new lovie, scurrrrd!

[unbreakable]

I have finally received my new lovebird. The breeder said that it was handfed. I posted some pics in the photo gallery, and some guessed it was around 3 months old. I recently added a love bird tent for it to sleep in cause when i uncovered the cage yesterday morning it was clinging to the side of the cage. When i come home from work, i sit on my bed ( the cage is close ) and talk to it, sing to it sometimes, and just watch tv or play on the laptop. Anytime i go to change it's food / water or added the tent.. It cherps really loud and tries to run thru the other side of the cage.:x I dont really think it's been held all that often or even socialized with other people or birds. Anything i can do beside just talk to it when i come home? I have left the cage door open once, it looked out and flew of the tv stand and looked around once. With it being so young I know there's not a lot i can do till trust and a bond... Anything I can do in the mean time?

Thanks!

[michael]

Sounds like your doing just fine. Patience is key. How did you manage to return him to his cage? Are his wings clipped? Any chance at stepping up? How bout offering or leaving a treat? ............:)

[unbreakable]

I carefully picked'em up. it wouldn't bite me, nor step up. It doesn't want nothing to do with treats and me lol. Once I had'em i held'em close to me a then put my hand near the cage and it jump right on in.

wings are clipped, but it can get a good flight range if it's up high, and have a soft landing. if it flies out I try to catch it by habbit, so it doesn't hurt itself. It has sat on my shoulder once, but flew to it's cage and played on top of it hopping around. I have tomorrow off. Anything I can try while i have the whole day with it?

[starwynde]

It sounds like you are on the right track. As your lovie can fly, you might consider clipping his wings (as long as it doesn't put him in danger) which will make him less flighty and more apt to step up (at least in my experience). As Michael said, though, patience is the key. Continue spending time next to his cage so he learns you aren't a threat and work on step ups with a small dowel to get him used to the idea. The feeling you get the first time he hops up on your finger by himself is amazing... and eventually your problem will not be getting him out of the cage, but getting him off you and back into the cage when you need to leave!

Something to note, hand-fed does not mean hand-raised. A lot of breeders will hand feed to make sure all the chicks are taken care of and momma bird doesn't stress out. But by that token, breeders don't always have the time to handle and socialize the chicks so they are comfortable around hands by the time they go to their new homes.

[unbreakable]

Ok, thank you all for the helpful advice. Would it be too much if i left the cage door open while i was in the room and see what they will do? I've had a lovebird once, and she would fly to me and move my spoon out of the way so she could chew on some veggies. And eat some apples.:lol

[unbreakable]

Just an update. I am working with her some, she still really scared of me. I left the cage door open and just sat on the bed and let'em come out. I played the couple of videos you posted with the bird talking and she went nuts started flying over, and talking. I did manage to get her to step up on my finger couple of times. But she really had no intrest. Anything i can do more? I do not want to force her, or anything like that. Plus i give her breaks and let her do her own thing in her cage. Which is mostly nap.

[unbreakable]

Update,

I bought my little lovebird a tent for her to sleep in, and now i cannot seem to get her out! Anytime i open the cage, she dives for it. I think it's made things little worse? I am still talking with her everynight when i get home from work, and also getting her out on my days off, but she still fights and flights from me. Even treats lol she still doubts me..

Anything else i can do to help gain her trust?

Thanks all!!

Unbreakable.

[starwynde]

Three months is still really young as far as lovies go, and the tent is replacing her flock mates that she used to cuddle with (and giving her a place to hide from the big scary hand). I would try being a little more assertive with her, putting your hand near the cage, and being closer to the cage while still talking and whistling to her, so she gets to know that you aren't a threat.

I have yet to meet a lovebird who doesn't do backflips for spray millet, so you might want to try showing it to her, and putting a small amount in a treat dish for her in her cage. Do that every day, and she will soon equate you with "good stuff." If you are consistent with this she will know the millet when she sees it coming (my Gem goes bananas as soon as he hears the bag opening...) you can start putting the millet in your hand and letting her come to you that way.

It takes time and patience, but she will come around. My first lovebird bonded with my right away (he was 14 weeks old and quite the lover)... my second one, hated my guts for the first few months I had him (he was about 6 months old from a pet store that open bins for their lovebird; I went through a ton of Neosporin and band aids). I got Gem at 4 weeks old (mom had 6 chicks and Gem was the smallest so the breeder taught me to hand feed and let me have him) as far as Gem is concerned, either he's a human or I'm a bird, one of the two. Every bird has a different personality and his it's own schedule for adjusting. But keep us posted

[unbreakable]

I'm a fourm junky! So no worries there! I will continue to work with her and see what i can do.

Thanks for all the replys!

[michael]

Update,

I bought my little lovebird a tent for her to sleep in, and now i cannot seem to get her out! Anytime i open the cage, she dives for it. I think it's made things little worse? ............

Anything else i can do to help gain her trust?

Try removing the tent. Whether she's a female or male lovebird, protecting a prospective nesting site/mate is more important than interacting with you. .. Just be sure his/her environment is free from cold drafts or temps below 70 degrees F.

[unbreakable]

I removed it from the cage.. I believe it went on strike lol. I took it out tonight and away from it's cage. It seemed to stick to me a little more than normal, I walked around my house and did some chores ( picked up clothes, washed some dishes ) . Seemed to hang on and just look around ( mainly a way off me lol ) But it is getting better little bit by little bit.

Thank you all for you're replys. I will keep up to date on it and post some progression pics!