Photos of the Cage my rescue bird arrived in!

[blueab]

I have photos posted on my site showing the cage my bird arrived in. He lived in this cage for 5 years. It was disgusting to say the least. The bird couldn't even walk when I got him out he is now flying but still can't stay in the air long without falling down to the ground, he is starting to relax more but still doesn't like the hand coming near him.

www.geocities.com/yataebo
Click on the link for Willies page (towards the middle of the page)

Any suggestions on how to tame him or can it happen since he's older?

[TaffyWduck]

Well, I'd say he's quite lucky to have ended up with you! That old disgusting cage is the most horrible thing I've seen! (Well no, I've seen worst... sadly).

He might never tame down to the point of enjoying being pet, but you might be able to get him to the point of enjoying being out with you. Be ready for a long process, since older birds do tend to be harder to tame, but with lots of work and patience I'm sure you can do it!

The key is not to push the bird and respect his own pace. The first thing you want to do is get him used to having you around when he is in his cage. Once you have achieved that you work with him getting comfortable with you closer and closer and closer...

Once he's comfortable with you near his cage, you can offer treats through the door or bars of the cage so he associates you with goodies (spray millet is especially great for that). Then you can start working with taking him out of the cage and such (step up command and all...).

Remember that it might take weeks, months or even years. It is not a reflection of the love or appreciation of the bird for you, it's a reflection of the mistreatment that he had to go through before coming to you! Good luck, I'm sure you'll do a super great job!

[flappedflewandfell]

Your so Creative, I wish i was like that, I wish i could do everything that you did!!! Its WICKED Ur birds must be a happy ONE!!~~!! I'm jealous

[paywoot]

I NO! you have such a colourful habitat for your birds... i wanna live there ^^ So pretty I can just see it now. I walk in eeryday and play with my toys and look at all the colours. mmmmmmm hahaha very nice, lucky willie is with you and not with the old owners.

[littlemama001]

About taming him. You'll have to start very slowly. The first thing I would do is try feeding him one of his favorite treats. Place some close to your hand . After he's used to the hand being close try some in your open hand. Then you can work on stepping up and move on from there.


Steve

[Squawk and Howl]

work WITH the bird, and s/he will come around. all birds want love & compassion & flock activity. so this is to your advantage. he wants to be part fo the new flock, he just nees his boundaries respected.

this does not mean do not try & pet him, or push to the next level, it just means take it slow & let the bird be your guide.

good luck. the cage is AWESOME!

[Oh Mowsie]

I nearly burst into tears when I saw that old, hideous, DISGUSTING thing that poor creature lived in before coming to you! Was that an antique or something? It looks like something someone pulled out of gramma's attic and put poor Willie in! Crikies! It's a wonder he didn't die of toxic poisoning.

kay.. now that I've gotten that out of my system.. I'd like to add.. that you have a lovely very tiel friendly set up there. Any birdy would be happy to live in such a clean, bright place with lots of toys like that after having survived in such a dungeon. That in itself may actually help you in his taming.

Advice.. :-D I'm not an expert... LOL I've been giving alot of advice lately.. but I've been doing ALOT of research and making quite a few discoveries of my own with my own birds, so I'll share them with you.

First.. let him get used to his new surrroundings. It's gonna take a few weeks. Just like when you bring a new one home from a breeder/store.. don't expect too much out of him for about 2 weeks because he's got to adjust. Even changes for the better are stressful.

Given his nasty environment, I would guess that he wasn't handled a whole lot. If that's the case.. just take it slow. He'll want to get used to your voice and all the comings and goings of the day first. Working on stepping up and letting him have millet or whatever treat you find he likes (even if he just steps up while he's in his cage and rewarding him inside his cage) is progress. Since you have a tiel, you probably already know how to handle training newcomers.

I've found the best thing with reluctant tiels is to let him watch. They learn by watching others before them. Especially when it comes to establishing trust. He'll learn that you're not the big bad wolf when he see's your other tiel getting praise, attention and positive treats for things you ask. So.. make a BIG SHOW out of stepping up the tiel you already have in front of your newcomer while he's in his cage..even if the tiel you already have knows the command. Then reward him.. and make a big deal out of it. There's no harm in "going over lessons already learned" for the tiel demonstrating, and the tiel in the cage is watching.. whether he acts like it or not.. he IS watching.

