If you want to make training
cockatiels easy it is very important to buy a young bird. It is better if you
buy it from a breeder because you can just ask them about its age.

If you want to
make training cockatiels easy it is very important to buy a young bird. It is
better if you buy it from a breeder because you can just ask them about its
age. It is more difficult if you purchase your bird from a pet shop, you have
to check its leg band/ring, but because not all Malaysian cockatiels wear leg
bands/rings the shop assistant may not be able to help you with this
information.

For training
cockatiels purposes it is necessary to keep your bird in a small cage at first
which is not heavy and easy to maneuver. Do not start with big outdoor cages or
aviaries. Choose a small cage with excellent perching material, combination of
fresh water and good food. Choose the proper place for the cage, for example it
could be the living room where all family spends time together, doing different
things, like watching television or other activities. It is very important for
the cockatiels to get used to the environment and people around them, the more
people and noise the better for the bird. Otherwise you will have nervous bird,
difficult for training cockatiels. You have to observe the cockatiel, when he
seems that he does not care about the surrounding activities and noise, he will
start to preen his feathers, your bird is then comfortable and ready for
training.

You have to be
patient during the training cockatiel process so only one or two sessions
should be done per day. But it is also important that the sessions are
maintained, at least once a day, even if you are short of time. The period
depends on the individual bird characteristics. Some cockatiels are faster
learners than others. Anyway, do not be in a hurry and do not use gloves.

It is important at the beginning not to be too close to the cage to
avoid scaring the bird and to give him time to adjust. This does not mean that
you have to be far away, just keep the proper distance not to make the bird
nervous but also to show him that you are observing him. Choose a name for the
bird and use it each time when you approach him. At the end of the day the
cockatiel will recognize his name and will understand that you are calling him.
Also you should use his name and call it softly each time when you give him
food .By doing this, you will make training cockatiel process easier and your
bird will trust you by hearing your voice.

Respect your
bird, show him that you are friend and treat him as a friend. Call his name and
talk to him each time you approach him or when you feed him, try to understand
which his favorite food is and reward him with it whenever he behaves in the
desired way during training cockatiels.

The second stage
for training cockatiels is to accept your presence while you are feeding him,
do not just leave the food, wait near the cage and observe him .If the
cockatiel hesitates to take the food, encourage him by moving a few steps away
from the cage. At the moment when he takes the food without hesitation you will
know what is his “own space” is. Do this exercise every day and you will notice
that this “space” will become smaller and smaller and the distance will be
shorter. Of course you have to be patient because it will take time. Be sure
that the bird is comfortable, if you notice that the cockatiel is tense and
nervous; enlarge the distance between you and the bird. This is very important
and the only way to win his trust.

When the second
stage is fully completed, it is the time for the third stage. Now you have to
train cockatiels to take food from your hand. You can start by giving him his
favorite food by standing by the cage. Reduce the amount of the food so the
bird might need more. Show him that you are holding his food in your hand and
offer it to him for him to take it. If the cockatiel refuses to do it, just
leave the food in the food container .Repeat this activity until the bird feels
more confident and takes the food from your hand. It is important for you to
give him additional amount of his favorite food to his normal diet from your
hand. Do not starve him, it is not ethical and may slow down the process. It
may take several months to achieve this; it depends on individual characteristics
of your bird. It is worth taking your time with this. Afterwards you will be
proud that you are able to do this and you will have a much better
understanding and relationship with your bird.