Bird doesn't like coming out of his cage

[Ohheyemily]

I got my cockatiel in April and long story short I think the pet store I bought him from lied about him not being a returned bird. He seems scared of anything I try to feed him other than his seed food so you can imagine hes definitely scared of my hands too. He stays in his cage all day even when I leave the cage door open. But one time he got spooked when the door was open once so he flew out. He seemed cautious and scared about his surroundings and stayed by his cage seemed to be looking for a way back in and paced back and forth from the cage to a corner he found. The whole time I sat on my bed watching him to see what he would do and if maybe he would explore more but if he did he would go back to that corner and just sit there. I had to leave the room eventually so I had to put him back in his cage but you can imagine how that went if hes already scared of my hands And he didnt fly the whole time he was out of his cage until he was running away from me trying to put him back in. Should I just keep him in the cage if he's so scared of the outside?

[maxollie]

Were you told how old he is? All birds are afraid of hands early on, and some never get over that fear. Does he eat and drink and have any treats with no problem?

I suggest playing some music on a CD and or radio, softly, and also sit by his cage, talk softly to him. Does he make any chirps, whistles or sounds?

Try feeding him some millets for treats. You can hang a sprig in the cage, and break one up in small pieces and put it in a separate seed cup. Also, try reaching your hand with the millet toward him, and see if he will eat some millet off the top of the sprig. That will help him to get used to your hand.

Some birds do not care much to be out of cage. Consider getting him a play gym. You can find them in the petshop. They can be set on a table in the room where you frequent and moved from room to room. He might really like to play on one. You can put treats on the bottom tray, and even hang some toys on it.

[Ohheyemily]

I was told he was one old when I got him in April. But I'm not sure if I believe that considering I think they lied about him not being a returned bird.

[Ohheyemily]

I was told he was one year when I got him in April. But I'm not sure if I believe that considering I think they lied about him not being a returned bird. He eats and drinks fine, but rejects any treats I offer him, including millets and sunflower seeds.
He doesn't really react to music unless it's calm music that makes him fall asleep. Sometimes he chirps really loudly over a video with talking or when I talk with people in that room. But he usually chirps when it's silent. (I just spoke right now while he was eating and he moved away back to his upper perch. ;[ )
Like I mentioned before, he's really scared of hands so just opening the cage door makes him extremely cautious and he wants nothing to do with treats I offer him already.
I'll try searching for a playgym, but I'm only hesitant because I don't want to spend a bunch of money on something he wont use..