I don't understand chichi!

[tokameaki]

Hi everyone my name is tessie...I have had chichi for like 3 or 2 months...he was very afraid in the beguining...but now he lets me get near him when I'm not paying attention to him...he eats millets from my hands....but he won't let me touch him...my boyfriend hold him in his hands and chichi bite him so hard that my boyfriend bleed...the secondtime my boyfriend hold chichi he didn't bite...I hold him too and he didn't bite me....he never bites anymore...now when I read a book or something I let his cage open...he goes out like curious...flies around....gets really close to me...he stand on my cellphone...on the book I'm reading but if I try to touch him slowly he flies away...I don't understand...I want to teach him step up and step down...my mother says to be patient still...but chichi doesn't get it when I say nice things to him yet...I don't know if he hates water but everytime he hears it he screams...he didn't take a shower yet...sometimes if I make a noise or talk he answers back...what should I do next?...he getting close to me is good...I was reading this month birdtalk magazine...and it said to teach a bird step up and down when they are out of the cage....but I just don't know how to star...I need help...this bird is so beautiful...I love buying him anything he is very spoil...another thins is...he has this metal thing on his leg...he always tries to bite it off but he can't....where can I get that remove?...another thing that I notice in that metal thingy...there is a date...may 17 2007...is that when chichi was born?....I got chichi from petland discount...I don't know if he is a he or a she yet....thanks

[Mummieeva]

I will try and help best I can to answer your questions. First off welcome to the board.

now when I read a book or something I let his cage open...he goes out like curious...flies around....gets really close to me...he stand on my cellphone...on the book I'm reading but if I try to touch him slowly he flies away...Some birds do not like hands at all and others are OK with them. Chichi might not like hands touching him.Or he could still be adjusting to you.



I don't know if he hates water but everytime he hears it he screams...he didn't take a shower yet.. He might be asking for a bath. I would offer him a small shallow dish and he might like it. Others here have birds who love to bath in sink. But mine never did so no idea how to go about doing that.





.sometimes if I make a noise or talk he answers back...what should I do next?That is a very good step. Your bird is talking and if you talk back they start seeing you as part of their flock.




he getting close to me is good...I was reading this month birdtalk magazine...and it said to teach a bird step up and down when they are out of the cage....but I just don't know how to star...I need help I am not much help here because til now I never had to teach a bird step up so hopefully someone comes along to help me and you both there.lol.




another thins is...he has this metal thing on his leg...he always tries to bite it off but he can't....where can I get that remove?...another thing that I notice in that metal thingy...there is a date...may 17 2007...is that when chichi was born?....That is a band and it is how breeders know when bird was born,were it came from(like the breeder),and other info. Judging by what you say it is very likely Chichi was born then or at least banded then. A Avian vet can remove it for you. Some birds it bothers and others it does not.



I hope I was able to help a little bit.



Steph

[sk2]

My birds bathe in a small indoor water fountain and they seem to love it....they do not like to bathe in any other way! May be you can try that...

[LauraO]

It sounds like you are making great progress with Chi Chi. Your mother is right in that working with birds takes a lot of time and patience. My first lovebird Zimber is now 7 1/2 years old and he has only the last few months let me touch him, but he is very friendly and a great part of our daily lives.

As for the step up command. You many want to start using a small stick, perch or dowel. I prefer to try and train in a darkened (not black) room where it's quiet and start putting the stick near to Chi Chi and then close to his feet or lower chest. Some birds are easy to train and other's aren't. The key is consistancy and cues. Make sure you tell Chi Chi to step up when the stick is near and praise him when he does. Once he steps on the stick have him do it over and over for a few minutes with continued cues and praise. You may want to use two sticks for this. Now if Chi Chi is flighted this may take more time but just keep at it. You can start showing him a stick and talking to him about it before starting to train. Once Chi Chi is stick trained you will not have to grab him anymore to get him to and from places. Once you stop grabbing Chi Chi you can work on slowly building the touching relationship. However, birds are mostly not touchy feely. Even most of my tame birds aren't into a lot of touching. Some liked to be scratched but it's on thier terms and in their own time.

Good Luck8) 8)

[tokameaki]

Thanks for answering!....I did offer him a dish with water inside his cage...he didn't even get near the water...thanks again guys...

[LauraO]

Thanks for answering!....I did offer him a dish with water inside his cage...he didn't even get near the water...thanks again guys...

If Chi Chi is tame enough to hang out on your shoulder I would put him there when you are at the sink. Then turn the water on slow and cup your hands under allowing for a small pool with a trickling sound to start in your hand. Some lovies love this and will climb down to bath. Another thing to try is misting with a water bottle. Just squirt the mist up in the air so it drops like rain on Chi Chi. Make sure he can move away from the water in case he doesn't like it. A bunch of mine bath this way and they run in and out of the mist. The funnest way for my lovies is to bath in wet Kale. You just wet kale really good and clip a big fat wet piece to the side of the cage and a lot of birds will roll around in it.

8) 8)

[tokameaki]

Thanks laura....I will try that....he doesn't come on my shoulder yet...but I'm happy because he is not a picky eater...just a little bit....today I added 2 dishes in his cage one full of pellets...another dish with avi cakes and egg biscuits...another dish with his seeds and a dish with water...he usually only eats seeds but he did try the pellets twice and the avi cakes with egg biscuits once...I have read some lovebird would just not eat anything but seeds I was scare...tomorrow I will put some vegetable on his cage with this kabob I got him from doctors foster and smith...he didn't want to get out of his cage today...I change everything around inside his cage I got him new toys, new perch... I guess that's why he was shy today...thanks a lot guys...I will post pics later...hopely very soon I will post a pic of chichi on my shoulders...lol