Progress made?

[jmeikle]

I was wondering if progress has been made. At the start when ever I put my hand in the cage or any fingers through the bars Cookie would run away. Now I can get my hand in and my fingers through the bars but she would come over to well... bite them. :p Today I had my hand up on her perch and using her fake bird toy I was rubbing her neck and stuff. But she constantly kept reaching over the toy to bite my fingers. :p The bites aren't really sore.

I've been spending time with her everyday for about a couple of weeks, changing her food and water daily, giving her treats and cleaning out her cage.

Should I keep putting my hand in and try to tell her that it's not there to hurt her? I've let her out a couple of times but she doesn't go anywhere near me! :p

When she's biting me, should I just let her bite me or should I pull away? Because if I pull away then she will get the message when she bites it will go away? ;)

[michael]

Jmeikle. I have a feeling your lovebird is becoming more courageous :rofl:!....You know, some female lovebirds just don't appreciate hands in their cage no matter what and this is quite normal. This still doesn't mean they can't eventually become comfortable around you enough to be handled or approached in other ways.

One thing you may be doing instead of making progress is teaching her to bite. By continually sticking your hand in her cage over time could result in her becoming more aggressive. Biting is really best if avoided all together, otherwise this places them in either a defensive or offensive position that will "not" help build a trusting relationship. Offering her a stick to "step up" onto would likely be far less threatening to her than placing your hands in her cage.

Certainly, if you talk to your lovebird in a kind friendly fashion they may become more comfortable and therefore respond to you with more interest. On the other hand, if their provoked in any way by your physical presence or feel threatened by your hands, those kind friendly words to them become a warning signal. Because lovebirds for the most part can't understand a word we are talking about "telling" them we mean no harm does little good. They are though very intelligent creatures capable of learning by both sound/voice recognition and association. Even though they may not understand what we are saying, NEVER underestimate their intelligence!

My advice is; while its best "not to react towards biting or any other undesirable behavior" it would be better to simply "not" give her the opportunity to bite. By "pulling away", this is giving her the response "she" is looking for while at the same time could be causing you both to move away from your goals. This will never make her comfortable and could result in YOU receiving a serious injury and/or infection. I also think it would be a good idea at this point to have her wings clipped. Often by performing whats called a "mild" wing clip could help reduce her "flying authority" over those she chooses to avoid. Maybe then with enough patience and understanding she will learn that those who care for her really do mean no harm.

[momo]

The way I got elmo cage friendly.. though he didnt bite he would run away..
is to hold millet...Millet is a GOD SEND!... their addiction overweighs their fear of your hands ;)

[jmeikle]

My lovebird loves millet I think but whenever it goes out of her reach she just gives up. I don't know why. Maybe because she knows I'm easy and will give her the millet back. :p

[momo]

jmeikle, elmo is the SAMEE...

I try to entice him around his cage. but i just feel as though he looks at me and thinks..... if I wait long enough you will give it back to me, why would I want to walk ALL the way over there...

[Pips mom]

They are smart little stinkers! They DO know you will give it back to them and it doesn't take long for them to learn what you will do. They will test things out too just to see how much they can get away with! They are much smarter than you think! I am always amazed at how smart my lovie is! and it never gets old.....he is always amazing me with something new to show just how smart he is! They are just so alert and aware of every little thing going on around them.

[momo]

sometimes I think elmo is smarter than I am... except for when it comes to one bell in his cage that he cant make ring but i can. hahaha.

[MariefromCanada]

HI there

I had kiki since Saturday and after 4 days, did huge progress with him.

I talk and play with him on a daily basis. First, I didn't touch him. Just talked to him, then started playing with him and yesterday I decided to step it up by putting a band aid around my finger and slowly approach him to establish a trust and a bond between us.

Well let me say he bit me many times and was going insane in the cage. He was chirping away like no tomorrow *What's that hand doing here* !!! he shouted LOL. DO NOT pull away because he will get the hint that * hey, if I bite his hand and those nasty little fingers, they'll go away * He'll protest but with the band aid on, he'll get the message that there's no point of bitting because it won't go away.

This morning same thing, he bit me but again band aid on :o)

And Hold ad Behold this evening, Kiki came on his own on my hands. NO band aid this time and OUCH !!! he bit me hard and more than once too but my hand stayed there. And then WOOHOO ! went on my shoulders and relaxed for an hour. He even fell asleep. HUGE progress. I gently talked to him and blown air in his feathers.

When it was time for him to go back in his cage, he protested the hand but I was firm and he came and no problems whatsoever. No bitting at all.

You need to have confidence because believe you me, they are sensitive and they will pick up on your fear.

Hope this helps.

best of luck with your new tweetie bird.

:happy: :whistle: