catching lovebirds with a butterfly net?

[trevorhoang]

Hello,

so every day i open the cage doors and the love birds go out exploring in my room while i study and do work online. I had a butterfly net that i bought from the dollar store that i use to catch the birds when i want them to get back in their cage.

the birds wings are clipped and most of the time they hang out on top of their cage and a few times they make it back into their cage for food and water. but if they dont get back in their cage by bed time then i use the butterfly net to catch them and put them gently back in their cage. i place the net right behind their cage so they see the net. they often pick at the net since it is placed right against the cage's back.

is what i am doing ok for the birds? i do not believe i am hurting them. I would like to know that i am maintaining trust with them because i do not believe that i am progressing with the trust factor since i am a new owner to them.

i hope i am not backtracking the trust factor with the birds.

[michael]

Although you are not harming them, using a net to round them up may not be all that desirable. .. In effect, it kinda forces them to do something they might otherwise do on a more voluntary basis. .. Is there any particular reason/s your having difficulty returning them to their cage? .. I would be very careful placing the net so close to their cage. Lovies are know to miraculously get heads or feets wrapped up in whatever they can get their beaks into..........:omg:

[bbslovie]

Hi, another way to go would be to dim or lower the lighting in the room the birds are in. Mine tend to stay in one place then and are easy to pick up and return to their cage.


Barb :)

[trevorhoang]

Hi, another way to go would be to dim or lower the lighting in the room the birds are in. Mine tend to stay in one place then and are easy to pick up and return to their cage.



Barb :)

i will be trying this. thanks for the advice.

the reason why i used a net is becuase i read alot on how untamed love birds would bite their handler and it could draw blood so i never attempted to pick the birds up. i assume we are to use a cloth when picking untamed birds up?

[bbslovie]

Hi, I don't use gloves when handling my birds but there are others that have issues with bitey birds and they do. Try it first without and see how it goes. Just my :2cents:



Barb :)

[Z28Taxman]

Hi, another way to go would be to dim or lower the lighting in the room the birds are in. Mine tend to stay in one place then and are easy to pick up and return to their cage.


Barb :)

That's what I did with Ditto when I had to give him medication. He did not want to take it and flew all over the place to avoid me. So I'd wait until he went into the living room and turn off the lights. Then he was easier to catch and it only took me 5 minutes to get hold of him instead of 20. :rofl:

Any other time it's him catching me. :rotfl

[personatus]

I always used a net, and after a few months, i only had to pick the net up and they shot back into their cages! :rotfl

[trevorhoang]

I always used a net, and after a few months, i only had to pick the net up and they shot back into their cages! :rotfl

so you successfully trained your bird to know that when you pick up the net then they know its time to go back to their cage? wow if i can achieve that then life would be soo much easier since i do not want them to feel any amount of anxiety.

how long do you think it took until your bird started to understand the net means its time to go back to the cage?

[lovie_couple]

Have you tried getting them to step up on a perch? Sometimes Gigi will be pretty bitey, so it's easiest to get him to step up on a perch, then slide him through the cage door.

[bbslovie]

Try the low light, you won't have to worry!


Barb ;)

[trevorhoang]

Have you tried getting them to step up on a perch? Sometimes Gigi will be pretty bitey, so it's easiest to get him to step up on a perch, then slide him through the cage door.

i would love to have the love birds learn this but right now they are too scared of me . i dont think i can start any form of training until they stop getting scared of me. please advise me if i should be doing anything differently.

[trevorhoang]

Try the low light, you won't have to worry!


Barb ;)

i think i have discovered a different way. i use the net as a guide pushing them in the direction of their cage. it seems to work after 5 to 10 minutes. i feel like a sheep herder eheh.

[Mummieeva]

I use to do my food changing when I wanted my birds to go into their cages. Or put their favorite treat in there. That caused them to go in most times.