New to this - Help!

[jessmac]

Hi there!!

I have had my new lovies for about a week now, and I really need some advice on building trust and taming them. They're around 5 months old and judging by behaviour, not hand-reared. They are unsexed but also judging by behaviour I think I have a male and female, but if I'm wrong it's not a big issue :) So far they are eating well and don't freak out when I come near them, or when I change their food and water or clean the cage. They do move to the opposite side when I approach though, and if my hands get too near them while cleaning one of them starts to go crazy.

I've tried to keep handling them to a minimum as this seems to stress them out, and have kept interaction to being near the cage as much as I can and talking to them. Is this the right way to go about it? I'm also concerned because they've been in their cage for a week and I know that they need exercise, but I don't want to stress them by taking them out by force.

Any tips would be met with my eternal gratitude!

Jess

[summoora]

Sounds like you're on the right track! taking them out individually can help, especially if they are clipped, but generally it is harder to tame a pair than a singleton, especially if they consider themselves a pair. They just won't be very interested in human interaction. Talking to them and eating near them is a great first step. Since the cage will eventually need a deeper cleaning that involves them not being in the cage (preferably once a week), you will want to find a non-intrusive way of getting them out. If they are clipped, you could try leaving the door open and waiting for them to come out on their own. Getting them back in will likely be the harder part.