Should I continue

[iluvmyluvbird123]

How long do you think it will take to get my bird use to me. Ive been talking to it like you all said but it still dont want to come out. :roll: How long will this take??

[shylevon]

It can take a very long time. There is a chance your bird may never become tame. I have ten birds and only four three of them are what I would call tame, and two of those three would still bite me.

How long have you been trying?

[Janie]

I agree, it can take a long time. Jenna on this forum has had Tango for about 9 months and she can tell you that it took a lot of time for Tango to accept her as his buddy.....but, he has! :D She gave him all the patience he needed and I know that isn't easy when you're reading about lovies who love to cuddle and be on their human all the time.

As Shy said, some lovies will never be as tame as others. Even some that are tame don't like hands/fingers, every single one is an individual and needs to be treated and accepted as that. My three are all very tame and there are times I wish they weren't quite so tame! :whistle:

Without looking back, it seems to me that you haven't had Tweety very long. My favorite lovebird book, The Lovebird Handbook by Vera Appleyard, says that taming can take up to six months. It usually can be done sooner than that but you need to expect that it is going to take time. If you are consistent in the time you spend with your lovie every single day and try the suggestions in the "Behavior & Taming" section of the forum, I think you will get good results. I know you've read this before but PATIENCE really is the key. :)

[iluvmyluvbird123]

well ok, I jst dont get it. I havent been trying very long but yet at the pet store it was fine...It was tame there but now it aint even close.

[BarbieH]

That kind of reaction can happen when a bird comes to its new home. It knew the people at the pet store, and was familiar with those noises and surroundings. A bird can become very skittish until it is convinced that it's new home is safe. You know it's safe, I know it's safe, but the bird's brain is very very small ....

[Tango's_Mom]

I agree, it can take a long time. Jenna on this forum has had Tango for about 9 months and she can tell you that it took a lot of time for Tango to accept her as his buddy.....but, he has! :D She gave him all the patience he needed and I know that isn't easy when you're reading about lovies who love to cuddle and be on their human all the time.



Actually Janie, it's been almost 14 months, I brought him home May 28 2006.

Autumn, to answer your original question, do keep trying I know it can be difficult and frustrating, because I've been there myself, but though it seems like it's taking forever, it really has only been a short time, this can take weeks or months and I know it's hard not to get discouraged, but with alot of patience you will see progress. And yes alot of times the petstore will tell you that the bird justy needs a couple days to settle in and it will be fine, but this is more because they are trying to make a sale and they think the bird will be easier to sell if the potential owner thinks they will be cuddleing it within days than because that is actually how long it should take. For me it took a couple weeks for Tango to come out and over a month before he would come to me and sit on my shoulder, it was 6 months almost to the day before he would step up onto a finger and even longer until I could pet him and hold him. SO don't give up, many of us have been through the same thing with our birds and we're here to help, so try not to get discouraged and remember that this is a scary time for Tweety and she'll come around when she's ready.

[LauraO]

well ok, I jst dont get it. I havent been trying very long but yet at the pet store it was fine...It was tame there but now it aint even close.


Of course the petstore told you it would be easy. Do you think you would have bought your bird if they told you it would take months, maybe years or never to tame him down? Just remember, you are YOUNG and you are going to have your lovie for a LONG LONG time so please don't even think of giving up now. You have years to build a loving and trusting relationship with your lovie.

Do you leave the door open for your lovie to come out on their own and stand on their cage? It may take a while but this is a great place to start and once they come out it gives them a chance to be out of their cage.

I have a black masked lovebird named Zimberhoffen. We got him at a petstore and he was as wild as any lovebird could be. When we brought him home, a mere flicker of a finger would startle him and he'd run. He hated us and hands so much he would plummet off high shelves and curtains and plop to the ground and run like a mad man. The turn in our relationship was when I stopped trying to tame him and especially touch him. I let him come to me on his terms. Through the years of patience and diligence we've built a great relationship and I love him dearly. He's still not a big fan of hands and HATES to be petted and will often fly away. He will, however, sit on my shouler and play kissy games, fly with me all over the house, play games whenever I want and generally be a pest. He's now seven years old and I often look back and think how grateful I am I didn't give up on him, because he's a great bird that is inherently sweet and has enriched my life in countless ways. Did I mention he's a total pest:rofl: .

[michael]

Autumn. I've found there's so many things that can influence a lovebirds behavior, not only while their first bonding, but afterwards as well. They have to accept their new surroundings, poeple, other birds and such, different foods, sounds, temperature, lighting, the list goes on. Some don't seem to be affected at all, and others are sensitive to the least bit of change. Although I'm not exactly an authority on lovebirds, I have learned through a couple breeders and bird owners that there are no set rules for taming birds that will work across the board. There are standards to help in the process, certain do's and don'ts, that apply in general, but for the most part its a decision your tweety will make based on whats orbiting around her. A dear friend of mine has a lovebird named Theresa. She was basically an attack bird. For 6 years she would'nt let anyone in his house and the only way he could handle her was on his arm with his hands balled up and under. He moved 4 years ago and I got a chance to speak with him recenly, since I now enjoy the companionship of a 2 1/2 year old male lovie Goofy. Apparently his move affected Theresa and she now accepts others around as though their not even there. She also has progressed to being perched on the back of his hands but still has a thing about fingernails.
He's told me he never really made any attempt to train her and simply enjoyed the social events they shared every day. He also thought she helped attract other birds to his yard during the summer months when they could hear her from outside. Her new behavior has been the icing on the cake and now she's being much more receptive. A big difference from the bloody bites I remember getting before having to leave the room she was in. We're unsure at this point as to why she's been so friendly and really don't think it was so much the move to West Virginia. It seems the difference came about the time he threw out all her old toys, some of which he said she didn't play with anyways. A green hollow rubber ball and a red and white plastic bird ornament were a couple of the many items he threw out that she didn't seem to play with. The one thing we found comparatively interesting was whenever I wore my ball cap with orange letters across the front, my little Goofball wouldn't have anything to do with me, and his little peeps came to a screeching halt. At first I used it to keep him away when I had lots of paperwork to do, but guilt set in and I've since tossed it out. After a few big kissies and very "little" understanding, he's allowed to tear into whatever paperwork is out when he is. Fair game you know, and the bills are usually whats laying around anyways. I found out he hates the bills just as much as I do. Goooood boooooy Goooooofy:D ...............Just wanted to let ya know that sometimes the smallest steps and little set backs, regardless what they are, can lead to a wonderful experience........ take care..........Michael and Goofy's sleeping

[iluvmyluvbird123]

Well progress already. A few days ago I managed to hold it for about 5 seconds but it was still in its cage. Could part of it be that I have 2 chihuahuas that bark a lot. Well I guess that is sorta a stupid question.

[Tango's_Mom]

the noise of the chihuahua's might be frightening to Skittles for a little while, I have a big dog who barks alot, it's a big booming bark and I think Tango was a bit scared at first, now when my dog barks Tango likes to turn up the volume to match, just make sure to keep Skittles away from your dogs as dogs are very dangerous to birds, my policy is that the dog is only allowed in the same room as the cage if I'm there and he is never allowed in when Tango's out of the cage.

Congratulations on the progress, the key now is to continue to be patient with her so that she continues to learn to trust you and bond with you

[iluvmyluvbird123]

:) Okay today she got dads hand.:happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: