Mele
05-19-2011, 03:06 AM
Hi! I'm a long-time bird owner but I'm brand new to lovebirds and it's been a while since I tamed a new bird. I just got Coco, a female (I think) peachface ~5 mos. She came to me secondhand from a family who could not care for her.
She was hand raised and extremely friendly when I first met her but now that I have her home she is suddenly very skittish. She hops up on my hand to come out of the cage but once out she just flies all around the house and won't let me near her. Her wings are clipped so she can't go far but just keeps flying from one perch to the next. At first I thought it was a "chase" game she was playing and I ignored it, but any time I get close she seems frantic to get away. I have to bust out the towel to get her back in the cage. I hate doing this because it doesn't help build trust but I don't know what else to do. It's strange...she's not scared of my hand in her cage but once out she won't let me near. Should I leave her in the cage until she becomes more used to her surroundings?
Previous owners hardly ever took her out because she was biting (hesitant hand syndrome). I want her to know that she can come out and play now that she's with me. I also don't want to leave her in the cage all the time because it's tiny! She came with the cage, toys, etc. and even though I have a new bigger cage for her I haven't switched it over yet because right now the old cage is the only familiar thing in a strange new world. How long should I wait before I make the switch?
Reading through other posts has been really helpful and I will try using a stick instead of the towel to get her back in the cage. Any other advice will be greatly appreciated!
Mahalo!
She was hand raised and extremely friendly when I first met her but now that I have her home she is suddenly very skittish. She hops up on my hand to come out of the cage but once out she just flies all around the house and won't let me near her. Her wings are clipped so she can't go far but just keeps flying from one perch to the next. At first I thought it was a "chase" game she was playing and I ignored it, but any time I get close she seems frantic to get away. I have to bust out the towel to get her back in the cage. I hate doing this because it doesn't help build trust but I don't know what else to do. It's strange...she's not scared of my hand in her cage but once out she won't let me near. Should I leave her in the cage until she becomes more used to her surroundings?
Previous owners hardly ever took her out because she was biting (hesitant hand syndrome). I want her to know that she can come out and play now that she's with me. I also don't want to leave her in the cage all the time because it's tiny! She came with the cage, toys, etc. and even though I have a new bigger cage for her I haven't switched it over yet because right now the old cage is the only familiar thing in a strange new world. How long should I wait before I make the switch?
Reading through other posts has been really helpful and I will try using a stick instead of the towel to get her back in the cage. Any other advice will be greatly appreciated!
Mahalo!