New baby Lola scared

[Lola]

Hi all,

Just brought home a baby lovebird yesterday, and she's so cute!
I cant stop looking at her!

Anyway, I didnt actually choose her out of the bunch, she actually chose me by being the only one to hop onto my hand, when the others wouldnt go near my hands.

Now while I was at the breeder's she was taking me around showing me different birds, meanwhile lola was just sitting pretty on my arm the entire time and didnt really seem to mind. I felt as though she was already getting attached to me. :)

So we get home, and I leave her in her cage for the first couple of hours just to get used to her environment.

As of now she is absolutely terrified of my hands. She wont go near them, she's very hesitant to let me pick her up. She doesnt like being taken out of the cage, and she freaks out whenever my hands are in the cage, very similar to my budgies. (However the breeder handled Lola ALOT, along with all the other babies)

I know now that she is a baby, now is the time when I need to spend lots of time with her in order for her to really form a strong bond with me.

Is this normal for babies? Is she just very frightened of her new surroundings?
Will she warm up to me eventually? This is my very first lovebird, and I guess Im not used to my babies being so afraid of me because my parrotlet was also acquired as a baby and immediately bonded with me..

Any input is appreciated.
Thanks

[linda040899]

Hi and welcome to our community!
Picture this scenario if you will, please. You go from surroundings/friends with which you are very comfortable and familiar to a completely strange place that you know nothing about and you don't feel that you are safe because you have no experience in this new place. That's Lola's view of her new situation. While you know that she's safe, she doesn't. She has to learn by experience and that will take time.

Instead of trying to put your hand in her cage, just sit next to her cage and talk softly to her. No sudden moves, just complete calm. Try to keep the area where she's at as calm as possible, too. She's still very much a baby, away from her parents, clutchmates and just other birds in general. Yes, her behavior was different at the breeder's facility and that's because she was comfortable knowing she was safe (from her own experience). Give her a little bit of time and she will come around. You may find yourself saying that you feel like she just wants to be velcroed to your person 24/7!

How old is Lola supposed to be? Do you have any photos you can share with us?

[carrier]

Hello and welcome!



Is this normal for babies?

Lola is behaving exactly as any new baby lovie should/would in this situation. :D


Is she just very frightened of her new surroundings?

She was much more confident at the breeders,as she was used to her surroundings...now, however, everything is different and strange, all her siblings are gone, and she is not used to this. I'd be confused and frightened too! :confused:


Will she warm up to me eventually?

Patience is key! The fact that she was on your arm earlier is a great indicator that she will warm up to you and become a velcro-birdie in no time! Are her wings clipped properly? If so, and the room she's in is properly birdie-proofed, I would just open the cage door and let her come out to explore on her own at first. She will gain confidence and trust the more she is out and comes to see you as not a threat but something that brings good things into her life (millet, birdie bread, veggies and fruit, etc.)

I think she DID choose you and that is such a wonderful story! :clap :clap


Good luck!

[Lola]

Linda: I believe the breeder told me she was just finished being hand fed, however at this time I dont have any pictures, but I will be taking some tonight :D

Carrier: Its actually a funny story. I was choosing between 2 lovebirds, lola and another, that looked very similar, and I couldnt choose.
They were both perched on a playgym and the breeder said" so which one do you like?"

I really couldnt decide, the lola jumped onto my hand, then i said "I guess she's coming with me!"

It was an awesome feeling

And yes, the breeder clipped her wings =)

[linda040899]

Linda: I believe the breeder told me she was just finished being hand fed, however at this time I dont have any pictures, but I will be taking some tonight
I had a feeling that was going to be the case. We need you to make very sure that your new baby is eating and drinking! Some breeders will sell youngsters within 2-3 days of last being hand fed and those babies can revert back to wanting to be hand fed. If that happens, she will starve to death within a few days and you will find her remains on the bottom of her cage. I don't want to scare you but you need to make sure she's eating! Someone else in this community just had this happen recently and I'd rather mention it upfront than to take a chance that this baby was really sold too young.

If you are seeing anything that alarms you with regards to your new lovebird, please, please don't be afraid to mention it here! We are here to help and we all care about all our community members!

[Lola]

That was the first thing on my mind when I brought her home last night, and I am constantly checking for seed husks in her food dish and on the bottom of the cage.

If I see that she hasnt eaten anything I will call the breeder immediately

[Lola]

So as I'm at work I send a text message to my brother to check on lola and her food dish

He said there are some seeds on the bottom of the cage, and he saw some seed husks in the food dish, so she's eating :D:D

[Kathryn]

Welcome Lola.

Please continue to watch your baby and begin offering birdy bread and a variety of foods listed in the Resource Library.

As your baby becomes accustomed to you, attempt to offer millet with your fingers. Since your baby has been hand-fed, she/he may associate your hand with feeding and may be more comfortable climbing aboard.

There are loads of people here who have gone thru the bonding process and will have lots of stories and encouragement for you.

I found their support and the materials in the library most helpful.

[Lola]

Thanks kathryn, I'll definitely check out the resource library when I'm able to sit down and read thoroughly.

I definitely saw some progress with lola tonight!
I left her cage door open and she came out by herself!
She's still skiddish around my hands, however she'll sit comfortably on my knees for quite some time without any signs of wanting to get off or being scared =)

Also later on she hopped onto my hand from her playgym, climbed up my arm onto my shoulder and cuddled into my neck for about 10 mins.
I had to actually pry her off my sweater :D

She's slowly getting more active and less wary of my hands