A Lovebird just flew into my home! Help

[Angelical7]

Hello all, this morning I found a masked lovebird sitting on my aircon unit! Have no idea where it came from but I already have many birds so I'm experienced and managed to catch it. I know live bird sexing and age guessing is very difficult but if anyone could give me any ideas I would really appreciate. This bird has light grey under feathers and is of good size, not had trained but doesn't bite. I'm trying to work out I she's very old? A little? I am pretty sure this is not a young bird. I will be giving her a loving home either way but would love to know. I have a feeling she may have got out of an aviary as her beach seems to have some beak fighting marks along with some scars on her feet and a few feathers missing on her head. Thanks

[linda040899]

Hi and welcome to Lovebirds Plus Community!

One lucky lovebird has picked a good new human slave! If you can share a couple of photos of her, we can tell you more about her. We don't allow uploading to the site from your computer so you will have to put photos on an online storage site and copy/paste links here. :)

[Angelical7]

Hi and thanks for your reply, could you recommend a storage site please as I have never used one before so I can put up some photos please

[Angelical7]

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg561/Angelical7/imagejpg1_zps10c02395.jpg
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg561/Angelical7/imagejpg3_zpsfd4a7ebc.jpg
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg561/Angelical7/imagejpg1_zps10c02395.jpg

She or he has a few whitish greyish feathers on her head, you can see one slightly sticking up in the photo, I checked the pelvic bones and they are barely the width of my finger apart, boy? Tail feathers are squared more than rounded?

[Bubblelady]

One clue may be the lack of biting. Suggests...not certain but suggests...male. Lovie hens are notorious biters, especially if not socialized. Lucky bird. Thanks for giving him a home.

[Angelical7]

Hi thanks for your message, I'm thinking male too as I understand the pelvic bones are wider on a female and he only bites when I take him out basically to let me know he doesn't want to be caught but that just tells me he was never handled, I can surely say this bird flew into the right home, I am well known for the luxury way in which my animals live :0) I went straight out and bought him a new large cage too. Any ideas on age? I know it's nearly impossible to tell after they get passed the first most usually but any ideas at all? Could the little light colored feathers on he's head be a sign of old age or a young bird? Very interested to get even a roughy estimate, I also noticed his beak is pale toward the cere, could this mean he's younger or do the red beaked species usually have this anyways?

[Bubblelady]

Also, do you currently have birds? If so, are you QTing him? Even if you don't have birds now, I would strongly recommend a vet check with a CAV. But you probably already know that. Just wanting to be sure. :)

[Angelical7]

Yes I am quarantining thank you for caring to mention that as other members will also be informed about quarantining through your message. I took another photo from the other side, I'll try to get a photo of the whitish feathers on his head tomorrow. I would like to take him to the vet but they're are no avian vets here, just regular vets will general avian training, I usually know more than the vet when it comes to birds unfortunately. I'm pretty sure he's healthy apart from the classic aviary kept bird signs such as beak nipping, old scars on the toes etc. in the below photo please do not take notice of the dark mark on his beak, it's just dirt he managed to get on it while rubbing his beak.
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg561/Angelical7/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsbc1adc2d.jpg

[Angelical7]

No ideas as to age? I still see scattered whitish 'fluff' feathers in his/her coat. Also the pelvic bones are 1cm apart?

[linda040899]

Based on eye shape, my guess on gender is female. In eye-ring species of lovebird, eye shape can be a clue. This is how I select birds that are not DNA sexed for my own breeding stock when I needed them. Your new lovebird is a Green Masked and it looks like she had a hard time where ever she came from. Sounds like she's getting new feathers, too.

Age-wise, after 6 months, it's anyone's guess. Older adults normally have much prettier feathering than their younger counterparts so let's see what her feathers look like once she goes through a molt.

If nothing else, she's a nice looking bird, even though she's in rough shape and she's lucky to have found you!

[akki]

Awww what a pretty bird!!! I don't know much about masked, sorry I am not much of a help. But thanks for giving home to this poor fellow!!

[Angelical7]

Hi and thanks for your reply, extremely informative, is there anything I can do for the beak? Or will it get better with time? The pelvic bone has a 1cm gap, could that be a sign of the female gender too?

[linda040899]

There's really not much you can do for the beak, unless you want to put a thin layer of coconut oil or olive oil on it. Beaks grow from the nostrils (cere) down so the damage will grow down and she will file it off the tip of the beak when she cleans it. It will probably take about 6-7 months and you will see what she really looks like. Green Masks are stunning and I don't see any obvious indications that she's the product of hybridization (Masked x Fischer's).

