Need help!

[Ashy]

Ok so I had a untamed lovebird for about 2-3 months now and she (im not sure of gender really) is about 11-12 months old and she use to be totally fine coming out of the cage and she would play in her ball (i had a hampster ball she abolutly loves rolling around supervised of course) and then all of a sudden one day she refused to step up on my finger in her cage. I was even fourced to trick her with food and kind of make her fly out of her cage then she would sit on my shoulder and stuff but it's really hard because now she it being stubbern and catches on which is harder to bond with her. Im scared one day she might just be wild and not want to socialize at all. Even when I hear people cuddling with their birds I can never do it to my peach face. When I use treats to like get her out also and put my finger inbetween them she purposly reaches over refusing to step up. Any help? I'm actually really don't know what to do ANY help at all will help and I have been patient because this has been going on for about a month and a half =/. Thanks so much! P.S another thing is that she also chirps non-stop sometimes and I really do want her to be tame but she looks kind lonely so idk if i should get another to keep her company? Since she chirps and rubs her beak constantly on the bars of her cage and sits in a corner and looks at me but doesn't play with her toys.

[linda040899]

Patience..... Lovie hens can be fickle so it's a matter of trying different things to see what works. If she won't step up onto your hand, how about your arm or a perch? She may have decided that she doesn't like hands (not unusual) so try another approach.

As for not playing with her toys, I think it's more a matter that she never learned how to play with them. Perhaps offering something like just a simple swing might catch her interest. Swings are usually an all time favorite with lovies and all of mine have at least 1. Stay away from toys that have mirrors, as you don't want her to bond with an unreal reflection.

[Ashy]

Patience..... Lovie hens can be fickle so it's a matter of trying different things to see what works. If she won't step up onto your hand, how about your arm or a perch? She may have decided that she doesn't like hands (not unusual) so try another approach.

As for not playing with her toys, I think it's more a matter that she never learned how to play with them. Perhaps offering something like just a simple swing might catch her interest. Swings are usually an all time favorite with lovies and all of mine have at least 1. Stay away from toys that have mirrors, as you don't want her to bond with an unreal reflection.

Oh ok and thanks ^-^ But the thing is about not liking hands is that in her cage she bites but when I get her out (hard XD) she's fine with stepping up o.o and ok I think I do have a swing ^-^ thank you!

[Ashy]

All I need help now is how to get out of her cage because she refuses scritches and things like that but will step up when she is OUT of her cage. When she's in her cage I could leave it open all day try treats and such but she's stubbern and will sit there all day

[linda040899]

If she's a she and she's 11-12 months old, you could have a potentially broody hen on your hands. That can cause her to want to stay in her cage. Accept it for right now and just leave the cage door open. When you are around her, have something with you or on your person that you know catches her attention. There are not many lovies that will refuse spray millet or the opportunity to chew up or shred something, given the chance. By Nature, lovebirds are very curious and it will get the better of her. Let her come to you. :)

If she bites you fingers/hand when you ask her to step up when she's in her cage, try using a perch or wooden dowel.

[maya_exquisite]

I just posted the old thread you had posted on the Community Board. I guess this thread answers whether you already got a bird or not. :rotfl

Where did you get your bird from and is there a reason you went for an untame one? Was it because she was free? Have you taken her to an Avian vet (or any vet) yet?

As for her cage behavior, she is just being a female. :rotfl I remember one foster lovebird we had that would try to bite the h*** out of you if you put your hand in her cage, but once she was out she was the SWEETEST little girl ever. Linda's suggestion of using a perch is great - it's something I had to do with Raptor for a while because of his lunging.

With her chirping non-stop and being a single bird, one thing that comes to mind is she may be bored. She doesn't necessarily need another bird to keep her company (and not being tame, it's a good possibility she will end up bonding to the other bird and possibly want nothing to do with you). Another reason she may not be playing with her toys, besides what Linda said, is that she may not LIKE those toys or maybe she's bored with them. Toys should be rotated with different ones weekly. My boys don't like pet store toys - they are often made with the same materials, just in different shapes and put together differently. What toys have you been offering her?

Mika, my lovebird, didn't play with toys whatsoever (for YEARS and YEARS) until I started shopping around at different places online and finally found something he likes. Now, I buy almost all of his toys from that site. Same with Raptor, our Meyer's. He didn't play with toys for a long time so I started shopping around for different kinds and I finally found a type he really likes and I buy most of his toys from there now. ALL of my birds toys are bought online now. Heck, 95% of all my birds stuff comes from online. The only stuff I buy on island is the pellets and fresh foods.

Aside from a swing, I would HIGHLY recommend a boing. Something both my boys love and I have one in each cage, as well as on two of the playgyms.

Like I wrote in your other thread, please feel free to PM me. I can give you info on where to get the toys my lovebird likes and I can help since we live on the same island.

BTW, we would all love to see pictures of your bird (pics of the cage could help us help you too)!! What is her name?

[Pips mom]

Im scared one day she might just be wild and not want to socialize at all.

You're worrying for nothing about this one.........as long as you spend some time with her and feed her and talk to her.......even the normal daily things, she'll come around! I don't know what to tell people who say their lovebird doesn't like toys??? Pip is the biggest toy lover there is.......all you have to do is bring a toy into the room and walk closer to him and he's right there to check it out! One time I bought a new toy.....it was for Ivy before I even got Ivy and was planning ahead tying to get toys to put in the new cage. I walked in the room with it and in a split second Pip flew over and landed right on it while it was in my hands......and Pip hates hands! Guess his love of toys overrided his hate of hands!:lol