Teaching a tame lovie to step up

[kimberly1985]

For more info on him, you can read my introduction! (if you haven't already)

I've had him for 3 days. I've only heard him chirp a couple times since then. When will he start chirping on a regular basis?

So my little guy (3 months old /handfed) is not afraid of my hands at all. He comes out of his cage and flies to my shoulder on his own several times a day. He's very tame but while inside his cage, I'm finding it hard to teach him to step up.

Earlier today, I took him out of his cage and used a playgym (t-stand) to do our training session. I used millet as a reward every time he stepped up or stepped down. He steps up and down each time. NO PROBLEM, whatsoever! Well besides the fact, that he tries to get to my shoulder a lot of the time.

Inside his cage is a whole different story. He doesn't run from my hand. (Obviously, he isn't scared of it) First of all he's a side cage clinger...he likes to hang on side of cage for a lot of the day.

I introduce my finger near his belly whether he's on a perch or the side of the cage. When he's on a perch, it's much easier to get him to step up but sometimes he won't. He just sits there like, "What?"

When he's on the side of the cage, he uses his beak to hold on for dear life. And I've never gotten him to step up when he's there.

I know he likes to be out so I'm don't know if he understands stepping up will get him out of the cage.

Any suggestions?

[kimberly1985]

Ideas?

[linda040899]

While he likes to be out of his cage, it could be that when you ask him to step up when he's in certain places in his cage, he's not ready to come out. He may or may not have made the connection that stepping onto your finger will result in out of cage time. There's absolutely no harm in saying, "OK. I respect the fact that you want to be where you are right now, so I'll come back later." A trust relationship is not human dominant nor is it bird dominant. If you walk away and leave the cage door open, he will come out when he's ready.

As he becomes more comfortable with his new home, he will become more vocal. Remember, it's natural instinct to be quiet so that it's harder for predators to locate your position. This is instinct and even babies have it.

[kimberly1985]

Thank you, Linda. I will try to let him decide when he wants to come out if he refuses me when I try. :D

[Lawrence]

Also remember that lovebirds are very territorial, especially ones that are not afraid of humans, they can become very aggressive if your hand visits the cage uninvited. But you can try to entice him by holding a millet in one hand and offer the other hand to perch in. If he lands, then give some millet :)

[kimberly1985]

Thank ya'll for your suggestions.

He has become more vocal than before. He's starting to play independently. I absolutely adore him and his personality is starting to show. I'm starting to realize what his favorite things are. (he LOVES crushed red pepper flakes) He is very curious about food. I think he's becoming more comfortable with everything. I hear so much about the lovies being so active, I'm sure he'll become more active the more he gets used to me. I can't wait...I bet he's gonna be a ball of fire. :rotfl