new bord owner please help!!

[adiita_11]

Okay i recently got a lovebird, my aunt gave him to me, it is a blue masked lovebird very beautiful! My aunt didnt do a great job caring for it and i think hes afraid of me :(. Sometimes when i get close he flys around like crazy to the other side of the cage. I bought him new toys and a warm hanging hut to sleep in, but hes not using any of the toys not even the bed! What can i do for him to trust me? or use the toys and bed i got him??

[linda040899]

Hi and welcome to Lovebirds Plus Community! If you are looking for help, we are here for you!

Put yourself in your new Lovebird's place. He's in a new environment and everything is completely unfamiliar. Think of how you would feel if you were away from home in a strange place. Automatic emotion is fear and that's the case with your new bird. He needs time to adjust to the changes and to learn to trust you. Parrots learn by experience. You know you will not hurt him but he needs to experience the fact that you are kind and gentle and don't intend to eat him for breakfast. Remember, also, that birds in the wild are prey.

Right now, the best thing you can do is approach his cage slowly. Talk softly to him. Sudden quick movements elicit fear, as will loud noises. Sit by his cage and just be near him. Lovebirds are naturally curious and you will soon catch his interest and he will venture closer to check you out. If you eat by his cage, lovebirds are also social eaters. Put his food dish near where you are and he will probably eat his food while you eat yours.

He's not played with toys because he probably doesn't know what they are. Ditto with new food. If he's not familiar with it, it's not recognized as edible.

The solution right now is love, kindness and patience. What you want is a trust relationship and that takes time. There are no shortcuts, even though there are websites that will tell you differently.

Good luck with your new companion and let us know how he is doing.

[adiita_11]

I just ate breakfast with him and your right he ate at the same time i did, thank you now i know i just have to be careful and gentle !! i just hope he sleeps in his bed soon! But thanks again for the help! :D

[linda040899]

i just hope he sleeps in his bed soon!
Not all lovebirds like to sleep in beds. Some will sleep on top of the and still others have other favorite places. I have some that find that spot is their food dish! If you find he sleeps holding onto the bars of the cage in one particular place, try putting a perch in that area.

One caution I'm going to throw out is that if your lovebird happens to be a female, happy huts and other enclosed sleeping areas will eventually be viewed at potential nesting places when a hen decides it's time to start a family, even if there is no mate around. Humans can be viewed as mates and you will find you have to be careful how you handle your lovebird should that happen. Parrots have sexual sides to their personalities and we've all seen it with our own birds. :)