tenormadness
07-02-2012, 07:42 PM
Hello all! First I'd like to say that I've been reading these forums a lot since joining, and I find this information quite useful. That being said, I have some questions of my own that I don't think I can answer just by surfing around the forums.
I just got a lovebird (my first bird) about 2 months ago. Not sure about his exact age, but I know he's less than 1 year old. He seems quite content sitting on my shoulder, that didn't take very long. He also is fine with being in my hands, although sometimes he seems quite eager to fly off and stand on the fishtank. Starting about a week ago, he started stepping right onto my hand when I put my hand in the cage.
Now for the questions/concerns. 1) He doesn't do much of anything. I have yet to see him even touch a toy, with the exception of using one to climb away once. I even set up a video camera while I was out for a little while. He sat on his main perch the whole time, only came down once to have a bite of food and then briefly sit on a different perch, before returning to his main perch. While out of the cage, he sometimes (perhaps every other day) will sing/talk to me while doing some dancing (did some head bobbing the past couple days, which made me quite happy), but he won't do this while on me. Only if he's nearby, standing on something else. While on my shoulder or hand, he rarely talks, and mostly preens himself.
2) I clipped his wings, but he still flies, and seems to fly pretty well. Pretty sure I clipped about 7 primaries on each side, but he makes it very difficult for me to check. He hates having his wings clipped, probably because I have to hold him under a towel to do it. He makes a pathetic squeaking noise (it makes me really sad to hear) the whole time. Also, after clipping, he seems to sulk. I can understand this, but my concern is: is it making him less likely to bond with me, since he hates the clipping process we have to go through?
3) Lastly (for now, I think), he pretty much refuses to try anything other than pellets and millet spray. I got him to eat some millet spray with broccoli fiber, but that's pretty much the most branching out he'll do. He has VERY briefly tasted a bit of kiwi, but then refused to try it again. I sprinkled some millet on a fruit mix just now, and he proceeded to pick out the millet, taste a papaya and raisin, only to throw them away (which was amusing, despite my disappointment in his refusal to try new things).
4) Ok so I actually have another concern, but maybe I just need to give it more time. Bird has yet to make an attempt to come to me. He will always step up onto my hand when I place it in front of him, but he has never sought me out, either by flying or walking. Do I just need to give him more time? I believe I did mention that he only recently started stepping up onto my hand in his cage in order for him to come out, so I guess that's at least a step in the right direction. Anyway, any and all advice/commentary is appreciated. Thanks!
I just got a lovebird (my first bird) about 2 months ago. Not sure about his exact age, but I know he's less than 1 year old. He seems quite content sitting on my shoulder, that didn't take very long. He also is fine with being in my hands, although sometimes he seems quite eager to fly off and stand on the fishtank. Starting about a week ago, he started stepping right onto my hand when I put my hand in the cage.
Now for the questions/concerns. 1) He doesn't do much of anything. I have yet to see him even touch a toy, with the exception of using one to climb away once. I even set up a video camera while I was out for a little while. He sat on his main perch the whole time, only came down once to have a bite of food and then briefly sit on a different perch, before returning to his main perch. While out of the cage, he sometimes (perhaps every other day) will sing/talk to me while doing some dancing (did some head bobbing the past couple days, which made me quite happy), but he won't do this while on me. Only if he's nearby, standing on something else. While on my shoulder or hand, he rarely talks, and mostly preens himself.
2) I clipped his wings, but he still flies, and seems to fly pretty well. Pretty sure I clipped about 7 primaries on each side, but he makes it very difficult for me to check. He hates having his wings clipped, probably because I have to hold him under a towel to do it. He makes a pathetic squeaking noise (it makes me really sad to hear) the whole time. Also, after clipping, he seems to sulk. I can understand this, but my concern is: is it making him less likely to bond with me, since he hates the clipping process we have to go through?
3) Lastly (for now, I think), he pretty much refuses to try anything other than pellets and millet spray. I got him to eat some millet spray with broccoli fiber, but that's pretty much the most branching out he'll do. He has VERY briefly tasted a bit of kiwi, but then refused to try it again. I sprinkled some millet on a fruit mix just now, and he proceeded to pick out the millet, taste a papaya and raisin, only to throw them away (which was amusing, despite my disappointment in his refusal to try new things).
4) Ok so I actually have another concern, but maybe I just need to give it more time. Bird has yet to make an attempt to come to me. He will always step up onto my hand when I place it in front of him, but he has never sought me out, either by flying or walking. Do I just need to give him more time? I believe I did mention that he only recently started stepping up onto my hand in his cage in order for him to come out, so I guess that's at least a step in the right direction. Anyway, any and all advice/commentary is appreciated. Thanks!