I just got a male cockatiel today and i am trying to get it to eat but it never did all day i was with it?

Question

i gave it this food for cockatiels NUTRIPHASE "safflower blend for cockatiels"; plz help what might be wrong? and it is refusing to step up on my finger!

Answer 1

WHAT'S YOUR HURRY? The birds is probably still so frightened by its new surroundings. Leave it alone for at least 24 hours - JUST BE SURE IT HAS FOOD AND FRESH WATER. It will adjust but give it time. At night- put a light cover (like a pillow case) over the cage so that the bird can rest peacefully.

Answer 2

give it some millet spray.  our cockatiels love millet spray.

Answer 3

Well YOU NEED TO BE PATIENT!!!!!!I dont want to sound at all.At first it needs a couple of days to get used to its new home/surroundings,at this time you need to leave it alone but you still need to change its food and water though.Soon enough it WILL eventually eat alot.For him to go on your finger he needs to be tamed.Is he tamed?Well if you want your cockatiel to perch on your finger,then you need to tame him if he is untamed.

Answer 4

It needs time to settle in. I have had my cockatiel for 1 year and i got another cockatiel as a company 2 weeks ago and the new one is only just starting to climatise to me.

The bird will come good with time. Dont panick yet.

Answer 5

first of all you JUST got it. put the cage into a quiet room and cover it halfway and leave it alone so it can adjust.

when you enter the room, speak soft to let it know you are there. don't stay long and let it relax. give it 24-48 hrs and it will be okay.

you should look up an avian vet and get the bird a basic physical, and get lots of educational materials from the vet about proper diet, illnesses and other basic care things. you need to look into pellet food. seed only diets are horrible for birds. i do 60% pellets, 20% seed, 10% egg food and the rest is deyhdrated greens. spinach, cabbage and carrots.....

of course he is refusing to step up he doesn't trust you! you have to earn a bird's trust. that takes time and patience and love. never hit or yell at your bird. remember you just got him home in a new cage and new enviroment. he is afraid.....

nothing is wrong don't rush the process.....i think it would be very wise to call an avian vet and get some behavior adivce over the phone. this will cost you nothing at all. also go to the library and get lots of books on teils. researching on the breed you want before you get one will help you introduce the bird into your home properly but it's a lil late for that. lol.

best wishes.

Answer 6

Try some millet sprays; they're my cockatiel's favorite. As for getting on your finger, that can take a lot of time and trust. My bird is probably 10 years old and will only get on my son's finger, no one else's. Others can pet him, depending on his mood of the day.

Answer 7

You just got him today and you already expect him to step up? Give him a little time! It's natural for a bird to not eat right away; he's just on alert because he's in a new and unfamiliar place. Cockatiels are prey animals and as such are very wary. He needs you to leave him alone for several days so that he can get used to his new surroundings, and after that you can begin earning his trust. Just take things slow; remember that he's a prey animal, and that means he thinks in a very different way from a dog or cat. He's just been separated from his flockmates. He doesn't know who you are, or where he is. After a few days, when he feels more comfortable in his new surroundings, then you can start training him to step up on a perch, and slowly work your way up to the point where he trusts you enough to step up onto your hand.