Can a tamed lovebird help balance an untamed lovebird? Please help!

[LovelyLovie1]

Ok so I have 2 beautiful lovebirds. A black mask @ a peach faced. They are 2 pet shop bought lovies and neither of the 2 trust me. I've had them for about 5 weeks now. Wings clipped and all and nothing I do works. I've tried it all. I've spend countless hours with them and anytime I even look in their direction, they fly to the highest corner of their cage with fear that I may harm them. So I was thinking that perhaps a younger, hand fed lovie can help do the trick. I know in the dog kingdom, a well balanced canine can assist with the rehabilitation of a dog who is insecure and a complete mess. So I was wondering if anyone here can give me some advice. Will it be a bad move having a 3rd beak added to the mix, assuming this 3rd love is not a pet shop bought, but from a breeder who has his flock well tamed and used to the human hand? Any advise is appreciated. Thank you.

[JohnUK]

A third lovebird is unlikely to help tame your existing two. Five weeks is such a short time for a lasting and trusting relationship to be formed. Patience!

There are quite a few forum threads about 'taming' lovebirds. Perhaps have a browse see if any info' in them helps?

[Jally]

In my experience, it does help a little. But, you really need to get that 3rd lovebird for YOU, not for the other 2. What if it doesn't work? Then you will have 3 lovebirds, 2 not tame and 1 that will be clinging to you. Will you be able to handle that? It is hard work having 1 lovebird that is so dependent on you while there are other lovebirds in the house, playing independently.

Also in my experience, blackmasked lovies are harder to tame and that lovie may be hindering the peachfaced lovie from having a relationship with you. When it comes to pairs, if 1 lovie is more skittish, the other lovie tends to have some trust issues as well.

I have 5 lovies and only 2 that I can actually handle and love on. I'm OK with that, because I don't think I could handle having all 5 climbing all over me and wanting my immediate attention all the time. That would be exhausting! :omg:

My advice, you can take it or leave it, is to just let them be. Accept them for who they are, love them from a distance, make sure they have what they need in the form of toys and food, and the rest will eventually come naturally. If they are young pet shop birds, they will have many more years to become more trusting of you.

[Caroljean]

I am new to this forum and would like more info on this also. I have two that are untamed (not mates) and the new one I am getting is a tamed baby. I have seen videos on YouTube showing tamed lovebirds teaching an untamed lovebird to trust the human. Need advice on putting them together or caging them separately also.

[longobongo]

You should definitely not throw all three of them in a cage together. If your current two are in a cage together, getting along fine, that's okay. You should keep the baby in a separate cage, however. Personally, I think it could go either way. The baby could show the other two that you are a trustworthy person, or the two untamed lovebirds might never be interested in being "tamed." Also, in my experience, even babies who are hand-fed are not necessarily the most trusting at first. They're still shy and nervous and scared sometimes. It takes a lot of work establishing a relationship with a bird, even a hand-fed baby.

[Caroljean]

Good advice. Thanks. I bought a third cage for the new baby so hopefully he will bond with me instead of the other two. I will be working with them individually so hopefully they will learn to trust me.