I think my lovebird hates me!

[Emmalouise]

Hello,

I am a new lovebird owner. I have a peached faced lovebird, which I got at around 12 weeks, and the black has just gone from his beak.

When we first got him, I would just put my hand into his cage and pick him up and put him in my jacket. Then one day, he just flipped. I cannot get near him, he stays in his cage, even when I leave the door open he is not interested in coming out, and I have tried sitting near his cage when I get home from work, and just watching tv or playing on the computer near him, so I am not concentrating on him but still he hides in his hanging basket the whole time I am close to him. If I walk past his cage he quickly runs and hids into his basket.

I keep him in a quiet room, over night, with good routine. He is already tucked away in bed by 6pm, so I take his cage into the spare room, leave it for 5 mins, then quietly put the cover over and close the door. He stays like this until 6am where I will remove his cage from the spare room and put him into the common room, near a window and he will be happy to see me, sings, and then I leave for work around 7am. By the time I get home he is feral. Won't sing to me, or wants anything to do with me. I'm heart broken and thinking of giving him away to this lady who takes in birds and has beautiful aviaries as he just seems miserable when I am around. He's bit me a few times when picking him up previously so now I am just leaving him alone, which is not what I bargained for when getting a lovebird. A few days ago when I opened his cage, he stood there flapping his wings. I took this has a 'get out of my space' reaction. He wasn't trying to fly, he just stood there flapping his wings at me.

He seems to really favour one foot, and doesnt use it much at all. I took him to a avain vet who said that his foot was fine but he had a horrific wing clip and this could be affecting him a lot and that I should let it grow back. But still he seems to hop around and use his 'good' foot as much as possible. It's weird.

It makes me so sad and frustrated too. I think he hates me and maybe I should give him away where he could be happier.

Any help or advice welcomed. I dont want to give up on him. I love him and think he is really smart.

I have had him for 3 weeks now.

[michael]

Hello,

I am a new lovebird owner. I have a peached faced lovebird, which I got at around 12 weeks, and the black has just gone from his beak.

When we first got him, I would just put my hand into his cage and pick him up and put him in my jacket. Then one day, he just flipped. I cannot get near him, he stays in his cage, even when I leave the door open he is not interested in coming out, and I have tried sitting near his cage when I get home from work, and just watching tv or playing on the computer near him, so I am not concentrating on him but still he hides in his hanging basket the whole time I am close to him. If I walk past his cage he quickly runs and hids into his basket.

I keep him in a quiet room, over night, with good routine. He is already tucked away in bed by 6pm, so I take his cage into the spare room, leave it for 5 mins, then quietly put the cover over and close the door. He stays like this until 6am where I will remove his cage from the spare room and put him into the common room, near a window and he will be happy to see me, sings, and then I leave for work around 7am. By the time I get home he is feral. Won't sing to me, or wants anything to do with me. I'm heart broken and thinking of giving him away to this lady who takes in birds and has beautiful aviaries as he just seems miserable when I am around. He's bit me a few times when picking him up previously so now I am just leaving him alone, which is not what I bargained for when getting a lovebird. A few days ago when I opened his cage, he stood there flapping his wings. I took this has a 'get out of my space' reaction. He wasn't trying to fly, he just stood there flapping his wings at me.

He seems to really favour one foot, and doesnt use it much at all. I took him to a avain vet who said that his foot was fine but he had a horrific wing clip and this could be affecting him a lot and that I should let it grow back. But still he seems to hop around and use his 'good' foot as much as possible. It's weird.

It makes me so sad and frustrated too. I think he hates me and maybe I should give him away where he could be happier.

Any help or advice welcomed. I dont want to give up on him. I love him and think he is really smart.

I have had him for 3 weeks now.

Hello Emmalouise. .. Appears what you have on your hands is not a lovebird who hates you in anyway, but a lovebird who's adult hormones have just kicked in for very the first time. This is normal behavior, especially in females who's primary instincts are to establish a nesting site, then hopefully breed, whether you like it or not. I emphasized "especially females" because generally, but not always, males, for reasons such as their lack of egg production and other such reproductive differences, tend to be a bit kinder because they have less to worry about. (sorry guys) Can this wanton behavior be overcome? To a certain extent, yes, however, first of all, much will depend on how willing you are in applying reasonable expectations to that which is normal lovebird behavior. Second, how much time your willing to invest in building a trusting relationship despite your shortcomings. And third, your willingness to accept that which you might have little control over. .. Have you tried removing the hanging basket? I know, that sounds mean, but him or her feeling as though it needs be protected at all times could be the primary source of stress. Might be worth a try, if anything, at least during the day.

Hopefully others can chime in here. ....:)

(See also our "Biters not so anonymous" thread)

[linda040899]

Hi and welcome to Lovebirds Plus Community!

You've only had him/her for 3 weeks and it can take months to establish a trust relationship with any parrot! You know you don't intend to hurt him or eat him for breakfast but he has to learn that by actual first hand experience. He needs to experience you first hand by you being near/around his cage as much as possible during daylight hours. If you eat, sit near his cage while you do it. Lovebirds are very social and what you are eating will eventually catch his attention. If you have a food dish on the same side of his cage, he will most likely join in and eat with you.

The appearance of a good foot and a bad foot could easily go back to a bad wing clip. Flight feathers help with balance and it could be he's moving around the only way he can. I would let the wing clip grow out (could take up to 6 months) and then have it done properly if you choose to do so. A good wing clip is both wings, starting with the first 3-4 primaries and then adjusting to how well you want him to move around. He should always be able to glide to the floor. Landing with a thump is totally unacceptable.

[Jules]

Hello Emmalouise. .. Appears what you have on your hands is not a lovebird who hates you in anyway, but a lovebird who's adult hormones have just kicked in for very the first time. This is normal behavior, especially in females who's primary instincts are to establish a nesting site, then hopefully breed, whether you like it or not. I emphasized "especially females" because generally, but not always, males, for reasons such as their lack of egg production and other such reproductive differences, tend to be a bit kinder because they have less to worry about. (sorry guys) Can this wanton behavior be overcome? To a certain extent, yes, however, first of all, much will depend on how willing you are in applying reasonable expectations to that which is normal lovebird behavior. Second, how much time your willing to invest in building a trusting relationship despite your shortcomings. And third, your willingness to accept that which you might have little control over. .. Have you tried removing the hanging basket? I know, that sounds mean, but him or her feeling as though it needs be protected at all times could be the primary source of stress. Might be worth a try, if anything, at least during the day.

Hopefully others can chime in here. ....:)

(See also our "Biters not so anonymous" thread)

Unfortunately people buy birds without knowing about them. Training even with a dog who is domesticated takes months to do. A little parrot is frightened with our big hands and needs to know it will be safe with us. This takes months to accomplish. You have to earn his/her trust. Remember that. Everyday at least four or five times go in offering them millet, talk to them. After he starts eating from your hand then teach him to step up either on your arm or a perch similar to the one in his cage, something he's familiar with. As I said this takes a long time, if you aren't willing to do this, the bird will never trust you and always be afraid. Take it slow... Today people expect things to happen right now, birds do not. yes there are desensitizing things you can do, but it just makes the bird give up and you lose their spirit. So never force anything on your bird, ever. Again take it slow....