Is it too late to train my 5-month-old cockatiel to talk and tame?

Most birds can be trained regardless of their sex! Looking up some YouTube videos on training your bird to talk, perch on your finger, etc, can help you figure out what you want to teach Grey to get started. If Grey has a favorite treat or toy, this can be very helpful during your training sessions- you can offer it every time you interact to help her get used to you, and then offer it every time you work on a new trick together to help teach her that you like what she does! Piece of fruit or veggies, favorite millet sprays, etc are all good choices. If at anytime she becomes too nervous or stressed, simply return to the previous trick or interaction that worked, and try again from there.

Hi, and thank you for this question, Two weeks are not always enough to train a bird. Most cockatiels don't speak at all, some will imitate noises but will usually not speak. As to perching on a shoulder or a hand, if the bird was not hand-fed at as a baby it may not be adjusted to humans at all, and may never get really tame. If it is tame and just doesn't want to perch on you, try offering rewards (treats) when he does.

It sounds like Cheeko still is wary of you, and honestly, you need more time to bond before focusing on tricks, especially if he is still flying away from you. Going back to a previous step such as hand-feeding, just being near his cage and spending time with him, petting him without handling, etc are all good previous steps to work on. You can then begin step-up training with a dowel or other object instead of your hand, that may help him train without being frightened by your hand or being handled. Training birds takes time and patience, so just keep trying, and if he seems fearful, give him a break, go to the previous step that worked, and then move forward from there.

Unfortunately, time and treats are the best ways to try and tame a bird. If he's still not comfortable with you, he likely just needs more time and practice. It's possible you are doing too much too quickly and need to step back a step for a few days or even weeks until he is comfortable with that before attempting more handling. If you can't find a treat he enjoys, then a toy can be used instead, however this is something that just takes time and patience, and each bird is going to be different in how long it takes.

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.

Cockatiels can definitely have big personalities. With consistent and training, they can learn songs and may speak though not as good as other parrots. They can certainly bond strongly with you as long as you put in the time and effort.

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!