Why isn't my new cockatiel speaking or perching after two weeks?

Ten days is a bit soon to expect your new bird to trust you fully. It takes time and patience to get him used to you, and he is likely still settling into his new place. I would give him some more time to settle in and just spend time talking to him, or placing a treat in his cage every time you come by. Once Zucchini is more comfortable with you just being around, you can then start to offer food from your hands, and work up from there. If at any time he becomes too nervous or scared, giving him a break and trying again later can help.

It's possible, but hard to tell without knowing Pancake's breeding history. It could be that Pancake is still just settling into his new place which is why he is quieter, however if he continues to have trouble balancing, seems to act ill, or doesn't seem to settle in as normal, a trip to the vet is a good idea to rule out any health issues that may need treating.

If your cockatiel was not hand tamed then she may be less social and not as handleable. It will take a lot of time and patience to get her hand tame. Try using treats and just leaving your hand in there until she is more used to you. You can find video,guides online for,hand taming your bird. Some birds never tame up and are always less social, but with patience many will come around. Good luck to you!

Hello! Cheeko can certainly learn many tricks and maybe words. Cockatiels are not great “talkers” and tend to do much more singing. However, birds are extremely smart and if you put the time into training, you should be rewarded no matter what age the bird is. I highly recommend using positive reinforcement clicker training. Find his favorite food item (like spray millet) and ONLY ever give him this food during training sessions. This helps get his attention for the task and motivates him to learn. You can watch you tube videos or buy training dvds by Good Bird, inc. They are very well respected in the bird training world. Just remember to have patience and be consistent. Good luck!

It is possible your bird is eating and drinking while you aren't watching. He may be nervous in his new environment and feel uncomfortable eating while you are around. Be sure he is in a quiet environment where he can be left alone for periods to adjust to his new life. I would also try to find out what food he was eating before he came and get that exact food as some birds are very particular and don't like change/will refuse to eat new foods.

I think I would be worried and you should take him to a vet that specializes in birds to examine him. He may have an underlying illness or it may be related to stress. Either way, this is not normal behavior an you should really have him checked out. It it is nothing medical, then at least you have that peace of mind and the vet can give you some good resources on cockatiel care and feeding so that you are sure to have everything correct. This article addresses cockatiel behavior: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/questions4.html Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for reaching out about Copper. Training is more difficult as they age, as they are not as pliable to new situations. It is really de-sensitization to things that needs to be done. Start by scratching/petting, and offering a treat by hand. Then with the treat, try and train to reach his leg up, then to step up. Its a gradual process. The book "A Guide to a Well-behaved Parrot" is a good start. Good luck.