# My other bird- a Cockatiel



## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

When I got my budgies I had originally been looking for a cockatiel. 
The budgies are so silly, loving and entertaining I fell in love.
By chance I heard about a lady who had a cockatiel and two parakeets for sale so I agreed to take the keets.
Because my check was bigger than I expected and the lady is in a hurry to place them all she gave me a great deal... I'm now the proud owner of 4 budgies (separate cages each) and a gorgeous Tiel!! I haven't thought of a perfect name yet but I'd love to introduce him


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

He's stunning! What a handsome tiel, look at that crest!  

I'd name him Popcorn, with such a buttery shade of yellow  

Thanks for sharing his picture!


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Popcorn is awesome!! He looks like he's going to be very much the king around here. His crest makes him look very proud. I'll put popcorn in the name jar tonight! Thanks for such a cool name idea!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Wow! That's a lot of birds to have acquired in one short week.
I hope you are finished now adding to your flock now or you may end up being overwhelmed.

I'd put any additional acquisitions on hold indefinitely until you've learned as much as possible about these birds and have had several months to bond with them.

Your new tiel is very pretty!  

If that is a sandpaper cover on the perch the tiel is on, I recommend you remove it right away.
Sandpaper covers on perches are not recommended as they contribute to bumblefoot in birds.

Please take a look at these threads:
http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/24411-cage-sizes.html
http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/31719-essentials-great-cage.html

*


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

FaeryBee, you are absolutely right!! I am DONE acquiring birds. Even though I'm a stay at home mom and have lots of free time I want to spend "quality" time with each bird every single day, a few times day. Need to make sure that each bird feels safe and loved. It's time consuming and takes great patience.
Five new birds is pushing it but I promise you, there will be no more (I literally just promised hubby the same lol.)


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Stacy,

I'm very glad to hear you are making a wise decision and limited your flock to the five you now have. :2thumbs:

Please take a look at these threads. 
It's best to have a Birdie First Aid Kit on hand and,
if you haven't already done so, consider starting an "emergency fund" for any Avian Vet Bills that may arise in the future. 

http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295033-prepared-veterinary-care-expense.html
Avian First Aid*


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

FaeryBee you are being so helpful and please know I appreciate that. I'm going to be 42 next month and I've finally learned when someone is kind enough to bless you with knowledge and advice, you take that advice and be grateful! 
I will start an emergency vet fund and on Monday being my search for an actual avian veterinarian.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Thank you for your lovely comments, Stacy! :hug:
I'm always happy to help in any way I can.

*


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

You gave me an idea! I just put a huge kitty condo on Craigslist for sale and some other items Im not using. Hopefully my vet stash will begin this weekend hugs!!!


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Congratulations on your new cockatiel, he seems to be quite the happy fellow! arty:
There won't be a dull moment with your 5 birdies and they will certainly provide you many fun times and happy memories. 
Best of luck with them!


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Thank you! I am looking forward to some excitement around here


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

I used to have a tiel- lovely, lovely birds.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Sachem said:


> Popcorn is awesome!! He looks like he's going to be very much the king around here. His crest makes him look very proud. I'll put popcorn in the name jar tonight! Thanks for such a cool name idea!


No problem  I can't wait to hear which name you choose for both your tiel and your budgie :jumping: I'm sure whichever name you choose will be perfect 

It sounds like you're well prepared and of course, very excited, to give your little ones a wonderful home 

You're the best, Stacy! :hug: :urock:


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Hi friends!! I got my new loves home. I hadn't really considered them "rescues" until another member had said they were. Then when I got there to pick them up, I feel I was rescuing them. The lady had only had them about a month. They were all housed together in a large, dirty cage. She didn't spend time with them because she was afrsid of them and when she was getting ready to box them, she reached into the cage with a HUGE towel and was chasing them around scaring the ummmm...seeds! out of them. After a minute, I asked her if she'd like me to get them. I used my hands but was able to quickly catch each one and put them in a box.
I've decided on the name "Cochise" for my tiel. As you msy be able to tell from my handle on here, Im a big Native American fan. Cochise was an Apache who led his people in an uprising against the US after all the broken treaties etc... ok history lesson over lol...my Cochise is VERY interested in me lol. He's whistling at me seems pretty content.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Cochise is beautiful!
I love the name you've chosen for him and the story behind it. :thumbsup:

Yes, Cochise and the two budgies were/are definitely "rescues" and they are fortunate to have you. 
I know you are going to provide the very best safe and loving forever home they could ever have dreamed of or hoped for.

Best wishes!*


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Thank you for your kind words and all the help you've offered


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Cochise is such a stunning little tiel! 

Already I'm sure he's so much happier  I hope to hear updates on him!  :clap:


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## nuxi (Oct 28, 2014)

Cochise is such a pretty tiel! I'm glad you rescued him and the two budgies!


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## Stranding (Apr 25, 2016)

Must agree that five sounds a little daunting! But sounds like you are well committed and taking on all the good advice offered.

