taming new bird

[dawnsimas]

Hi everyone,
I'm so glad to have found this group. :) I had a wonderful peachfaced lutino that I bought as a baby from a breeder 15 years ago. He recently died and I just bought my 2nd lovebird. I couldn't find any local breeders or shows, so I resorted to a pet store purchase. I asked if I could hold her and they put her on my shoulder and she was sweet and seemed healthy, so I bought her. She's a "sky colored camino split with cobalt" it says. She's soooo pretty. They said she'd been weaned for about 2 months.

She's been home for 3 days now and still will not get on my finger. :( When I open the cage, she cowers and runs. The only way I can handle her is to pin her in a corner screaming. But, once caught, she's happy to sit on my shoulder for hours. I was telling myself that she was just a baby and needed to adjust and bond to me. But, now I'm concerned that she's not fully tame?

Can I do something differently? Will she come around?

Thanks for any advice!
Dawn and Raisin

[linda040899]

Hi Dawn and welcome!
Told ya there's lots of activity here! :lol

Give your new lovie time to adjust. Three days is barely scratching the surface of the relationship. He/she needs to learn through experience that you mean no harm. Once Raisin realizes how much fun it is to direct mom's every move and that your life revolves around him/her, you will be in a lot of trouble!!! Handfed lovies still need to be socialized/handled after they are weaned. If not, they revert back to a wild state rather quickly.

This is probably the very first time that this lovie has been away from all birds so it's a whole new ballgame. Lovebirds are very social so the more attention you offer, the more you will get back in terms of love. The cage represents safety, which is why many lovebirds don't want to come out at first. It's frightening when you put your hand in the cage but look at it from this perspective. How would you feel if something invaded your home??????

[dawnsimas]

Oh goodness Linda, *thank you* for the encouraging news. My old bird "Bird" (the lutino) was my very bestest friend and he was with me constantly. If I was home, he was on me. He had the run of the house and would chase me around and if I stopped for a moment, he was climbing my leg. I loved him dearly and was fearing that I had made a rash decision buying at a pet store this time. Raisin doesn't want to bite me, and does calm down when in my cupped hands or on my shoulder. But if I open my hands, or reach for her on my shoulder, she moves or flies (clipped) away.

I will take your advice and continue trying. I was wondering if I was traumatizing her by taking her out of the cage in my attempts to get her to know me. I try to keep all handling stress-free so that she will trust me. Just let her ride on my shoulder and hide in my hair, not asking anything of her. I try to give her a scritch on the cheeks gently now and then. My old bird would yawn and squint and loved that. So, I hope she likes it too.

My only fear is the "catching" her to get her out. I thought maybe if it was always so terrifying, the more reason in her brain to fear me, and that maybe I should leave her alone and get to know her through the cage wall without threatening her. But, after what you've said, it sounds like that wouldn't be the case. Odds are she was cage bound for a month or so at the pet store and that may be what her problem is.

I want my feathery snuggles so badly since I lost Bird. I'll be patient. :)

Dawn and Raisin

[kimsbirds]

Your patience will pay off in the long run. You can't put a time frame on bonding, but if you let birdie lead the way so to speak, I bet you'll have a loving companion soon enough!
Keep training sessions short at first, so birdie doesnt get overwhelmed and frustrated. Offer sunflower or millet as a reward and just keep on trying!! Praise her constantly and try to avoid/ignore the not-so-great moments.
Good Luck !!

[dawnsimas]

Thank you too Kimsbirds. :) How do a insert a picture to show her to you all?

[linda040899]

Hi Dawn,
We have a photo gallery below this forum and we link to online albums. It keeps the board neater and cuts down on bandwidth usage. You can use a photo of her for your avatar and you can upload that directly from your desktop. The only constraint vBulletin has is size of the avatar.

A lot of us use Imagestation and there are helpful hints on how to create an online album located in the forum.

[bellarains]

Hi Dawn,

I always tell everyone to imagine a giant that is like 1000 times bigger than you trying to pick you up :omg: That is how a lovie must feel when we first try to pick them up. Eventually, they learn that we only want to love and take care of them, and they learn to trust. Trust is a huge issue, but once earned you will reap all the rewards :)

If Raisin is good sitting on your shoulder let her get used to you that way. Talk to her as often as you can, and offer her little treats by hand, this will help her associate your hands as good thing. Time, love and patience will pay off.

I'm glad you have found us, and I look forward to hearing all your progress with Raisin.

[Elle]

Hello Dawn and welcome aboard.

Your story reminds me of Sam. I've had her for 10 years and felt exactly the way you do about Bird. I still miss her after all that time. I did get a new lovie in February. Like Raisin, he came from a pet store and was not socialised. I did not force him out of the cage the first few days but left the door open for him and kept a few toys and treats on top of the cage. It didn't take him 5 minutes to come out and explore the top of the cage. He is VERY curious but that's as far as he would go.
I waited a week before I started working with him. It sounds like you are ahead of me on that one, Raisin stays on your shoulder. I have beed working on the step up command very early and Blu is doing very well with that. He loves to cuddle give kisses and is starting to let me give him scritches. I have to sing lullabies to put him to sleep in order to be allowed to give scritches.
I have no doubt that raisin will come around. A new house is always something scary but once he sees that it's for the best and that he/she will rule the rooster, watch out!

Elle

[dawnsimas]

Hi Elle,
Thank you, your story is encouraging. This being only my 2nd bird, I was worried, but after all you guys have said, I'm so encouraged. Funny you mentioned the part about sleeping. Just now, Raisin woke up from a long sleep and I went to say hello. I slowly approached her (on her swing) with my finger. She yawned and seemed very slow to wake up, so I easily gave her a scritch on the cheek and chin. First time she's let me touch her without pinning her down screaming. She seemed to enjoy it, so I didn't ask for an Up, just ended on a good note. :)

I got my pics up. Check out the post "Old Bird, new bird" under the Photo Gallery.

Dawn

[Mummieeva]

Dawn welcome to the board. My first lovie Angel was not tame by any means. When She passed I also felt sad so I got 2 lovebirds from a rescue. It took mine a few weeks to be ok with my hand in cage. I just left the cage door open and talked to them. Took a few months(and the female sitting on eggs ..lol). But now me female flys right to the cage door and hops on my shoulder. I am sure your little one will come around soon.


Steph

[BarbieH]

Hi Dawn, welcome. :)

Handling your new little friend may seem stressful, but she also learns that you will do her no harm. You could also try just opening the cage door and tempting her with some food. She knows your shoulder is a safe place to be, or she wouldnt be staying there, you can bank on that!

Congrats on your new little friend. :) One thing you will want to do is to find the number of a good, reasonably local avian vet. It's best to have that information before you need it, in case of emergencies.

Nice to meet you!

[Sparkette65]

I have 10 lovebirds, and only 3 of them will let me handle them, and im not sure it is trust on their part as they always try to fly away from me....
I think the only way I will ever get one of those velcro birdies, is if I wait for babies, and socialize one (mind you I will let them be parent raised).
Alot of them come to the front of the cage when they see myself or my husband come in the room....as much as he doesn't have time for them, he spends morning time talking to them and uncovering them and giving them palm fronds and paper through the bars....so they like him...
When he pulls up after work, they can see his truck through the window and there are two of them that just get sooooooooooooooo excited when they see that truck pull up.....I always know when he is home! :rofl: , its too funny!!!
Take care,
Lori