Taming my new friend "TWINKIE" he's a cockatiel ?

[bugnet1]

I think he's a year old and got him from a person who rescues and finds good homes for the little creatures that I LOVE. I was told he was hand fed but I'm not sure. HE comes out of his cage and sits on top, Ican put my nose right up to him & he does not shy away, why does he not let me approach with my finger to let him sit on it. Does my putting my finger in his cage or right at the door opened where he sits a lot invade his space?

[anne c]

He's hand shy. That's a big, strange thing coming at him. Take time. Work with him patiently. Offer food from between your thumb and finger. Don't try and touch him until he's been accepting food this way for a week or more. Patience will work in the end. You can also offer him a wood dowel to perch on held in your hand.

[Danii C]

Go to birdtricks.com and they have great videos on how to train your birds. One of their methods is to move you hand close to him and if he runs away or trys to bite it, don't flinch but keep it there until it calms down, then click your fingers (with other hand) or use a "clicker" and bring your hand away for 10-15 seconds. This clicking noise is a reward signal, and the reward is bringing your hand out of its teritory away from it. Then do the same again, do it until it does not freak or try to bite you then bring your hand closer and closer until you can touch it. On their website theres a free video called the "Power pause" video for when you sign up. That explains the method more fully in detail. I found this very successful and VERY quick when training my birds, as it works with almost any type of bird. I advise to go there.