Today I learned..

[Iosevus]

Fia will gladly step up on my finger when she wants on my shoulder, all other times bite. But it's only been 3 days, so I feel having her sit on my shoulder while I do various internet stuff is a win.. I just hope she isn't a member of the forever finger/hand hating club cause I wish to pet her little head... and snuggle.
Also learned she finds classical music, Sting and Hall & Oates soothing. Next I throw on some Bryan Adams.. Lovebirds should like love songs right? It's only logical.

[Iosevus]

Last night I was able to get her to take sunflower seeds from my fingertips without her biting, today when she was on top of her cage, she would still run, but she didn't bite and the times she does bite now, it's a lot softer.
When she makes it to the floor though, she will run right up to me for a lift to my shoulder. She's exploring all of my shoulders more and even trying to climb down the front of my shirt, she will get nippy if I reach up, but again much softer now. She's also a lot louder, especially in my ear.. I just hope it isn't too loud for the neighbors.

I think maybe I should start a blog on my lovebird progress instead of many many posts..

[Z28Taxman]

Sounds like you're making good progress.

[Iosevus]

Today is much the same, she is very hot and cold.. and demanding. On or in the cage is a no-no for any contact, she'll climb on top squawk at me and I'll know she wants on my shoulder, but she won't step up from the cage. Only after she fails to fly and is on the ground will she step up.. but if I try and make her step up on my other finger more then once, she gets annoyed and starts biting my fingers till she is on my shoulder. If beak grinding is contentment though, I have no problems, cause she sits on my shoulder grinding her beak, I guess as long as she gets her way. I think she's is still frustrated from being flightless.

Pictures of her in the link in my signature.

[Z28Taxman]

Ditto is a total Velcro bird and sleeps in my hand but he's usually not to crazy about me touching him in the cage either. I just open it up and he comes out on his own.

She's a little cutie and the fact that she is standing on your shoulder in the pic is good progress.

[Iosevus]

She will snuggle up to my face and let me do the same, but hands are a big no so far. Except when she is ready for a lift to my shoulder. Never going down though, she just chirps loud in my ear and I have to lower my shoulder to the cage so she can hop off.
She's gonna need to learn to take the finger-vator down too, my back can't take that everyday.

[Z28Taxman]

She will snuggle up to my face and let me do the same, but hands are a big no so far. Except when she is ready for a lift to my shoulder. Never going down though, she just chirps loud in my ear and I have to lower my shoulder to the cage so she can hop off.
She's gonna need to learn to take the finger-vator down too, my back can't take that everyday.

You could try just sitting with her on the couch and keep your hand still and see if she investigates it.

Ditto's favorite is when I lie down on the couch with my head on the armrest and I put my hand, palm up, right next to my face. He'll snuggle in like it's a nest and take a nap or more likely beg for his beak to be rubbed and his head scratched. I wouldn't try the rubbing and scratching until she's used to your hand though. moving fingers can be scary.

It might never happen but who knows, with time she just might figure you it's nice. You could also try putting her favorite snack in the palm of your hand and see what she does. Ditto will eat rocks if I hold them in my hand.

Ok I never actually tried anything inedible but he probably would. That's actually how I get him to eat new things that he won't touch in the cage. Put it in my hand and he loves it. Little spoiled brat. :whistle:

[longobongo]

I wouldn't get too discouraged about the no-hands thing right now. You've only had her a short time, and I think many lovebirds (even those that eventually LOVE hands) are nervous about hands at first. My own lovebird, Bailey, will not let anyone's hands near her except mine. Occasionally my boyfriend can get her out of the cage but only if I'm not there as an option.

If possible, you should try working with her in a room other than the room her cage is located in. Ultimately, her cage is her "safe zone," there is no place safer than her cage. However, in a room that she's not familiar with, with no cage in sight, you become the safest thing in the room. This is how I worked with Bailey when I first got her. Eventually, we worked our way up to taking a shower together, which is where she let me pet her head for the first time :) The rest is, well, history I guess. She is held and pet often, even through the bars of her cage she's shuffle over to receive head scritches. If she's not out of her cage, she's at least begging to be. Just give it time, Bailey is THE most hormonal hen, the bitchiest crankiest grumpiest, spoiled rotten, drama queen, the list goes on. I love her to pieces and with patience I've learned how to please her and how to keep my fingers safe ;)

[Iosevus]

I think she may have claimed my whole apt as hers, so there is no safe room. :P
She is very aggressive to hands though, like instead of walking by an unmoved hand, she takes a turn and attacks. She was being a bit of a brat today and bit my lip hard, so I put her back in the cage and ignored her for an hour.. then when I let her out again, she went after the hands.. So I spritzed her with a water bottle.. she turned into a gentle dove. I'm partially worried about maybe doing that too soon.. but I also figure the longer I let her get away with bad habits, the more likely they will stick.

[longobongo]

Everything I've read suggests that using the cage as "time out" when they are "bad" isn't effective. You might even be inadvertently encouraging the behaviour you're trying to curb. However, I've only read good things about the spray bottle set to "stream." I would say you're safe spraying her when she's bitey :)

[linda040899]

Parrots don't understand the concept of punishment and time outs in the cage can actually teach her to bite when she wants to go back to her cage, as that's what happens when she goes after your fingers, lip or whatever. Getting wet as soon as she bites shows her there's a reaction to what she just did and she may not like wet feathers at that particular moment.

[michael]

Everything I've read suggests that using the cage as "time out" when they are "bad" isn't effective. You might even be inadvertently encouraging the behaviour you're trying to curb. However, I've only read good things about the spray bottle set to "stream." I would say you're safe spraying her when she's bitey :)

Wasn't till joining this forum about 7 years ago did I ever hear about using "time outs" to help curb adverse behavior. Back then it seemed to be the norm, but then really, I think it was just hearsay. None the less, many people I know, including myself, have long since tried this method, much of which to no avail. .. While I agree the spray bottle does tend to be very effective, I must also caution that setting it to full stream can also do some harm. I know of at least one case where a bird suffered visual damage due to being hit with a jet stream of water, and yet another a rather nasty sinus infection. I've also witnessed birds going into a panic mode once hit with a full stream of water simply because their owner was attempting to quiet them down. .. Granted, if you must utilize a spray bottle, please use it with caution. Breaking up a serious squabble, or perhaps to discourage outright bitey behavior is one thing, but to use a spray bottle for punishment, or for that matter, any other purpose, should really be out of the question.

[Z28Taxman]

When Ditto first came here when he was just over a year old he was a typical "nippy" lovie. He used to belong to my girlfriend at the time and she'd give him no end of drama when he'd bite her. Pulling her hand back, yelling ouch, etc...

Ditto being the connoisseur of drama that he is was only encouraged by this.

How did I break him of this habit? While this might not be the answer for most it does work. I let him sit there and gnaw away on my finger without reaction until he realized I wasn't going to give him the show he wanted and he gave up. Then he got the show of me telling him what a good boy he is. Now he'll nibble on my fingers but won't bite and I praise him profusely.

Certainly that won't work for everyone and if the bites draw blood even I wouldn't try it but it did work for Ditto.