Yay! Hand taming.

[Kristina]

I slowly tricked Fenway to coming to my hand tonight. He was on the search for his favorite banana pellets and couldn't find them (I'm already realizing that when he wants something, he gets REALLY happy to see me, LOL). So I took a few and put them in my hand. He got right on my hand because he's a piglet!

I'm definitely going to continue working with him like this.

Should I not put as many of those pellets in his food bowl so he will come to me more often (just for the training at least)? He still eats the seed and other pellets, but the Zupreem is definitely his first choice.

[linda040899]

For now, I would reserve the pellets he loves the most for training. Hey, ya gotta do what works for you!!! :lol

You may want to reserve them all the time for training. One thing to think about is teaching him to come to you on command. Not only is it a neat trick but it can be very useful in an emergency.

[sphinxface]

Beezle will eat from my fingers, and go after millet like it's no ones bussiness but he wont let me touch him... Teaching him how to step up out of his cage has been really tricky for me.. I've had to grab him out so many times it must be scary for him >.>

[maryjo]

My birds love the zupreem also -but they eat everything but the banana ones!!

[Kristina]

Good idea, Linda! I was thinking of doing that, but I didn't want him to get mad or resent me. He already knows that I give him the food (otherwise he wouldn't have been waiting for me, LOL).

I have to admit that I was getting discouraged with him being afraid of hands. I would just take him out of his cage, which he obviously doesn't like. I never had that problem with my conure, he was always willing to come to me and stay with me.

I was watching Youtube and there are a bunch of little tricks you can teach lovebirds! I also have a nasty habit of looking birds up on craigslist (which always makes me want them more :( ) and found an avian rescue with a lovebird that says "bless you!" when you sneeze. LOL.


Sphinxface - I've been reading online that you just have to keep working with him. I'm only going to take him out of his cage if he gets on my hand (something that one of the sites suggested). So eventually, he will just come to me. When he is out or when I am in the room with him, I constantly talk and say his name and "good boy" or praise him when he does what I ask. I feel bad that his out of cage time will be limited, but we'll see how it goes. Maybe he will come even more if I take the rest of the Zupreem out of his food.

Fenway apparently doesn't really like millet. He's a strange bird. LOL.

MaryJo - Fenway is all about the banana ones. He goes for those first. LOL.

[Sweetpeaches]

kristina it's good to hear that Fenway is coming along...that really is the key word "coming along" and it's always good to keep in the back of your mind that ALL lovies are different. i have read shared stories of lovies that just don't ever want to be petted or like hands...and like myself..after many months (9) peaches finally will let me pet her and now i can even put my hand around her and pick her up! without getting nipped. but the funny thing is she has now become much more rammy...she doesn't sit still for a second!

as far as them coming out of their cage i really believe in just letting their door open and letting them come out on their own. when i first brought her home and taught her to step up she'd let me take her out (but as time went by i think she (they) realize their cage is their "safety net" and they don't want us to invade it.

and to be honest, when i go to her cage now she can't wait for me to open the door so she can get out...just remember this all takes awhile.

anyway, sorry for the long post, but happy to hear of your progress!

[Kristina]

Susan, you're right, I have read that he should come out on his own. Last night, his cage door was open and I let him come to me. I would say was half-in, half-out. LOL.

The other thing I've been doing is sitting near his cage (or even when he's out) and reading out loud. We're currently reading "Running With Scissors" and message boards. :rofl:

He'll also get on the laptop while I'm typing. LOL. Especially when we watch bird videos. Surprisingly, his favorite videos are of foul mouthed parrots. We're definitely going to limit those videos. If he does learn to say a word or two, I don't want it to be any words that come out of those parrots mouths! LOL. Although I'm sure my husband would find that hilarious. :roll: I like the words, "Go Red Sox!" :rofl:

[Kristina]

Also, I noticed last night that Fenway gacked on his wicker basket. LOL. He did it in two different places. He really loves his basket. LOL.

[LauraO]

It's sounds like Fenway is coming along GREAT and you are doing some great things to build trust. I just wanted to say keep it up!!!

:clap :clap

[wilkiecoco]

Kristina - you are doing such a wonderful job - with patience and time, it is so rewarding when they finally show a little bit of trust. Keep up the good work, and you will see progress, slowly but surely!! :)

[Kristina]

Thank you! I am understanding the patience part. When I went to work with him a little while ago, he decided that he would rather take a nap. :rolleyes: :rotfl

[Kristina]

More success! After his nap, we worked a little more. He came right out of the cage for me and we worked on "step up". He's all about the treats. LOL.