Happy New year Everyone :) little question, What to do about fear of hands??

[Joe]

Hello Everyone,


Happy New Year! I hope you all celebrating in style.

I am just having a quiet one at home with my lovebird haha.

I was wondering if I could pick your brains, My new little lovebird is extremely scared of hands, I get the feeling shes been picked up hurt to many times or possibly squeezed by previous owners. Shes very happy with lots of kisses, sitting on my shoulders, and sometimes, she does eat millet seeds from my hand - but very nervously :roll:. However she does absolutely hate it when I approach her with my hands, she actually poos herself every time. I was her to understand that im not going to hurt her. I was wondering if there was any tips, or any previous things that have worked for you in the past.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you everyone :)

[Iosevus]

This sounds a lot like how my Mooches was at first. He had no problem climbing on me, snuggled under my chin a lot and hanging out on my shoulders. My hands were scary things though.. at first, I couldn't even get him to step up on my fingers. He eventually started to accept my hands only as a quick ride since his wings were initially clipped.

Over the course of the next few months I would slowly give him more "hand exposure". When he would snuggle under my chin, I would rest my hand next to him, sometimes I would sneak my hand closer an risk a quick head scritch, which he would quickly realize and run from. I did this kind of thing a lot.. eventually one day, I actually got him to accept the head scritches for a moment and he quickly realized that it was wonderful.

Now, I can't get him off my hands. Trying to make a sandwich with him around is impossible and half the time I try and type he's hanging on my fingers.
Though as others will point out, no Lovebird is the same. Yours may never like hands, but the only real road is patience, time and gentle persistence.

[Joe]

Omg hes so cute! he looks like he has a happy life haha all the pictures are so cute! I will keep trying then and try to include a head scratch too. thanks for your reply :)

Heres a little picture of grace running away from my hands haha

https://s23.postimg.org/re6uo1bgb/IMG_8705.jpg