The dont bite but....

[luluxoxo83]

ok se we have had Sunny and LuLu for 3 days now. We have been interacting with them; I sit near there cage with the door open and I wistle (try to at least) and talk to them. Yesterday LuLu came towards me and flew right by me to get out, which is fine I dont mind them flying around. when we went to get her to put her back she wanted no part in us holding her, once I was able to get her I held her and scritched her till I got back to the cage to put her back. Now My problem is... How do I get them used to us holding them or them sitting on us? When I had her yesterday she didnt bite at all....and sunny doesnt either, they are sweet babies but stil kind of scared. Today I went in and move some perches because now I know where they like to be and neither one lunged to bite or anything, but I figured it would help them get used to my hands. what else can I do? I'm coming to find that the guy we got them from didnt really handle them much at all, he said they were hand tame but they really arent! Any Suggestion?:confused:

[lemonypickett]

No biting is a good sign.

I would give it a little time .... it took Eddie 3 weeks to settle in when I got him.
He would do everything he could to get away from me.

[luluxoxo83]

So do I give them time without trying to handle them? I'm scared that if I dont try to handle them that they will not warm up to us at all. I already have Shiloh and Sky that are not tame so I am really trying to get these little beauty's tame. If I get Sunny and LuLu to be tame to you think that Shiloh and Sky can learn from them? Shioh is a nasty thing...she lnges to bite at us even if we just walk by the cage! lol.

[lemonypickett]

I used to wrap Eddie in a blanket or hold him under my sweatshirt and pet him. He hated it for a while, but eventually seemed to hate it less. Then one day he became a velcro bird pain in the butt!! lol

In hidsight I thought that he may have just needed more time to settle and that I could have been stressing him out more by forcing him to cuddle when he didn't want to.

[Pips mom]

Always keep in mind too that some birds end up never liking to be held or touched. Pip is very independent, and wants nothing to do with anyone touching him! I can tell that this is just how he is.......he likes what he likes and he when he doesn't like something, his mind is made up! and that's it! I can still hold him sometimes, if he lands on the floor he will step up when he's desperate, and when I pick him up, it's against his will, but he will sit there in my hands sometimes for about ten seconds, but not very long and that's enough.....had enough of that! He is very strong willed and wants to be always on the go, and I think he may think hands just slow him down and keep him from doing or going where he wants. He will sit with me at the computer and on my shoulder or head, sometimes will get all cozy on my shoulder, but if I get my face too close to him I will get a good bite! such a little stinker!

[lemonypickett]

A beautiful stinker though ....

[LauraO]

I am not a person to answer this cause like I said before I don't force any lovie, or bird, to be touched if they don't want to. I currently have 20 of my own lovies, and 8 foster lovies and I know who is okay being touched and when they are okay with that and respect a lovie's comfort!

The reality is that us humans have to realize that birds are not dogs. Most don't like to be touched or petted and birds like Laura's Eddie are the exception rather than the rule. Us humans also really have to redefine what TAME is. Take Pip. He hates hands and is very independent, but that bird is TAME AS TAME CAN BE! He loves to hang out with his humans, play games, and torment anyone or anybirdy he can.

Honestly, the less you try and touch the birds the more comfortable they will get quicker. They are scared of hands, and they know you will try and touch them but don't know when. So they cannot truly get comfortable. Once again, stick training is the best way to go and something I've been using for 10+ years and find it so convenient even for the tamest birds.

