New tiel

**maxollie** · 01-11-2021, 11:44 AM

Sounds to me like Fox is settling in nicely and Max is accepting him or her. It is always more fun to have two, when most of the time they get along well! Keep up the great bonding work! They are doing great as well?

**Stray_mind** · 02-02-2021, 11:10 PM

Hi, everyone. So it's been over a month since Fox has arrived and s/he is slowly coming out of his shell.. Today s/he greeted me with a couple little peeps while s/he's been quiet most of the time before (i suspect s/he is shy because of Max's flamboyant and loud personality haha).

S/he started moving about the cage too from one perch to the other and is getting curious about the surroundings instead of just sitting scared on the same perch all the time. S/he still doesn't accept food from my hand, but does accept water if i offer a bowl and comes closer to look at me if i approach the cage.

Fox is also very intelligent. The other day they were sitting on top of the cage and it was time to sleep, so i simply tapped on a perch inside the cage and told them it's time to sleep. After I repeated it a couple of times, Fox got up and moved inside the cage. Max followed shortly after. I put them to sleep roughly around the same time every day so now they always return to the inside of the cage at around the same time. Today s/he went to eat and Max came around and pushed himself in his/er personal space, making him/er move away from the bowl (food is the only thing they squabble about). I tapped on another bowl on the other side of the cage and told Fox there is also food in that one and s/he immediately went on that one and started eating. Smart birb.

Max has been dropping feathers a little bit, so i supplied some vitamins and increased the amount of pellets in his diet. The little bugger still won't eat veggies.

Other than that Max is a very energetic bird. He moves around different perches almost all day, plays all of the different toys, preens himself and sings. Although as expected he now prefers Fox's company more than mine, yet he still accepts treats from my hands, sings to me and comes for scritches, but i can rest easier when i am at work and know he won't be lonely when Fox is around.

All in all i am very happy with them both. I am getting them another flight cage of the same kind in a week or so and i will combine the two in one. Since they spend most of the time inside and outside the cage and don't really travel around the room i want them to feel as comfortable as possible.

I still haven't figured out if Fox is a male or a female. The documents he came with said male but i am nor sure due to how docile s/he is compared to Max. They haven't really attempted to mate or anything and Fox doesn't really like being touched by Max (when Max asks for scritches and rubs his head on Fox's body he gets the beak, but not harshly, heh).

**maxollie** · 02-03-2021, 01:49 PM

Thanks for the great update! I am super happy for you they are doing so well. From what you write about Fox, I lean toward a female as well. They do not make as much noise as males and are very loving and docile. Females do make some chirps and cheaps but usually never speak words or mimic sounds. They are very sweet as well.

You are setting them up in a great way with the new cage. We will watch for your updates. You are doing an awesome job as caretaker and best friend to them.

**Stray_mind** · 02-04-2021, 02:40 AM

Thank you. The thing is when Fox was still in the store where i was working, he was very vocal and sang a tune! I suppose he is still uncomfortable and maybe gets dominated by Max a little. I hope once i setup a bigger cage maybe he will come out of his shell more.

**maxollie** · 02-04-2021, 10:03 AM

Well, since he was vocalizing, yes, you may well have a male. Time will tell. Keep up your awesome care of them. And we love your updates!

**Pipers Mom** · 02-05-2021, 10:41 AM

Thanks for updating us on Max and Fox. Sounds to me that Fox may be a male from being able to carry a tune. Usually females cockatiels are not as talented in the "carrying a tune" department. Like Ellen said, time will tell. The progress you have made with both birds is amazing. Just an FYI, some birds simply just don't eat their veggies no matter how hard you try. Please don't be discouraged. Keep in mind when you add pellet to a tiels diet, you don't need to increase it. Try to maintain 30% pellet and 70% seed. If both Max and Fox are being fickle about eating veggies, the pellet mixed in with their seed should substitute for the nutrients that they are not getting from the real veggies.

