Lovebird sits in one spot all day

[emma_421]

I just got my first lovebird. I have always wanted one and so I snatched him up when I saw the ad for him. The problem is, he seems petrified. I've had him about a month and a half. All he does is sit in the farthest corner of his cage all day. When I go to take him out he doesn't try to bite me, but he runs away. He would bite me if I didn't grab his back and support his head so he can't. I have trained him to sit on my shoulder all day long, but I don't think he is enjoying it. He was paired up with a female, but the lady I bought him from said her killed her. He will not willingly step up or go anywhere near hands by choice. What can I do to make him happy? How do I get him to like me? :(

[Lawrence]

It seems that he fears you at this moment. I would suggest several things from my own experience with new birds:

1. Clip the flight feathers if you haven't. Clipped lovebirds are easier to handle than ones that can fly away when they are scared
2. Give him bath every morning when the temperature allows, a spray mist is usually irresistible to most lovebirds. If it puffs up and spread the wings, you're making progress :)
3. Put the cage at the center of the house where the bird can observe you doing chores around the house during the day
4. I dont know what you are feeding the bird but you can add fruits or veggies to the cage to see what it likes then give these to the bird. If you find one particular treat it enjoys, offer the treat from your hands in due time
5. Hang toys from your shoulders like neck beads for it to play with

Take things slow and see if it warms up to you (altho at this stage maybe get the bird to fear you less). Best of luck!

Cheers

[michael]

......... He was paired up with a female, but the lady I bought him from said her killed her. He will not willingly step up or go anywhere near hands by choice. What can I do to make him happy? How do I get him to like me? :(

Hi Emma. ...Welcome to our community......:)..... Could be a couple issues at play. .. For one, your newbie (name?) is likely timid about his new environment. .. Some lovies warm up right away, others can take several weeks or even months before their ready to interact. ... With patience, there might be a few steps you can take to help ease the process. ... One question for now is, how certain are you in regards to his gender? .. To me, although possible, it sounds a bit unusual for a male lovebird to have killed its mate. ..If you by chance have a female, she may be little "extra" reluctant when it comes to abandoning her quarters.

For "stepups", have you tried utilizing a stick as opposed to your hand? ... There are some lovies that just don't trust hands, or may never really get used to them. .. Try to consider this before reaching in to take him out, as your hand could be posing as a constant barrier. ... Interesting, is that your bird perches on your shoulder. This is really a big step! .. The fact that he remains there and doesn't just fly off (is he already clipped?), shows some level of socialization.

Can you obtain any history on your new lovebird? .. You know he had a mate, but do you know if anyone ever handled him, and how? .. How long ago was the mate killed? ......Can we get a pic?....Maybe? .....:)

[emma_421]

Thanks for the replys. He does like raspberries, but I havn't been feeding much for fresh. I know I should and I will start today. I bought him from a lady off craigslist. She said he was a male and that's all I know. She had many birds but it's always possible she was wrong. I can't afford a DNA test right now. Maybe in about 3 months. I havn't tried a stick. Didn't even think about it. He took very easily to my shoulder. He was not handled much before me and I'm sure none of it was positive. They were keeping him for breeding. He is clipped and I keep him clipped. I have 3 cats, 2 of which are Savannahs (the highest jumping cat there is). He would be unsafe if I let him fly around at all. My camera is charging and I will upload a pic later today.

[emma_421]

Here is the pic of him. I tried the stick when I took him out but he ran away from it just as if it were my hands.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/emma_421/Kojo/Kojo.jpg

[michael]

........ He is clipped and I keep him clipped. I have 3 cats, 2 of which are Savannahs (the highest jumping cat there is). He would be unsafe if I let him fly around at all........

Emma. ...Beautiful lovebird! .....:)..... Its good to hear your taking safeguards regarding your cats. .. Cat saliva to a bird, even without injury, can prove fatal due to pasteurella bacteria. ... You know, those "step ups" could take some time. .. Also, the idea that he at one time was viewed as breeding stock, may not make much difference. ..Afterall, you've only had him a month in a half. Its very early yet! .... Patience and building trust is key. ...Anything in regards to his age? ... Whats his total diet like? .. Any other treats?...........:)

[emma_421]

Thank you. He is fed a mixture of parrot food and parakeet food. He does eat raspberries, but that's it. I think he is around a year and a half give or take 6 months. I did get him to step up today, but he had no choice... I tried to persuade him to move up higher on my shoulder with my hand (as usual) and he jumped off (as usual). I had him cornered and he stepped up onto my finger and then climbed up onto my shoulder, where he will sit all day until he gets close to his cage or hands get close to him. If he will sit on my shoulder, he feels comfortable there? I just feel like he is scared all the time (in and out of the cage) and I feel so bad for him.:very_sad:

[LauraO]

First, a month and a half is no time at all when building a relationship with a lovie. My first advice is to stop grabbing him. Birds generally don't like to be grabbed or handled whether they are tame or not. I think it's a great idea to have his cage where the family spends the most time, but I don't know that I'd move it around and especially not in the middle of the room. Parrots like walls on at least one side of their cage to protect them. I am also posting what I posted in another thread which may help. I say that because your lovie is scared and is not able to get comfortable with his surroundings and you from a distance.