The Masked species tend to be a bit more shy and flighty than Peachfaced but they make absolutely adorable pets, nonetheless. When you feed her, make sure her seed mixture contains sunflower seed. Lovebirds are native to Africa and African species need more fat in their diets than parrots from other locations around the globe. Many of us will feed pellets but, per my avian vet, more than 20% pellets is too much nutrition for all small parrots and it can eventually cause death by kidney damage. I feed a varied diet. I use a good seed mix, lots of fresh food and about 10% pellets.

[Angelical7]

Brilliant info thank you! Can you give me any tips on how to tame her? I'm doing the usual sit by the cage, holding my hand bear her without moving etc but she just sticks to the corner and bites at the bars, she was obviously never ever handle and I think the only human contact he had may have been something grabbing her etc. right she now she won't touch anything other than seed but I'll be persistent and see what happens. Is romaine lettuce good for her? By the way when looking her over for any injuries I noticed her rear end is quite large? Could this be from egg laying?

[linda040899]

By the way when looking her over for any injuries I noticed her rear end is quite large? Could this be from egg laying?
This could be due to a number of things, including being in laying condition. Can you share any photos of this area? Side view that shows under the tail profile might shed some light on what you are seeing. It's also possible that she's been overbred amd the muscles in that area have been overstretched. Make sure she's getting extra calcium, even if you have to shave cuttle bone over her food.

Chances are she's never been exposed to anything other than seed so she doesn't realize anything else is edible. All you can do is keep offering different kinds of food and try different shapes/sizes. Many lovebirds love fresh carrot but will only eat it shredded. Try sitting next to her cage and eating your meals. Lovebirds are social birds and if you are eating something, it shouldn't be too long before she's interested in what you are doing. Hang a food dish near where you are so she can join in the eating if she wants to. Remember, she doesn't know she's safe and she needs to learn that through experience with you. There are several bird "behaviorists" who suggest desentization but That never takes the place of earning their trust. I'm going through this same process with a newly acquired Green Cheek Conure and I'm beginning to make some progress. He finally realizes that I don't intend to make him my next meal!

[Angelical7]

I'll try to get a photo of her rear end soon but I'm a little stumped at how to approach her right now because every time I go near her cage she climbs to a corner and aggressively bites at the bars, I don't want to stress her as she's obviously hasn't had a loving previous home. Should I leave her to settle more or should I let her out and just see what she would like to do herself? Allow her to to roam a little? Any advice would be much appreciated. It's extremely obvious she's petrified of humans so I'm wondering if she'll ever be tame. I love her regardless but would love some tips on what to do with a terrified scatty 'Let me out!' personality!

P.s. She's not inquisitive or curious about anything whatsoever at the moment, just want to sit in the same place and attack the bars anytime I get close

[Angelical7]

Ok so a teeny bit of progress! I got her out of the cage (with a fight!) sat her on the floor and just sat together for a while, I managed to get her use to a stick so I got her to stand up on the stick quite a few times then I managed to get her to let me rub her beak and she bit my finger extremely softly like a love kind of bite! I put her back in her cage while she was standing on the stick and she stepped up to a perch. She went straight back to climbing the bard to get away but still allowed me to touch her with the stick so I think this is good progress, I think I'll continue with the stick until she loses some of the panic scattyness then I'll work more with my hands when I think she's lost some of the fear. What do you all think? Good progress? :0)

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

Awww... you are so sweet to worry. The poor thing is probably still adjusting from being in a battle situation (from the beak scarring) to being free and loose to being in a cage with someone she's never seen before and no idea what crazy thing could happen next.

I guess at this point all you can do is give her space to feel safe. Does she have any toys in the cage she can hide behind? I would probably just leave her alone for now and only just keep cleaning the food and water. Talk to her through the cage bars and probably always tell her or give a same signal each time when I was going in to change food & water.

Does she talk to your other birds?

[Angelical7]

I bought her a new large cage, added a you and a swing but there was no selection if toys at the time in the store so I'll be going to a few other stores ASAP to get some more, I did notice she needs a hidey place but after trying a towel over one side of the cage I took it off because she just got more freaked out. She is so sweet really! I understand how scared she is so I'm working slowly with her, I have tons of experience with birds and I have everything from an African grey to lovebirds cockatiels etc but I've never acquired one as a older bird so this is much more difficult! Yes he talks to my budges but when I put her near them she spends hours working out the bars to get to them so I moved her to get more uses to us and less reliant on the other birds company as I'm sure she was in an aviary!

I feel sad for her but happy because she's in the right place now! He does seen to like the honey seed stick I put in so we will see how she goes.

Ha anyone got any ideas of how I can create a DIY hidey place for her???

[linda040899]

Be careful with "hidey" places, especially since I think you potentially have a hen! Dark, secluded places encourage nesting and that's the last thing you want right now. Unfortunately, as much as you might want to introduce her to the rest of your flock for companionship, you don't know anything about her so minimum 30 quarantine is mandatory, for the protection of your other birds. Yes. She misses the companionship of the birds where she came from but her life is about to get better.

