Older love birds harder to tame?

[Emmzie]

Hi all!

I'm still struggling taming my birds, I feel so sad. I always go to the cage with a hand ful of millet and stick it in the cage, I don't force them I just wait for them to come to me, sadly, they don't. I've been doing it for months but with little progress. The only thing they do is eat from the millet, not in my hand but if I put the millet in holding it right at the end they eat off that, Probably because I'm at a distance.

Although they seem to call for me when I move out of the room for more attention, they even cling on to the cage and stare at me, not sure what this means but it's like they want attention then when I give them attention they get all timid :(

So basically, I just wanted to ask is it alot more harder to tame older love birds? I bought them from a pet store as I couldn't find any breeders in my area :( the pet shop owner wasnt sure on the age, I would say maybe a couple of years old but this is a total guess.

Any suggestions, I really want my birds to love me as much as I love them :(

[linda040899]

It can take a while to earn the trust of any bird, not just older ones. Since they seem to have an interest in you and call to you, I would say you have a chance of getting what you want. One thing you need to do is return their contact calls when they call for you. That's how parrots communicate with members of their flock that they can't see so this is important in building a trust relationship with them. Let them know that you hear them even though they can't see you.

Will they come out of the cage if you leave the door open? And, are they fully flighted or have their flights been clipped. During taming, it's really best to limit where they can go so that it's fairly easy to retrieve them should they take off flying. I normally clip the first 4 or 5 flight feathers so that they can still fly, just not fly up. If they happen to be strong fliers, you may have to take one or two more. You don't necessarily have to keep their flights clipped, but it would help at this point.

Lovebirds are naturally curious and if they are interested in you, it's perfectly natural that they will want to check you out up close and personal. Try leaving their cage door open while you sit near the cage and do something else (eating?). It may take a while, but their curiosity will get the better of them. You can up the ante a bit by clipping a string of millet to the door of the cage and leaving the door open.

Good luck and just be patient.

[Emmzie]

Thanks Linda :)

They come out of their cage, I normally hold the cage door open for them, and I'm sat at the side, they look at me and I whisper to them and they look at me like to say "should I?" then they fly rightttt out! So they are great like that :) Trying to get them in was a task but now it's not too bad, I have a net BUT I don't use the net, I use the wooden part, a bit like a perch and put it them their feet, they actually hop on then I put the 'perch' into the cage. So they have got better, I just hoped they would of took to me a bit better :(

They fly alllll over the place, mad little birds. I have no idea how to clip wings so I may take them to the vets but I will feel guilty :(

Also, I have noticed if one is in the cage the other one seems to come closer to me when hes the only bird out... is it best to have them out together or one by one?

[michael]

........Also, I have noticed if one is in the cage the other one seems to come closer to me when hes the only bird out... is it best to have them out together or one by one?

Ah... Usually its the male who's more curious :whistle:. .. As for having them out one at a time, thats just fine, as it may influence the other to join in the festivities. ... Really, having them perch on the net handle sounds like your moving along quite well. .. If otherwise, you feel clipping their wings might help the whole situation, there's certainly nothing guilty about having someone else do the procedure, as long as they have the necessary experience. .. You can do this by making sure they understand the meaning of a "mild clip". .. Often, it can take one or two test clips before you can get the desired results. .. The main goal being, to limit flight, yet not eliminate it. ...........:)