I've found a great way to get birdies out is to build an area on the top of their cage with perches and toys. They have these new kinds of natural wood perches that you can screw to the top of the cage that builds like a play gym. You can hang toys and fun stuff off it. Then I would open the door, be patient and let your lovie come out a little by little on their own. Keep their food and water in the cage so the can go in and out at will. Most lovies given this freedom will go in thier cage pretty regularly because it's not a prison but a home. And hold out millet or their favorite treat for times you need them to go in the cage quickly as you learn to stick/finger train.

If you birdy is not tame, I alway suggest stick training to step up instead of finger training. I've found patience and waiting until the bird finds it's way to the floor or somewhere else it doesn't want ot be and then start the step ups. They may be scared at first, but be calm and consistant, but back off if your lovie is really getting scared and try again later watching to make sure they are safe. Having a latter from the floor to the cage is also good in case the stick training doesn't go well initially. Birds don't like hands, and this includes most tame birds. It will help your lovie believe you will not grab them, which is a big step in building a relationship. Plus, if you use the stick with a cue word you can transfer the cue work to your finger as they get more comfortable.

Good Luck and do search the board. There is a ton of info and let us know how it goes. CUTE BIRDY. He's a hybrib peachface/masked lovie:).

[Pips mom]

Your lovie is adorable!! He sure looks content in that pic! I'd just give him some more time....some need more time than others. If he's going on your shoulder, just have him spend time with you on your shoulder hanging out.....he'll come around!

[emma_421]

I love having him on my shoulder. He seems happier and gets to see more. He looks around and climbs a bit. The cage is in our main room and against a wall. He sees us all the time. I did switch him into a bigger cage and I think that may have set him back into his surroundings. He was in a cage the size meant for a parakeet or finches. Now I have him in one for a lovie of cocatiel. I have to grab him to get him out of the cage, but he likes my shoulder. I don't want to give this up. Do I really have to? The only way to get him out is to grab him. But I always do it quick and right to my shoulder. In his cage he doesn't get any exercise or stimulation.

[thebubbleking]

I can tell you its my hen baby boos twin!!! notice the coloring of the beak and the ring around its eyes? You have a hybrid ficher / peachfaced lovebird (green series)
Good and bad news depending on your plans are hybrids are not fertile (think mules) but if i understand correctly they can be fertile with other eye rings just not fertile with peachfaced (i could be wrong on the fertile with eye ring but linda can tell you for sure)
That being said since if he/she is a hybrid i would not breed it with an eye ring as the babys very well will have health and instinct problems).
Wow a twin of boo hopefully it does not become the landshark my hen is lol a very pretty bird indeed!

[emma_421]

I'm not interested in breeding him. I got him as a companion for me. I also don't think it would be safe to pair him up again anyways because he killed his mate. That's a good thing to know though. Thanks. I was wondering why he had so much more color than the ones I have been researching. Combining would be an obvious answer.

[thebubbleking]

check out my posts of flock pictures in the photo section has a few of boo you wouldnt belive how they looke exactly alike!!!

[emma_421]

LOL. Yep. Identical twins we have here.

[michael]

....... I have to grab him to get him out of the cage, but he likes my shoulder. I don't want to give this up. Do I really have to? The only way to get him out is to grab him. But I always do it quick and right to my shoulder. In his cage he doesn't get any exercise or stimulation.

Emma. .. I agree with you 100%, he needs exercise and stimulation. .. And of course, having him shoulder perched sounds like a positive interaction for "both" of you. .. Unfortunately, grabbing him could place limitations on trust. .. Work with him for awhile yet. ..Even if he refuses to come out on his own, I think it would be well worth the effort if his actions became mostly voluntary. .. Have you tried offering a sprig of millet?...Or a dollar bill? .......:)

[emma_421]

No. I havn't tried. I'll pick up some millet when I can make it to the store. He seems happier today. He's cleaning himself and singing a lot. I've been whistling to him everytime he makes a noise and he really seems to love it. It's helpful to know that this is progress and things take time with a lovebird. Not like cats and dogs. 3 weeks and they are completely settled in. I havn't had many birds. I had a parakeet as a child and bought my 2 daughters each a parakeet about 6 months ago. They were easy to tame. That's all the further my bird experience goes though.

[emma_421]

OMG! It was so cute. I offered him some millet in his cage, but of course he didn't want to come by my hand. I made sure he saw me put it in his food dish and when he went over and ate it, he went to the front of his cage and flapped his wings looking at me and squaking. I think it was his way of saying thank you.:rofl:

[michael]

OK!..You definitely gots his attention!......Now just try not to SPOIL him by offering too much millet ...:rolleyes:... Maybe half a finger at a time. .. Have you tried offering any treats in the palm of your hand? .........:)

[Decolor]

A trick I used to tame down my budgie, and earn the trust of my lovie, was the "inching up" millet trick. Offer millet by hand, the longest sprig you can get first, and slowly, and I do stress slowly, inch your fingers up to be closer, and closer to the bird. If the bird starts to get wary, back off a bit, or simply don't go closer. Offer it often but briefly throughout the day, don't spoil too much, and move up maybe an inch or at the most two a day. I'd not even "move" much the first few times, wait until he's nibbling confidently at each level. Who knows, it may help.