We lost our first lovie Zimber last year to a tragic ancident. He was eight going on nine years old. We got him at five or six months old at a local pet store and he was a wild banshee birdy. We couldn't get anywhere near him he was so wild. I wanted to touch him so bad, and anytime Zimber would get near me I would try and touch him immediately. We had a hard time getting close, but he took to my husband who stick trained him and NEVER tried to touch him. I took his lead and just stopped trying to touch Zimber, and honestly it was the beginning of the most wonderful friendship of my life (no joke). Once Zimber realized I wasn't going to try and touch him he got comfortable and would spend a ton of time with me, on my person, and playing games. In fact, the last few years of his life my husband and I couldn't get him away from us cause all he wanted to do is be with us and play. Finally, the last year or so of his life he started perching on fingers and letting me touch him. He would get up on my finger, let me put my hand over his back and kiss his belly. Touching still made Zimber uncomfortable but he loved and trusted me enough to know I wasn't going to hurt him. So I still didn't touch him much. I miss Zimber so much it hurts writing about him, but I just want to let you know I would do anything to have him back in my life and I don't think our relationship could ever have been closer not even if I could have always touched him.

Good Luck and just be patient. You have years and years and years with your lovies, and they really do calm down as the years go by. So there is no rush.

:):)

[lemonypickett]

Glad to hear they calm down as they age. :happy:

I agree with Laura. Eddie is a cuddlebug, but my Eclectus doesn't like to be petted or stroked so I don't do it. You have to feel them out and get to know what they like and don't like. He tolerates kisses on his neck well, so I start there.

In the beginning I think I forced myself on Eddie because I thought ... "hmm.. you're a baby.... now is the time to tame you!" Also, I made sure I had him out for a few hours a night so that he would get more and more tame. Handfeeding millet is a good trick too. Oh, and don't be afraid of bites. With my Eclectus, he knows I am not afraid of him so therefore I am the boss (he thinks I am not afraid, I pretend). My bf is afraid, and Dewie takes advantage of that.

You seem like a good fidma, I am sure you will be able to read between the lines and pick up on what is best for your baby.

[luluxoxo83]

Thank you for all your responses... I guess I just want to love on them because they are so cute! I was talking to my husband about the lovies today and he said "No more birds! four is enough" lol I started laughing and so did he because he knows I will win that fight... If we had room I would have 20 of them.... I wont be getting anymore until we move back to california in 2010 when he gets out of the USMC. Traveling with 4 birds a dog, cat, husband and chid will be hard enough! lol

[michael]

........... If I get Sunny and LuLu to be tame do you think that Shiloh and Sky can learn from them? Shioh is a nasty thing...she lnges to bite at us even if we just walk by the cage! lol.

I would say there's a very good chance, but then only time will tell. I've read a few threads where lovies were influenced by others (not just lovebirds) in various ways from eating habits to behavior. Along with this possibility, there is a chance some won't, such as a female who's protective instincts are set to ensure everyones survival. You could say those are the ones we tend to respect the most.................:)

[Pips mom]

Laura is definitely right......I consider Pip to be very tame. I just know him well enough to know his likes and dislikes. Lovies I think tend to be very firm on what they like and what they don't AND you don't have to try hard to read what they are thinking......they help ya out a little more with that than other birds do I think. Pip shows us he loves us and likes being around us in his own little lovie way! Mostly I try to respect what my birds like and dislike. Sometimes though I do admit, I will play around with Ivy and hold onto her with my hands over her wings and she HATES that! but she is so bonded with me now that she would never hold it against me! She loves being held, being petted....loves attention from me. It's so crazy that Pip and Ivy get along as well as they do and like each other.....they are such opposites!

[momo]

he was a wild banshee birdy.

LOL i had to have a giggle.. so true.. new lovies are always like that.. with good reason.

It really just does take time. I am beginning now my 6th month with elmo.. fingers are evil evil to him.. I stick/rope trained him so thats how I carry him around with me around the house. he used to get shoulder time but he gets really bity up there so he gets carried around on a stick. the last two weeks I have only JUST been around to rest my head ever so gently on elmos back with out being bitten.. or even signs of.. "get off me now" but I reframe from doing this alot because it "stimulates" hens.. but what I am trying to say is.. 6 months.. and numerous bites.. and wounds.. bandaids..:x and we can have cheek pats.. no fingers or anything else. you will learn what patience is with lovies. but it's all worth it in the end..

as others have said, just be prepared that your lovies may not like to be touched with fingers. its their personalities and they may not be able to handle the stress of forced cuddles.