I have found this to be a CRUCIAL tool in training Neo. I get Apache out when Neo is being reluctant.. I have her do something.. and I praise her up and down.. dote on her.. give her ALL kinds of attention and treats.. until Neo is just about ready to shed his feathers with jealousy. Then.. I let him out.. and ask of him what I had Apache do.. and 9 times out of 10.. he does it for me. He wants what she got. Simple as that. It may not work at first.. the birds need to establish a relationship amongst themselves first.. but after quarentine and even if they're not caged together.. placing their cages side by side so they can still interract will do the trick. (that's how I have mine set up). I've had Neo for 2 months now and I've had more progress in the last 2 and a half weeks or so since I've been using the demonstration technique than I have with any other.

Good luck! You have beautiful birds and you did a wonderful thing by getting him out of that HORRID situation.

[kaylaka2401]

Wow, you've got the same cage for your cockatiels as the same one I have for Katie when I am in Denver!!- (The one with the large door oppening)

I will hopefully have pictures of Katie's cage and of her self soon!!!!!!

[blueab]

Thanks for all the advice and comments on my cage (enviroment). My guinea pigs have a nice big set up too, they are spoiled just like the birds are!

I have made some progress with Willie, when I love on Spike in front of him he will come straight over to me he gets as close to me as he can without jumping right on me, he wants the attention too! This is progress considering when I first got him home he wouldn't come near me! I just love my bird Spike and I want him to pick up on this and know I won't hurt him only love him, I think he is finally feeling more comfortable in his new home. I do believe he was abused by the previous owner and now he thinks a hand is a bad thing coming towards him. He knows my voice and who I am because he is not running from me or trying to bit before I even touch him!

Yes I think the cage was from someone's attic, the pictures make it look better than it actually was, I couldn't wait to get that thing in the garbage! He still doesn't walk normal because he sat on that skinny perch for five straight years!
The sad thing is the owner didn't even care where the bird went to, the ex wife is the one who went and picked him up after the kids told her how the bird was being treated. The ex was out on the town for the night so she took the bird (the bird was given to him in the divorce five years prior) she called me right away, he didn't even care never has asked where the bird went to! Maybe he hasn't noticed yet I have had Willie for about a month now!

Willie will have a wonderful life now even though he had to suffer for five years but the rest of his life will be fullfilling and he will never again worry about having food and water and lots of toys! But most of all he now has people who love him dearly always!

[Oh Mowsie]

YAY For WILLIE and and yay for Spike! He has a new friend and he may enjoy being a 'teacher' cuz that means he gets to show off and get more love in the process! LOL

How SAD... Willie's story. Well.. at least its a thing of the past now.

You obviously treat your animals well and think of their comfort and needs. Willie has a whole new life ahead of him, and once he figures that out, I bet he'll be a brand new birdy!

[blueab]

Thank you for your considerate comments
Yes Willie has a whole new life ahead of him with me and my family a good one no doubt. When I walked into the room today his first reaction was "he crawled down from the cage and came right to the edge so I would talk to him, still can't put my hand up to him but he wants my attention!!!! Isn't that awesome,

Spike never wants to hang out with me anymore he wants to stay with Willie he used to sit with me and watch TV but now he seems to busy with his new friend!

[Oh Mowsie]

Oh BUMMER!

Maybe once Willie starts hanging out with you.. Spike will too again. That would BUM me out big time.

I was a lil worried that Apache would do the same thing when I brought Neo home, but fortunatly, Patchie is still a Momma's girl. Neo "puts up with her" outside the cage.. they socialize but guard food and stuff so I don't have to worry that they'll bond with each other and not with me.

Maybe once the "newness" of Willie calms down a bit, Spike will come around and be Momma's baby again.

[ssmail8835]

Congrats to you for rescuing that poor bird from that environment

[second hand roses]

OMG that cage... that cage is.. I dunno its horrible. That bird is so lucky to have someone like you now to love and care for him

what are the cages under the tiels?

Christa

[blueab]

The cages under the tiels cage is another but larger cage for the birds to play in. The parakeets seem to sleep in this area and the tiels sleep on the actual cage. I have three levels of fun for them to explore and play with a playgym inside.
The tiels hardly ever wonder in but the parakeets really love it.
The rescue bird doesn't wonder as much and I think its feeling secure, he's starting to explore more but its taking time to get him to realize he's in a safe enviroment. He has come around so much since I got him home, he wants my attention now!
Progress