I AM ANGRY

[Mr.Palmisano]

Okay, I've had my bird for about 3 days now. I was making some pretty decent progress, like I could go by the cage and he wouldn't run and hide in a corner. Well, yesterday I had company over. I had the bird in my room, and I specifically told her not to go into my room because she would scare my bird. I went, and I was talking to another one of my guests, and the next thing I know, the other girl wasn't there. I was looking for her, and then I went into my room. Well, gee, look who's there. Not only was she in my room, she was sitting right in front of the cage, with her face up against it, talking very high pitched to him. He was all the way up in the corner and practically shaking.

All the progress I had started to make has gone down the drain. I can't go up to the cage now without him freaking out...

[linda040899]

What has happend has happened. The best thing you can do is move forward with your lovebird. Sad that some people just don't listen to what they've been told!

Your lovebird will begin to trust again. He's just not used to strangers, although everyone in his world are strangers at the moment. Love, kindness and lots of patience will get you what you want. Next time you have company come over, you might consider closing the door to your bedroom, perhaps even locking it......

[mandy]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you do regain your bird's trust.

[BarbieH]

I'm sure you will regain your bird's trust. With such a devoted protector, she is bound to recognize you as her guardian and friend. :) It will take a little while to get over this incident, but she will.

[Tango's_Mom]

I know how you feel, I had had Tango for less than a week when my dad walked into the room while I had the cage door open, and stuck his finger right up to the bars of the cage where Tango was sitting, very suddenly, and speaking in a loud voice, needless to say Tango freaked out, jumped right over my arm and out the open cage door, it took us a few minutes to catch him, and he bit my dad when he was putting him back in the cage, (not that my dad didn't deserve it, my parents refuse to take me seriously about the care of my bird). What I did was simply give Tango the rest of the day off from people, covered part of his cage, to give him a chance to calm down and hide, and then started again the next day, working as I had been on building trust, 3 days is not along time, and I'm sure that in the long run this will be a very minor set back, I've had Tango for 2 months now, and when I let him out of the cage he usually comes right to me, if he doesn't thats fine too, eventually he will come over to see me, he loves nothing more than to sit on my shoulder or chest with a nice big chunk of nutriberry, so take a deep breath, and just start working on the trust thing, spend as much time as you can, sitting near him talking to him (I'll admit in the first couple weeks I owned Tango I would sit and read to him whenever I got the chance, I figured it was as good a way as any to get him used to me), and he will come around. In the lifespan of a lovebird a small set back in the first couple days will amount to little in the long run, give it some time and you'll find he'll forget all about that bad experience and realize that you are something good and that he wants to be around you.

Also, my younger brother takes great pleasure in tormenting the bird, he used to think it was fun to put his hand or finger up to the bars and watch Tango run away, well the other day he tried this and Tango reached out his little beak and bit him, hard, now I don't want to encourage biting, but lets face it, he deserved it, so eventually your little bird will calm down, learn to trust you, and learn to stand up to his tormenters.

[Mr.Palmisano]

Ah, thanks everyone. It's just so frustrating that people don't listen when you specifically tell them not to do something. How can someone who is 16 years old be so immature. I would have expected that out of a 9 year old, but not a teenager.

And, I'm always in here with my bird. His cage is right by my computer, and that's where I am if I'm not working, or out with friends. School's starting soon, and that means less time with him. I'm gonna let him get used to the atmosphere for a while, then open the cage and see if he decides to come to me. I've been changing the millet branch things in his cage everyday, and giving him fresh water, and taking care of his food bowl, so it's all good. When I get back from work tonight, I'm going to give him some veggies. Hopefully he will forget about this little incident.

[MaurI]

Well my friend is 22 and he did something very similar. He waved his hands aroud the cage - well yes birds were very scared - they fluttered all over their cages. But he just said - oh I wounder for how long they will flutter - it is so funny. I stopped him very quickly. That just mean that they are wooden-headed people.

Don't worry 3 days is very short period - I have my pets for 4 and 1,5 months - and still they do not land on my hand or head but I am working on it. The older one is very cooperative. It takes time - sometimes a lot !

[Keltoth]

Ah, thanks everyone. It's just so frustrating that people don't listen when you specifically tell them not to do something. How can someone who is 16 years old be so immature. I would have expected that out of a 9 year old, but not a teenager.

Oh, I dunno - that sounds EXACTLY like the teen-agers in my end of the country... :roll:

Try not to sweat it too much; you'd be amazed at how easily birds pick up on who SPECIFICALLY has been tormenting them, versus who has been being nice, gentle and caring with them. Just keep doing what you are doing, and the intrusion by the nitwit should not have any lasting negative effect. Frustrating, to be sure - but easily corrected between you and your bird.

-Eric