feb 5, 2020 17:39
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subpar anachronism posted:I've tried a multitude of different ambient sounds while my partner's asleep but I'm open to suggestions. Bird noises are automatic scream. There's almost always something in when we're awake. My partner works from home and he'd been having a similar issue with Tiamat lately. He decided to run our air purifier in the living room one day for unrelated reasons, but noticed the noise from it also had a positive effect on how much she was screaming. It sounds pretty similar to a white noise machine, and one of those might be worth trying if you haven't already. bonus troublemaker: 
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Feb 5, 2020 18:24
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During the day, Serra does well with cartoons or hockey. For whatever reason, she intently stares at the TV during hockey time. At night, I keep a fan on nearby or a white noise machine. When it's dead silent, frights happen the easiest from the slightest noises. Right now, Serra is still staying in my room. But she is getting the blackout cover on three walls of her cage, with a thin sheet on the fourth wall. It stays pulled up for her to have a window until she falls asleep. Then I cover up the window. Come morning time, I give her the little window back.
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Feb 5, 2020 21:46
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I went to buy millet and met a very lovely cinnamon conure who sat on my hand and nibbled my fingers and then took a HUGE POOP on my jacket while contriving to look as cute as possible. A staff member got me a paper towel and apologised profusely but I laughed it off because honestly bird poop is my life and also fairly inoffensive, as far as poop goes. Ozzy is so glad to have millet again he is singing while he eats.
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Feb 6, 2020 00:11
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scremlin posted:My partner works from home and he'd been having a similar issue with Tiamat lately. He decided to run our air purifier in the living room one day for unrelated reasons, but noticed the noise from it also had a positive effect on how much she was screaming. It sounds pretty similar to a white noise machine, and one of those might be worth trying if you haven't already. What a cute troublemaker. I'll try white noise tomorrow, thanks for the suggestion. He doesn't tend to take well to anything else where anyone besides him is yelling, so I'll try those when I'm home.
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Feb 6, 2020 01:47
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Nicky does better without ambient noise at night, even in a noisy neighborhood. In the day, she's honestly pretty quiet most of the time, really only making unbelievably adorable little happy beak grinding noises or little burbles or shredding toys noises. This was not the case at first, it took several years of ignoring what we knew to be non "I need something essential" tantrums to reach this point. It took a long time to be able to recognize when she really needed something and when it was a bid on moving up in the pecking order, that's just something that took learning. But it's basically always for a reason and manageable for us when Nicky throws a tantrum. Unless someone is taking a shower, then all bets are off. Nothing ends that maximum volume tantrum. Showers are scary, yo.
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Feb 6, 2020 02:50
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Subpar, I really think your feathered potato is just going through a needy bird puberty. It sucks, but it will improve. Cockatiels make pretty easy to decipher screm noises once you’ve been around them a few decades.  Just keep trying, you’ll find something that works and this will calm down. Word of warning - If Serra hears a whistle (my dad watches Andy Griffith) or anything vaguely bird related, she is gonna have a holler. Funny Serra Thing - She has gotten used to sleeping next to my bed. Her wing is still messed up enough for her to painfully squawk when preening, but she is improving. When I let her out in the morning, she climbs to the top of the cage...waits...gauges...and hops from the top onto my bed without flapping. This is a foot or two drop. She then bounces off the mattress like the fat little thing she is and looks all smug. Birds.
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Feb 6, 2020 03:46
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Captain Log posted:When I let her out in the morning, she climbs to the top of the cage...waits...gauges...and hops from the top onto my bed without flapping. This is a foot or two drop. She then bounces off the mattress like the fat little thing she is and looks all smug. I wanna see a video of that badly.
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Feb 6, 2020 03:54
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Tres Burritos posted:I wanna see a video of that badly. I’m trying. Trust me, I am trying.
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Feb 6, 2020 03:59
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I used to be able to whistle from half-way down the street, and Murphy would hear me and go nuts. I miss that poor, dumb bird 
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Feb 6, 2020 05:15
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Patrovsky posted:I used to be able to whistle from half-way down the street, and Murphy would hear me and go nuts. I hear ya. Wandy had a little flock call I could hear when I got out of my car at an old place I lived. She was in the window of my third story apartment, thrilled I had come home.
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Feb 6, 2020 09:27
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Nemo mostly just looks out the window all day. I think she she's me pull in and that's what sets off the flock call. Before that, they knew the sound of my work boots the same way I knew the sound of my father's. (He wore loafers, but never mind.)
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Feb 6, 2020 16:02
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Also bird hearing is insane. Our macaw used to get excited about dad getting home from work well over a minute before his car would pull up on the drive.
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Feb 6, 2020 16:03
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