What brand pellet are you using? I give Tango the Roudybush (maintenance/mini). I have tried Harrison's because it is organic but he did not touch it. I had better luck with the Roudybush brand. Some birds only like Zupreem brands, it all depends. Sometimes if you should happen to be eating veggies as a snack (me, I like raw broccoli and cauliflower dipped in ranch), try eating it in front of your birds and if they are curious, put a little bit in the food cup.

You doing an awesome job!!

**Stray_mind** · 02-07-2021, 02:44 AM

Just after i "complained" about Fox being very quiet, this morning he surprised me (and Max) by breaking into song. He was chattering, beating a rhythm with his beak and singing a tune right in Max's ear heh. He is more active in general today for some reason, but i welcome the change. Seems like he is a boy afterall and i won't have to worry about egg laying at least.

As for the pellet brand i give them, it's Harrison's high potency fine pellets. They both seem to like it. I mix a little bit in their seed mix.

**maxollie** · 02-07-2021, 10:53 AM

Sure sounds like a male to me! Those rhythm beats with their beaks are soooo awesome. My Penny does them all the time.

**Pipers Mom** · 02-09-2021, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Stray_mind

Just after i "complained" about Fox being very quiet, this morning he surprised me (and Max) by breaking into song. He was chattering, beating a rhythm with his beak and singing a tune right in Max's ear heh. He is more active in general today for some reason, but i welcome the change. Seems like he is a boy afterall and i won't have to worry about egg laying at least.

As for the pellet brand i give them, it's Harrison's high potency fine pellets. They both seem to like it. I mix a little bit in their seed mix.

Sounds to me that Fox is "ALL BOY"!! Some food for thought, spring time is approaching and daylight hours are getting longer each day, it's best that you cover them early and limit the number of daylight hours. My little guy likes to hammer on his food cups, toys and perches.. Sometimes he hammers on me. When they hammer, it means that they are telling you that "it's mine".. Perfectly normal behavior.

As long as both of them are eating the Harrison's than you are good to go.

**Stray_mind** · 02-09-2021, 12:41 PM

I always cover them pretty much at the same time (around 7-8 pm) and uncover them at the same time (7-8 am) or later, if i feel like sleeping in and don't provide them with anything that would remind them of nesting or breeding to make sure they don't get all hormonal on me, but thank you for the heads up!

**Pipers Mom** · 02-11-2021, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Stray_mind

I always cover them pretty much at the same time (around 7-8 pm) and uncover them at the same time (7-8 am) or later, if i feel like sleeping in and don't provide them with anything that would remind them of nesting or breeding to make sure they don't get all hormonal on me, but thank you for the heads up!

Keep in mind, you don't need to provide them anything that would encourage nesting behavior.. It's a natural thing and it will happen whether you have anything in the cage or not. In the springtime, we gain daylight / sunlight hours which will trigger hormonal behavior. My little guy usually is up by 6:15 am each morning. I make sure he has fresh food and water before I head off to work. I have already started covering my little guy by 6 pm and now he has just started his molt, which is a sign that spring is on the way. Regardless what type of parrot or any other species, hormones can sometimes make them impossible to live with...

**Stray_mind** · 02-12-2021, 05:42 AM

Max is going trough a molt as well now. I know i won't be able to completely stop hormonal behavior, but not encouraging it is also good i think.

**Pipers Mom** · 02-12-2021, 06:05 AM

One way to not encourage hormonal behavior is not to pet or give scratches to your bird. I know it will be hard. My little guy loves it too when I rub the back of his neck with my nose. I think you told me earlier this thread that Max likes it too. Try not to pet your bird during hormone time. Hormone behavior could last anywhere from 2 - 3 weeks or well into a good month.. When my tiel has flight, he likes to dive bomb us which is a sign of hormones and it started last week. Just helping you be aware. Your doing great with making Max and Fox feel at home.