Cockatiel doesn't care for toys or touching

[LiliPants]

Hi everyone,
I have a cockatiel for a few months now, but before me he had a scary living condition. He is young still (1-2years) and I've been having trouble with him. He hisses and stays away from me. I try working with him and have been able to get very close to him but he won't eat out of my hand or let me get close enough to touch him. I try to get him different, colorful toys but he doesn't play with them. He's a very cute bird... I just wish he would let me bond with him.
Any suggestions??

[maxollie]

It takes lots of quality time and patience to train any little tiel, but those that are abused and/or abandoned, or not treated properly take much longer to gain your trust. Some of the suggestions I would have for you is to sit by his cage, and just speak softly to him. Carry on a conversation with him, as if you were talking to a little child. If he gets scared of you being to close, then push back, and even talk to him across the room if need be. Play a CD with classical music, or the music of your choice. Play the music softly however. It seems that tiels don't like really loud music and/or television. At least the ones I've had never did. When you are eating a snack or even your lunch, or breakfast, or dinner, if possible, sit in the same room he is, preferably as close to the cage as possible. Give him his food and treats that you feed him. Millet is something that all tiels love. My tiel also likes whole wheat bread pieces, fresh uncooked veggies like broccoli, carrots, leaf lettuce, broken up into very small pieces. Also, you can feed dry cereal like wheat puffs, or rice puffs. Try to find those that don't have much salt or sugar content in them. You could also go to a website called Cockatiel Cottage, and find lots and lots of information about foods you can feed, and other helpful info about tiels in general. I also like to feed some cooked veggies like broccoli and carrots with some cooked white or brown rice on occasion. If there is one toy that you could put in the cage that he would learn to play with, that is an accomplishment. Unless you have a big, big cage, you don't need lots of toys hanging in a cage. Tiels need a cage that is at least 18 x 21 (minimum) for room to move around. The bigger cage often times makes a more content bird. Once you find a favorite food he likes, feed it often, and on occasion just take a little piece and try to feed it through the cage bars.

It truly is sad how some little birds are treated by caregivers. They truly are traumatized during the experience and it takes lots of time to help them to realize that you won't hurt and/or treat them badly.

Don't give up, Liliana. (by the way, I love your name). Just take a day at a time and try different things to bring him out of his shell. Once he trusts you, the fun will really begin! He will be whistling, talking, flying all over, and loving his food, his environment and you!!

Wishing you the best! I hope that one day you will share pics of your little one!

[LiliPants]

Thanks! He's letting me get within inches of him without hissing now, as long as I build up to it very slowly and as long as I don't touch him yet. He still hisses if I get too close to the cage after not being in the room. He makes flock calls when I leave too. I felt so proud of myself that I have taught him to ring a bell toy inside his cage. I've been sitting next to him more, reading and doing other things. It's a big time commitment but I want to try my best for his sake.
I'm thinking this weekend I am going to take him to get his wings re-clipped since I've been leaving his cage door open when I am in the room. I don't want him crashing into anything.