This is what has been happening in our household today...I was at my wits end with Dooby, he's just a nasty little ratbag and that is that. So, I phoned his breeder, she is really magic and knows so much about birds, I explained the situation to her and I asked if she would take him back as a breeder rather than a pet. This was her response, she said that she couldn't take him back because all her tiels were paired in the aviary and he wouldn't be able to go in there because that's where his mother is anyway, so she wasn't really able to offer him a home. Then I was chatting to her about what I've done with him, how he is etc. etc. and I said that I have him in a lovely big cage....she stopped me right there and said that, that is contributing to the problem. She said that so many people go out and buy the biggest and best cage that they can for their tiels and think they are doing the right thing, but by doing that and giving them plenty of space, it is also making them feel that they are in an aviary environment and that when it comes to the hormonal surge at Dooby's age, he knows that there should be another tiel in the cage with him because it's just too big for one!! Then we went on to talk about his wings being clipped, she said was I in the same room when he had them done, I told her that I was and she said that he now doesn't trust me because of that. So, her suggestion was to take him out to her, she will clip his wings again (because they have grown back and he's flying) I will stay out of the room whilst she is doing it so that he doesn't associate me with it. Then at least he can't fly at us and attack us, that sort of worked a bit before as well. Also........she has two hand reared babies that have just taken their maiden flight, she is going to get them sexed and if one is a female...Dooby is going to get a mate. I said the usual things about the female being too young etc. etc. she said that it really wouldn't matter, that the female won't mate until she is ready and then only if there is a breeding box....ok, so that's one "fear" sorted. She said that she is 95% sure that that will sort Dooby out, that he wants a mate and that the cage is too big for him on his own and that is compounding the fact that he IS on his own, so making him frustrated and obviously a female human just won't do!! So, from being absolutely sure that I don't want another tiel, that Dooby is going to be fine on his own, I am now waiting for the results of a DNA test to ascertain whether one of the babies is a female and then little "Daisy" will be coming into our lives. If one of the babies that she has at the moment isn't a female, then the breeders have another clutch being sat on at the moment and we will try again with them. She seems to think that all the training in the world won't help him if he is really sexually frustrated, so I'm hoping that she is right and that is what the problem is. She said to give it another eight to ten months and if things don't improve, well I'll have a breeding pair to sell.........yeah, right! I can see me selling them. It is either that or keeping them in the cage all the time and of course they would have the life of luxury but they just wouldn't be able to fly around. I'm not too keen on that idea, I love to see a bird flying free. Anyway, now I'm going on about what might or might not happen in the future, I'll stick to the present and if by getting the Doobster a mate it calms him down and makes him happy, then so be it. I can honestly say I have done everything I can do stop him being so mean to us, I've read books, I've asked advice, I've clicker trained, I've covered him up, put him lower down, ignored him, rewarded him....I've cried my eyes out with frustration over him and nobody or nowhere have I ever read or heard that a cage could be too big and that he is frustrated because he "knows" there should be another bird in his "aviary" so.......when I get "Daisy" there will be photos, of course, she may not even be hatched yet, but at least she has a name. 
