I could kind of use some input..

[lalalittlelovebird]

I can't believe it has been almost five months since I'd last been on here.

I want to let everyone know (from my last post) that I'm pretty sure Echo did have a stroke and no he's not really gotten better.

On the brightside he doesn't seem miserable, he's just a little crooked and he can't really fly. He just turns and crashes when he tries. But like I said other than that he doesn't seem too bad off.

On the downside I feel as though things have been kind of backsliding in terms of taming and whatnot. He doesn't come out anymore. Even when I leave the door of his cage open all day. He doesn't play with any toys that I give him (he never really has) and he sits in his cage and will talk at me and I'll talk to him from across the room.

I swear he's lucky he's so darn cute. But other than that there is no interaction with us. Sometimes I feel like I should have waited when I was getting a lovebird, until I had gotten one from a breeder. But the lovebird bug had bitten me bad and I got one of the first ones I had seen. Sometimes I even get the feeling that I want to find him a new home. But then again I don't. I do love him and his quirks and I wouldn't trust anyone else to take care of him. I just can't do it.

I've had him for over a year now, and if there have been slight changes from when I first got him. Also, according to his leg band he's thirteen, and it really makes me wonder if he'll change at all. I just guess I wonder if any of you have had your doubts as being a lovie parent? And, if so how did you deal?

[linda040899]

If Echo is 13, a stroke is quite possible. I've had that happen with much younger birds! The fact that he's not really stable when he flies could be the reason he doesn't come out of his cage anymore. Security is inside for him. Age could also be responsible for lack of playing. I have a number of senior citizens and I find this to be true.

Being a breeder, sometimes I've wondered if I have just too many and if I should rehome a few. Then I think about the quality of other people out there and I'm afraid that I'd make a bad choice and my birds would not have the same care that they have here. Here, they have clean water and food everyday, regardless. I will always make sure of that!

I'm wondering what kind of reaction you would get if you initiated a little more contact between the two of you.

[michael]

I have a lovebird, whom like Echo, suffered a stroke. Matter of fact, two of them. Both were spinal strokes robbing him of not only flight, but leg movement. Two years later, while he is yet unable to fly, he can at least navigate quite well via foot. . Right now i'm very tired, and would love to share more. I will tell you though, Echo needs you. Maybe if you can, in the morning just reach in and pick him up. If he bites, let him know its ok.

[lalalittlelovebird]

Thankyou both for replying!

I've decided instead of waiting for him to come out on his own, to start making him come out and sit on his play stand beside, once he gets on it he usually just sits there, but at least he's out of his cage and closer to me.

Also Michael, Echo doesn't bite. He's the exact opposite of agressive. He'd much rather just run away.

The one thing I do know is that when he is out, even if it involves following him around for a bit, he does step up on my hand. And he usually sits there pretty well until I can get him to either his cage or his stand. But that's about it for contact between the two of us.

[linda040899]

I think Michael's suggestion is an excellent one. Once Echo sees that you mean him no harm, I have a feeling you may be asking for some time alone...... :) Lovebirds are very social so let us know what happens.

[lalalittlelovebird]

I'll really be working on things with echo for the next few weeks, I'll try and give an update at least once a week if not more often.

[lalalittlelovebird]

Update:

The first few days after getting your advice I did do what you said, I'd grab him. And like normal he didnt bite, but I realized something. Whereas this does work and he will generally step up after a few minutes of following around the room or his cage it's just too stressful and does not give me the reaction I want at all.

Seeing as it has been a year he is pretty used to me all things considered but I don't consider him tame. Not really, anyway. So I've taken up to going back to the root of the thing. Last year when I had gotten him I did try the whole millet trust thing, it hadn't worked and soon after I got frustrated and gave up. So I've been doing a variety of things, I slowly kind of weaned myself of the grabbing and/or chasing him around his cage to force him to come out, and have been trying the millet thing again.

After quite a short bit of time in my opinion there has been some improvement. I've been holding the millet at the very tip of one end and keeping my hand in his cage leaving the other end near his favorite sitting areas. And, finally, I had some improvement, after about a week of him just not wanting to go close to it, I would wait until he calmed down and sat up there not too far from it instead of running away and would pull it out. Sometimes I even did it twice a day. The past two days I'm very happy to report he has actually (after a few minutes for him to calm down) started to eat off of it, I let him eat it for a few minutes and then removed it. I'm hoping things keep getting better and I assure you I will try my hardest to update!