[fructosefather]

i’ve kept my tiel in his cage all day long since he hasn’t been able to step onto my finger yet. i figured he isn’t hand tame since i got him from the pet store. it’s been my third month with him already.
i hand feed him every single day and i spend time with him whenever i can so he continues being exposed to my presence. he even lets me scritch his head but ONLY through the cage bars. sticking my hand inside the cage spooks him.
is it better to keep him inside the cage until he’s ready to step onto my finger or is it better to let him explore the outside of his cage?
i don’t want to keep him inside all the time since he’ll get bored, but the only way i can get him back in is wrapping him in a blanket. i have let him out before, maybe about 2 times but i’m afraid that it scares him because he ‘flies’ (with clipped wings) across the room to an area where he can hide. help me out with any ideas if you can 🙂

 

[rivx]

I let my bird out before she was hand-tame -- we got her back in with a stick rather than a hand or blanket. She'd step up onto that, but not us. It may take time for him to be comfortable with it, so I would just leave the door open so it's his choice.

For us, this helped with taming. :grey tiel:

 

[Germanliesels]

When i got my very first cockatiel, who was not hand raised, my sister in law said i must sit next to the cage quietly and then gently put my hand flat down in bottom cage. Just sit there...they are SO inquisitive they usually eventually approach and walk on your hand..keep doing that tills its comfortable and does it quickly...you can start lifting your hand slightly etc and go from there

 

[Janalee]

cage bound

I know you are already hand feeding, him, but there is a little "trick" you can try to get him to step up on your hand. It works well with a piece of spray millet as they really like that, but any food would work. Hold the millet in your fingers. As he nibbles it, slowly roll your hand back towards you. The millet will appear to move up and away from him and he'll have to step up on your hand to reach it. Just sit with him like that for a few times, then you can try gradually moving your hand out of the cage with him on it.
Good luck!