Many parrots LOVE beak rubs, as it feels good. If she was opposed to what you were doing, a hard bite would have been your reward. She was letting you know she liked it but wasn't comfortable with it quite yet. Keep working on it with her.

She wants out of her cage because she doesn't consider it the home from where she came. She wants out so she can look for what she considers to be her home. You can let her out if it can be done safely and work with her using the perch rather than your hands. A lot of parrots have a fear of human hands but will step up onto a perch.

[Angelical7]

Great advice, she is quarantined, the only time she was near my flock was when she was flying around my living room and when I got her into a cage, I first placed her bear my flock as I was still in shock from having her fly in, I quickly moved her. She's now well away from the others. I am only letting her out in my guest bathroom so she's more confined to get use to me!

[carrier]

I love these stories, especially when it happens to a bird-person!! What a lucky little masked lovebird to have found you.

She's adorable and I'm sure loving her new life right now, especially if she was being picked on by other lovies before. :happy::happy:

[Angelical7]

Oh I love these kinds of stories too and am always being told stories of budgies flying into people's homes but never imagined it would happen to me and sure didn't think it would be a masked lovie! Although I have to say I always thought it would be a lovely thing if it were to happen but thought it was like winning the lottery lol, well in my books I have won the the lottery with my new addition to the flock :0) she is definitely in the right place, just need to get her to understand that!

Today she is a little less jumpy, but still sticking to the same place on one of the perches and not interested in any of the numerous colourful and mirrored toys I've put in, hasn't bothered trying out the ladder and hasn't nibbled the cuttlebone either! Have offered her some sunflower seeds but it's like she doesn't even know how to eat them and she is turning her beak up at anything other than seed so we have some work to do slowly slowly....

[Angelical7]

Hi all, just wanted to update everyone. She is definitely one extra stressed jumpy lovie, after a couple days with me she started picking at the feathers on the top of one of her wings and a little on her chest, I noticed when she's stressed she wants to chew so I decided to provide her with stress busting toys she can chew pull and destroy if she wants too and leave her in her new cage until I see that this feather picking is stopping, she's not plucking just biting them off, the last few days she has started chirping much much more, jumping around the cage and exploring more and has chosen some favourite items to chew and pull on so I am not going to try to hand tame her until I see she is completely comfortable being here and in her new surroundings. She definitely is seeing a cuttlebone for the first time but slowly slowly is nipping it every now and then! She's eating and drinking really well but won't touch and fruit or veg and doesn't eat the black sunflower seeds (I put just a few in).

Fingers crossed she stops this biting her feathers, it's like she's frustrated but she seems to be slowly calming down...

[linda040899]

Providing her things that she can destroy/chew up should, hopefully, distract her from mutilating herself. She's frustrated, as well as frightened, and main thing on her mind right now is getting back to where she came from. Problem is that you don't know where that is......

Keep working with her and see where it leads you. It's a good plan to plan on not hand taming her. If she wants to go that route, she will communicate that to you. :)

Please continue to let us know how she's doing.

[Pips mom]

I'm always a big fan of trying as hard as you can to find the owners of a lost bird, but in this case, seeing as the bird is not tame at all, and seems to have scars. and been through alot, your home is probably the best place for him/her! How crazy this bird just flew right into your home! I would definitely take that as a sign!! The photos you've posted are great! This bird does not look very freaked out for a "just found" bird. If you really want the sex of this lovebird, you have to do the DNA test or just wait it out over time like I did and watch the behavior. Beautiful little lovie! The progress you've made already, sure sounds like he/she will become hand tame in time, and a part of the family/flock! Now what about a name?

[linda040899]

Considering condition when found, this lovie is definitely better off where he/she is now. Should the abuse have continued, the injuries could have been fatal. Enough was enough. Make this one a keeper for sure and just focus on making life better/happier! :)

[Angelical7]

Hi all and thanks for your replies, she definitely did not come from a place where she was being looking after, she wouldn't even perch for a good few days, like she'd never seen a perch! I have no way of finding where she came from as I'm on the fourth floor and she literally could have come from anywhere!

Well my parents have a tamed lovebird too so I'm just letting her relax and be happy at least until the quarantine period is over and then if I see she would just rather be with one of her own kind I may consider seeing if she'd be happier with my parents lovie but for now I'm keeping her.

She's still way too jumpy and terrified most of the time but I think the chirping and talking to herself is a good sign! I am nearly 100% sure the feather biting is stress as she's been in a let me out mode for a while. I got her quite a large cage so she definitely is NOT lacking space or toys! I think she needs time to be around humans, I noticed she's just generally scared of any movement near her cage so slowly slowly we can work on that. I still think I shouldn't take her out of the cage again for a while because it's just freaking her out even more!

Her name is Arap, it means Black, I called her this because of her black mask :)