Training Your New Cockatiel

Once you have introduced your new cockatiel into your home, provided the proper cage and attachments and finished your research and have decided on a proper diet, the next chore should be training your new feathered friend. This can be the most enjoyable of all the tasks necessary when owning a new bird because you will be enacting with your bird and should began noticing an instant change in it's behavior. Now your patience will began to show progress.

A new bird will naturally be anxious the first few days in it's new home. It must be convinced that it is not to come to any harm from these new surroundings. You would do well to leave your bird alone for the first few days while it acclimates itself to it's new home. But following the first few days it's training should began at once.

Start by placing a gloved hand it the cage and slowly moving it up and down. A new bird especially if it is young should very quickly become comfortable with your hand and soon perch upon it. Patience and caution are needed here. If the bird begins to flutter widely do not remove your hand. Continue to hold your hand in the cage and slowly move it up and down. Once your bird is comfortable with your hand you can began extending a finger as a perch. Hopefully you have given you bird a short easily spoken name. Each time you bring the bird food or water or clean it's cage repeat the name. This is an important step in getting the bird familiar with you.

Once your bird is comfortable on your finger it is time to allow it's first adventure outside the cage. On it's first few outings it will most likely be very active flying about to inspect every part of it's new surrounds. Now is the time to teach the bird to return to it's cage if it does not do so on it's own. Establish a one word voice command. Then approach the bird slowly and hold out your finger. Sometimes with a new active bird this may be more difficult. You may have to use a longer perch and encourage the bird with a food treat. Placing the bird back in the cage while clearly speaking the voice command should quickly train your bird to reenter it's cage when you call.

This is very basic training and once your cockatiel is comfortable with this you can began to train it further by teaching it to move from hand to hand and began to do tricks. Remember this is one reason you purchased a cockatiel in the first place. To enjoy it's company. With care and patience you and your bird will become close friends and share many delightful hours together.