During the first week with a new Cockatiel, I give the bird time to settle in. Starting out, the bird needs to learn the cage, toys, food, schedule, and routine. Once settled in, I get the Cockatiel used to taking treats from my hand. Cockatiels tend to be more bold as they are ground feeders so they are a bit more open minded about taking treats from hand and less skittish. I patiently hold my hand full of seeds in front of the cockatiel and act like a human food bowl. She gradually gets used to eating treats out of my hand. Since she follows wherever I hold the food, this is going to be useful for teaching her to step up. I hold the food so she needs to step on my finger to reach it. Success. Subscribe to All Parrots to follow this Cockatiel's progress.