New owner, need help to not over stress it.

[IIvalu]

Recently I have gotten myself a lovebird named Jacob. I got him from a pet store, I believe he is around 2-3 months old.

I’ve had him for 6 days now.
He is starting to get used to my voice, and I know the next step is placing my hand on the cage for around 10 minutes two times a day until he calms down completely and has no problems with it.

I’m just unsure when to begin doing that, and how I can not chicken out when he starts freaking out that I am touching his cage.

Would love some advice, thank you in advance. :)

[linda040899]

Hi and congratulations on your new lovebird!!!! Lovebirds can be a lot of fun and many turn into velcro birdies who feel they need to be attached to their "person/human slave" 24/7.......

Since you've only had him about 6 days, remember he's in a new situation. In the wild, birds are prey animals so he will have to learn that you mean him no harm by experience with you. Right now, he has no idea that you don't intend to make him your next meal! To build the trust relationship you want is going to take time. There are no short cuts, no tricks.

For now, if he chirps when you leave the room, call back to him (contact calls). Birds are social and that's how they keep in contact when one of a pair is out of sight. Your call lets him know you are still near, just not visible. Try sitting next to his cage while you eat. You may find he will check out what you are eating and he may also go to his dish to eat. When you feel comfortable, try putting your hand against the side of his cage. Yes, he will back away but he will also get used to it being there. Many birds hate human hands, so when you want to teach him to step up, offer a perch or a dowel.

These are just a few hints. I'm sure you will have lots of questions and feel free to ask. We will try to help as much as possible. If you can share a picture of Jacob, at least front view, we should be able to tell you if he's the age you were told. Pet shops are notorious for telling you what you want to hear, not necessarily the truth. To share photos here, upload your pictures to an online storage sight and then copy/paste the image URL here.

[IIvalu]

Thank you for answering!

I can’t really post a picture of Jacob sadly, since I’m on phone and I can’t transfer the pictures.
I have a question, I have a very big cage that has just been delivered while Jacob is in a small cage. It is done and I have set it up, I would just like to know if I should transfer him to the big cage or keep him in the small one. Mostly because I am scared it will get difficult to tame him.

And since the bowls are on the inside of the cage, so would it not scare him when I have to change the water and food?

I have been reading and talking to Jacob everyday since I got him, so would it be appropriate to move onto the next step of taming?

I’ll try and post a picture of Jacob :)

[linda040899]

Transferring photos from cell phones can be a bit difficult but here is how I do it. First I send the picture to my e-mail address. Once I have it in e-mail, I save it to my desktop and then upload it to an online storage. You can also have it in your photo gallery on your phone but I've not done it that way. We don't allow direct uploads because nasties can be buried in jpg files.

Moving Jacob to a new, larger cage is a good question. The only difference in taming is the amount of space he has. He probably feels more threatened in a smaller cage because he can only go so far. Larger would give him more room. Once he begins to realize you mean him no harm, size won't matter. Lovebirds are social and very curious. Having food/water dishes inside the cage will help him realize you put your hand in his cage because you are giving him something he needs. He may go to the far side of the cage but that's a normal reaction since he can't escape by flying away. Are his flight feathers clipped?

When you start just putting your hand in his cage just for short periods of time, I would wear something with long sleeves and hide your hand so all he sees is an arm. Many parrots just don't like hands for any reason but will react differently to an arm or a wooden perch. I have an African Grey who is wild caught (from Africa) and to this day, she will not step up. She will interact, take food from my fingers but my hands are evil!! That's her preference and I simply have to accept it. She has lived with me since 1991!

[IIvalu]

I just moved him today, he seems more happy :)
He has flown a few times and stayed in the air screaming at a swing I got him since it’s the only new thing, but he still seems happy.

I want to thank you for the tips and reassurance, I am completely new to this. I did a lot of research before getting him but while getting him I spaced out and was completely at lost of what I was supposed to do. He isn’t scared of me, and I believe I can put my hands in the cage as I’ve done in the old one when I needed to add a new perch, he just moves away.

I will give him a week to settle in the new cage, and then begin with the placing my hand on the cage method. :). A quick question about diet, how would I get him to eat vegetables and fruit? And what about bathing?

Thank you again, I’ll try and put a picture of him tomorrow or the next day again. He has very strong colours :)

[linda040899]

Lovebirds can be funny. Any new things are quickly noticed and are considered EVIL!! That's why he screamed at it. :lol He will get used to it and it will become a friend........ Take your clues from him and go at his pace. You will win his trust.

All you can do with fresh veggies is keep offering and offering. If he's never seen them before, he doesn't realize they are edible. Mine love fresh shredded carrots that can also double as a toy to be twirled. Kale, collard greens, carrot, sugar snap peas, arugula, figs, and broccoli are a few of the good veggies. Limit spinach and chard, as they are high in oxalic acid and will bind usable calcium. Lovebirds are not big fruit eaters, although some will eat it.

[Maxie]

How exciting! I remember clearly how it was when I brought Max home. He was a wild beast😂. I couldn’t even put my hand in the cage to change his food and water without him freaking out.

Linda’s advice is priceless. She helped me so much and continues to until this day. Like Linda says, there are no tricks. Work at his pace, not yours. It’s all about trust. Be patient, be kind and don’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. Respect him.

Both my lovebirds weren’t “tame” when I brought the home and now they’re Velcro birds.

Keep us posted on your progress. I always love to hear new lovies parronts stories❤️