Behavior Issues Bad Habits Forming

[calico jack]

Hey I had posted allot about Jack my masked lovebird allot when I first got him roughly three months ago but haven't been on the boards much lately.

So here is the deal when I got Jack I committed time every day to spend with him to try and make him tame. Unfortunately I did research on love birds after i bought him (I saw him and knew he was the pet for me), so I don't know if he was hand raised or wild. From his mannerisms i.e. how skiddish he is I imagine he wasn't hand raised.I followed allot of the FAQs on the board and was offered allot of great advice from allot of different users. I was making allot of good progress with him. Jack enjoyed sitting on my shoulder and slowly was learning to take food from my hand when I offered it. Jack was adjusting well and discovering some of the things in his cage that had gone previously unnoticed (cuttle bone etc. . . )

Alright so everything was going great but then about a month ago I had a major emergency (death in the family) and was occupied with funeral arrangements, etc . . . and simply did just not spend enough time with Jack. I always made time to feed him and water him just not getting the out of the cage time he deserved.

After this 3 week period I've just noticed allot of back tracking with Jack. Jack spends most of the days on his perch he shows little to no interest in his toys. He does move around the cage to eat and drink but just doesn't really seem to play at all. He doesn't show interest in his toys the only thing that really seems to excite him is when I give him the occasional millet bud with his food. In addition to this he just never really seems comfortable especially when out of the cage. He is always startled by all noises and just seems really hyper sensitive to sound. Jack isn't a biter and the only time he even thinks about it is when I try to pet his chest. He lets me pet his head and back but doesn't enjoy it at all. On top of this Jack has developed some bad eating habits which I have discussed before he loves sun flower seeds and will just pick through his food to get to them. Today I bought him a new mix called Fusion that has fruity pellets and seeds in the mix. I just really want him to have a more nutritional diet. I see videos and pictures of peoples birds who just love to hang out. I would love to spend allot of time with Jack with me every day but when hes with me he takes every opportunity to get away from me.


Jack is a good bird I just feel like I have let him down. He cleans/grooms his self regularly and isn't noisy except for the occasional chirp. I see the potential in him to be a great friend but am just feeling really discouraged right now.

[linda040899]

Jack's regression to being skiddish is typical of a lovebird that has not gotten enough attention. Time to go back to square one and start again. It will take a bit of time, but you can get your buddy back using the same method you did to tame him the first time. It sounds like he really wants to be with you but is a bit leary for lack of handling.

Patience............ Sometimes things happen in our lives which we can't control. Unfortunately, birds just don't understand it when they are used to being with us and we are otherwise occupied.

[calico jack]

Update: I think me stressing about Jack is making me think hes worse off then he really is. Just after posting my first message I took him out of the cage and watched TV with him for like 45 minutes. I think the main problem with Jack is that he doesn't come out of the cage by his own will. I usually wind up having to take him out with a towel (which he can't stand). So the first few minutes of us spending time together are usually rough. I can tell his that heart rate is faster, that he is more alert, and skidish after being in the towel.

After the first 5 minutes or so he starts to relax. I watched TV with him on the couch. I kept the volume at a reasonable level and he sat in the bend of my arm. I could tell he was actually enjoying it because he kept puffing up his feathers and clicking his beak.

I think if I would be able to get Jack to come out on his own accord he would start to warm up to me more. Do any of you have tips to get him to do this?

Jack will step up on his own. Occasionally after taking him out with the terrible towel Jack will freak out and fly across the room. When I offer my hand when hes on the floor he usually will jump on with no hesitation. Only if I could just get him to do this from his cage.

[luluxoxo83]

Well you said that he really enjoys millet, why dont you try to put mille on the outside of his cage and leave his door open, that gets my babies everytime!

[calico jack]

The millet trick does work. There is a door at the top of his cage and a little flat part he can walk on there. If I put some millet on it he will eventually come out to grab it if I leave the door open the problem is if me or my hands come close after hes out there he darts back in.

[michael]

I would definitely toss the towel. Even my Goofy bird hates them >:!... So much so, I had to finally convince the vet to quit using them as he's always been far easier to manage without one. Have you tried using a stick for practicing step-up?...... Step-up is really an exercise mainly used for two reasons. One to safely return them in the event of an emergency, the other to help develop a mutual understanding and relationship based on trust. I'm sure if you were to continue with your finger/back of hand or maybe use the stick method, "over time" Jack may eventually look forward to stepping up or coming out on his own.

As for those pictures/video's of poeples birds who love to hang out. Try not to compare the relationship you and Jack have to others who's birds respond on what appears to be a more desirable level. Not only do you have plenty time to build upon your own lovebirds "unique" character, but may later find you have a relationship much closer than you had anticipated.

[momo]

I would DEF DEF DEF toss the towel.. jack sounds exactly like elmo was when he first came home. I felt as though the towel took me further back than it could have ever been.

I would suggest getting a play pen. I would put elmo on the play pen next to me and do my own thing..watch tv.. study.. what ever.. and it would show him that I am not a big mean monster. Initially I had to towel him to get him out of his cage to go to the play pen.. I only remember doing this once.. and then I just let the cage door open and he came out on his own.. I also made dinner time at the play pen.. so there would be no food in the cage when the door was open to go to the play pen.

Gradually over time he became alot more at ease with being out and with me.
But babies need constant human contact. I read and I'm not sure entirely how true it is.. if you are to tame a bird.. you need to keep him tame until he's over 6 months.. because they can revert back to being wild very easy when they are young.