Also agree that Popcorn is the perfect name for that beautiful handsome fellow 

Good luck and we will be very keen to know how you get on. And some budgie pics later will be very welcome!


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Hi everyone!! 
I finally have an update on Cochise. There really hasn't been any real progress until today. I'm SO excited. 
Since The day I got him, when I sit, I sit in the chair right next to his cage. He hisses at me nearly every day when I clean/feed/water. I still even have almost half of his cage covered during the day because he always seems so scared and angry.
For some reason I am having technical difficulties signing up for TeilTalk, so I've just been reading. I read that acting submissive (glacing briefly at him then looking down while talking to him) helps. 
So as usual when I sat down to take a break he was sitting in the corner of his cage in the back where it's covered. I started reading aloud and for the heck of it started singing Happy Birthday. (I have a HORRIBLE singing voice hehehe!)
I peeked at him a few times and quickly looked away. Then the last time I turned around... TA-DAAAAHHH my baby was sitting on the perch RIGHT behind me!! Ans VERY intently listening to my God awful singing and whisting!!!!Yesssss progress. Finally. I'm going to continue this for as long as it takes and try my best not to rush things with him. It's been about 12 years since I lost my teil Ty, and I'd forgotten how long it can take to tame a teil.


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Forgive the poor quality of the picture. I didn't want to spook or upset him so tried to sneak a pic from behind me


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

That's excellent news.  

I love my budgies, but I miss the bond I had with my tiel, Sidney. She was always coming over to see me and having head scratches. I just don't miss the noise. I would get another tomorrow if it wouldn't shriek. The flock call goes right through me. 

Cochise is a very beautiful bird anyway. I look forward to more progress.


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Hiya Therm!
Thank you for the compliments on Cochise. When I became a budgie addict last month I was actively searching for a cockatiel as I missed mine so much. Cochise is actually very quiet since he's still scared. My old bird Ty was fairly quiet but whistled lots of tunes, I so hope that Cochise is the same. I'm constantly rotating about 4 different cockatiel whistle training videos from YouTube. I'm pretty much sick to death of each tune lol!! He seems to enjoy it.
Its funny tho how I have to choose tunes that the budgies (all 8 of them!) also like.
Certain tunes they really seem displeased by. It gets a few of them squawking irritated like so I have to chose songs they all listen too. Interesting birds


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

That's really cute. 

It's always hard when the pet store that I love near me had a hand tame tiel for sale and I just want it, but I know that having a bond with it would be lovely but I work a lot and it would be unfair, so I shall live through the cockatiel loving though these pictures!


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Well then, I am obligated now to post as many photos and updates as possible hahaha!! 
I know what you mean about waiting for the right one. Of course over these last 12 years I've had numerous opportunities to buy a cockatiel but it just never felt right until now. If that makes any sense....
I'm not sure whether Cochise was hand raised since they lady got him from a local pet store (I really doubt it though) 
Every single day when my hands are in his cage he has his beak wide open. I can still be very close and he hasnt actually lunged yet, even though I'm certainly close enough that he could. 
I did earn a good bite, the kind where they clamp down and hold .... about the 3rd day he was here. 
I stupidly thought I was going to read his leg bands (he has one on each leg, which was curious to me.) 
I KNEW better than to try so soon, so I deserved what I got. 
I also think that's why it's taken this long for him to even be curious about me... 
Wow coming out and being 100% honest feels good ;-)


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

Tiels are naturally such sweet birds that I'm certain that once Cochise settles in properly, he will become a loving bird.  
And yes, timing is everything. It was between 10-12 years where I didn't have a bird, and I never really went for one until last year when I was like 'I think I want a budgie' (actually, I was going to get sugar gliders first.. lol).


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

I've only ever really known two tiels well. My aunt had one for many years and of course my Ty. Hers was really sweet and Ty was amazing. I think about him all the time. 
His only quirk was he never in his whole life with me would let me touch him with his fingers...he LOVED neck scarchesbut would narrow his eyes and threaten to bite me when he'd catch me using my fingers.. yet I could snuggle and pet him with my NOSE!! Ahhh I'm smiling right now thinking about him. 

Tonight's session with Cochise was another round of peek a boo. It went soooo well! I sat on the floor with his cage door open most of the time I played with him.
AND he never hissed at me while I cleaned, rearranged and gave him new toys! I'm so happy about that I have butterflies in my belly lol...that was a major milestone for us.


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## Sachem (May 6, 2016)

Here are the pictures from tonight's peek a boo in no particular order. I played until he yawned


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Stacy,
Cochise is such a handsome fellow. 
I'm glad you are starting to feel you are making progress with him. :thumbsup:
Love the pictures -- please keep 'em comin'!*


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Cochise is such a handsome fellow! 

I'm sure with the great steps you're taking, he'll be settling in in no time! :clap:

I can't wait to see more of him! :yellow pied:


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