First time owner of 2 lovebirds needs some help!

[dustyexner]

Hi there

I am a first time owner of two lovebirds who came together. They were given to me and I was told that they were young (only a few months old) and came from a pet store together.

I have 2 issues/concerns:

#1 They have been in the same cage since I got them, which was at the beginning of June (so I haven't had them very long). A few weeks ago one of them (Dukat) started beating up the other one (Garak), and also keeping Garak away from his food (I don't actually know the sex of either bird but I think they're both males, because I was told that females will tear up strips of paper and put it in their tails and neither of them will do this with paper).

As a result Garak started getting pretty skinny so I took him to a bird vet. The vet suggested that I separate the birds into 2 cages but that I could still keep the cages next to each other. I have done this, but every time I take the birds out of the cage and let them chill on top of the cage, they immediately groom each other and cuddle up like they missed each other. I don't know if I should put them back together or not. I also want them to bond with me and my husband and I think it might be better to keep them separate in order to tame them? not really sure how to move forward.

#2. Since I got them I did as much online research as I could into proper care and training. They're not interested in food or treats at all and haven't seemed to get much tamer although I try to put my hand in their cage every day, talk to them, and most days I will take them out of the cage. I found it a little easier to work with them outside of the cage as I figure they don't like my hand invading their space. Now what I'm doing is grabbing them safely (they're getting a bit more used to being picked up this way and although they don't like it they're not AS skittish about it) and putting them outside the cage. Then I let them play around a bit, flutter about, and then i try to approach them.

I can grab them around back of their wings in order to get them in/out of the cage, and like I said, they seem to be getting a little more used to that. But I can't get them to step on a perch (they'll just jump over it or try to flutter away), and they aren't interested in treats (Although I got Dukat to once eat some seeds out of my cupped hand, although he seemed equally as interested in trying to bite my hand). The only thing that seems to work is if I try to pick up Dukat while he is outside the cage he'll fly up in the air (he can fly a few feet) and I can kind of force him to land on my hand/arm. Once he does, he's pretty chill and he will just sit there for a bit but Garak (whose wings seemed to be more clipped because he can only flutter and not fly at all) will not.

What's the best way to continue taming them and also how will having them together/separate affect the taming/training process? Are there any treats that work best? On the rare occasion I can get one of them to grab something from me they just seem to drop it, it's like they don't have a lot of dexterity with their beaks or something.

Any help would be appreciated

[Janie]

I bought 2 together, brothers that had been sexed so I was sure they were boys, and they were caged together and got along well. I worked with each one separately in a bathroom (I covered the mirror for safety) for weeks. For about 10 to 15 minutes at a time and usually 2 times a day. It takes time and patience but eventually mine were all over me! :happy: After a few weeks of individual training, I let them out together in the room where their cage was. My boys did squabble on occasion, but for the most part, they got along very well. Good luck with your loves!:)

[Tvank1]

I have a female/male bonded pair and was told they'd never get close to me. Not true. I agree with working with them for short periods often. I started feeding mine spray millet and gradually made them come to me. Sitting in the room reading so they got used to my voice helped. The tucking of material you speak of is a nesting instinct and a young female wouldn't do that until she is older and nests. I found with mine new food was scary to them. They were die hard seed eaters. But I'd offer 1 food constantly in different ways u til they'd eventually try it. Example. Sliced gala Apple rings(seeds cut out) hanging in the cage, then next day cut in matchsticks in a seed cup. . Eventually they decided apples were not going to kill them and were in fact delicious. Sky prefers matchsticks and Vi likes slices:rotfl:rotfl. But trying different ways of serving day after day worked with mine. I'm not too sure about the aggression. Mine squabble once in awhile, but love each other dearly. I think putting them in separate cages was a great suggestion. Good luck with your new friends. They will come around with time, patience and love.:)

[KiwiAndGuava]

Definitely try millet first, but if they don't like it, try using a seed mix. That's how got my birds to trust me. I put it on my palm (which was flat) and there is something in there they just go crazy for! Try getting them to eat out of your hand when it is flat, because it will be less threatening for them. Good luck! :)

[dustyexner]

Thanks guys, all good advice. Update: a friend suggested I take food out of the cage for a few hours and then put food in my hand in the cage as an incentive for them to interact with me. Over the past few weeks their separate personalities have really emerged. They have stopped fighting (must have just been a phase)

Right now Garak (who can't fly) is much more comfortable being grabbed by me and taken out of the cafe and will instinctively climb up my chest on to my shoulder, which he never did before! once on my shoulder he's really chill and i've been able to grab him and put him here and there, on the bed with us, etc. Problem is... he still isn't comfortable with my hands, unless I grab him he won't come to me and although he is comfortable being on my body and close to my face he's aversive to my hands - I'm not able to stroke or touch either bird in any way.

The other bird (Dukat) is able to fly more and isn't as friendly, in fact he's bitten me a few times. BUT he is more responsive to food and will happily eat seed out of my hand. He's less interested in me though, and whereas Garak will climb up me and seems to want to be on my shoulder, Dukat is only in it for the food.

So basically things are starting to progress but I still cant get either bird to step on a perch or be comfortable with my hands, although they seem to like being on my body. I would prefer not to have to keep forcing them in and out of the cage but I've tried pushing/tapping a perch/stick against their chests, and i've tried putting it on top of their feet, and I just can't get them to step up! Has anyone else had this problem?

I'm sure if I just keep working with them over time eventually they'll someday get used to hands but if anyone has any further advice about birds that run away/don't want to be touched by hands, let me know, thanks! Any other advice on how I can start getting them to respond to a perch is also appreciated!