Am I Training/Taming Correctly?

[meetootoo]

Hi! A friend gave me a baby lovebird (born May 1) about a week ago. The baby was raised with its two parents, and my friend had begun handling it about a week before I took ownership.

I have never owned a bird before, and I am trying to do all the right things to tame it and encourage it to bond to me. Here is my routine:

Right now Kiwi is in a cage that I can pick up and move from room to room with me. Throughout the day I approach the cage and say, "Hi, Kiwi!" and other greetings.

Three or four times a day, I pick up the cage and take it into my bathroom. I bird-proof the room and then I open the door of Kiwi's cage. I sit on the floor in front of the cage for a few minutes. Then I hold a dowel inside of the cage and try to get Kiwi to perch on the dowel with the "step up" command.

Sometimes Kiwi steps up, and when she/he does, I slowly bring the dowel and Kiwi out of the cage. At this point, Kiwi either hops off the dowel to return to the cage, or she jumps to the floor and starts hopping. (Kiwi is clipped.)

Then Kiwi will climb the outside of the cage. When she reaches the top, she sits there and does nothing. We stare at each other for a while. I place my hand on the top of the cage, and Kiwi either flies off or backs up.

I have been able to grab and hold Kiwi at times, but after being bitten a few times, I have not tried to hold her as much. Kiwi definitely does not like to be held.

Should I continue to do the things I have been doing with the hopes that Kiwi will eventually come to me and let me hold her, or should I be more assertive and try to hold her more?:confused:

I appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

[Flapjack]

Hi- and welcome!! I've been a member of this forum for 6 months, having just gotten my first baby lovebird that I handfed. His name is Flapjack. You'll find wonderful people here with great advice for you and your new friend.
Like I said- I'm kind of new and definitely no expert, but I'm wondering if moving the cage 3 or 4 times a day isn't a little unnerving for your bird... you said you sit on the floor (is the cage on the floor, too?). Birds feel most comfortable higher up, and if he's got towering cabinets or a shower curtain on all sides, he might be a little intimidated. Many people will tell you to take your bird to the bathroom, and I'm sure it's good advice, but I don't know if they meant 3 or 4 times a day, or on the floor.
If your bird is adjusting to being in a new home, and never knows exactly when you're going to move his cage (his safe-house), he may be a little jumpy or shy.
You could try sitting fairly near him with the door open, and talking softly, not really staring at him, and playing with something interesting, like a piece of paper, or some beads. Eventually he will get curious and come to investigate, and as he does, inevitably he'll end up on you, or brushing up against your hand where he'll get used to your touch.
However you choose, it just takes alot of patience, and before you know it he'll be all over you. It's all worth it!!!

[meetootoo]

Thank you for the advice. I do place the cage on the floor, and I hadn't thought about the frequent moving about as being unsettling. Kiwi has started flying up from his cage to the sink countertop. Then he is looking down on me! :) I will try to place his cage up higher tomorrow. Maybe that will help.

Today he did better at the step up command, and I was able to place him on my leg as I was sitting on the floor. He wouldn't stay on my leg for long, but I saw it as progress.

[Janie]

Hi! I think you are doing a great job! Only a week and definitely some progress already!!! :D

My second two lovies were hand fed and socialized so I could hold them the day I got them but they didn't know me, only the breeder and her family, so it took time earning their trust. I did the bathroom thing, too, one on one and then both of them at the same time. It really helped and especially teaching them to step up. Thinking back it probably was at least a month before my "already tame" babies were really tame with me.

Moving the cage that often might be a little upsetting to him/her, I really don't know. I moved mine often but then again, they were already a pair (brothers) so most everything was less stressful to them since they were usually together. What might stress one bird out would not phase another....they are all so different in personality.

I adopted an older bird four years ago and had no pet bird experience. I changed his routine completely not even thinking that it might have an adverse affect on him. Never been covered at night and I covered him the first night I got him. The cage he came in was awful (tiny and filthy) and I put him in a larger cage in the first week (still his sleep cage to this day) and then went on to buy a huge cage which he stayed in during the day downstairs and then moved back to the upstairs smaller cage at night. FORTUNATELY, this little lovie, Oliver, accepted every change that I made on his behalf but if I had it to do over, I would have made those changes much slower than I did. It's a wonder he didn't freak out! :D I spent hours talking to him every day and more and more "shoulder" time every day, too. I didn't hold him for the first 2 months because I was just scared to death that I'd hurt him but then his former owner told me just to pick him up, I did and he was perfectly fine with that. :) You just never know how they will react so "slow and easy" is the best way to approach them and on their terms as much as possible.

Good luck and keep up the good work! :)

[michael]

Hello Meetootoo and Kiwi. I think maybe its best to keep their cage where it will be the most. At least from the start. Although to some birds it doesnt matter, it may make them more comfortable knowing right where their home is. To some it may be like not knowing where the fire extinquisher is when the fire breaks out. Which could slow progress a bit. Either way it seems Kiwi is moving along just fine. My male lovebird Goofy really made a fuss when I used to move his cage. I waited until we bonded before gradually moving his cage around. Besides, I had to take it outside sometimes anyways to clean it while a friend or my wife watched him inside. Talk about a criminal act! You would'nt believe the big fuss he made. Now he doesnt mind at all whenever I move his cage. In fact, the car rides to the vet don't phase him at all. Good luck with Kiwi. He sounds like a very special lovebird........Michael and Goofy lovebird

[meetootoo]

Thanks for all the encouragement. Patience is the key! :)

Right now I have to move the cage fairly frequently. I am also the proud owner of two cats and three dogs, and when I leave the house, I have to move the cage to the bathroom for Kiwi's safety. I'm scared that the other animals would knock over the cage while I'm gone. I am expecting a large flight cage to arrive in the mail any day now, so they won't be able to knock that over. Then I won't have to move him so much.

From what I can tell, Kiwi doesn't mind being moved at all. He/she sits quietly on the perch while I am moving him about.

On another note, I put a bird bath into his cage today for the first time, and he seemed to like it. He splashed around for a bit, and then I removed the bath after about ten minutes. How often should I place the bath into the cage, and how long should I leave it in the cage?

[michael]

It would be great if you could note the frequency of his bathing habits and make it available around the times he prefers. Usually from what i've heard, most prefer one a day. My male lovie occasionally likes two, but thats not too often. I'm really not shure whether they would actually take more than that. The biggest concern is anything that could get saturated with water. After sitting around for a few hours this could produce bacteria or mold that may be harmful. So its likely a good idea to remove his bath and make sure everything is dry. Sometimes its a good idea to get them to bathe outside their cage so as to eliminate the messy cage. I should say, so that it doesnt compliment the mess their going to make anyways:lol .......Michael and Goofy