Love Bird Thanks....

[redmaiden]

Thanks to those that responded to my "which bird to buy" question. I found a beautiful male lovebird. My last one I "adopted" from my brother so he was alredy tame when I got him.....not this one. This is his first night here and I guess he is scared - he hasn't made a sound. Hope that is normal?

[Tiki]

It will take him a while to settle in-he doesn't know he is in a new loving home-for all he knows you may be planning to eat him. :o Just keep talking softly to him, don't make sudden moves, let him get used to you and know that you won't hurt him. He'll come around. :)

[redmaiden]

I appreciate you letting me know to just take things slow with my new lovebird. Today he has made a little noise but not much. My other lovebird I could hold all the time without him fighting me but he was already hand-tamed by my brother.
I would like some tips on doing the same with this one but I hate stressing him out. As soon as I out my hand in his cage he goes nuts and it takes me awhile to get him. My intention was to take him out and hold him several times a day for short intervals to get him used to me and help make him feel more secure so he will trust me. Is that the way to go about it? He had quite a bite! I handled him today with gloves on which helped protect me but I don't want to always have to use them. Later will this bother him when he is more tame and I no longer use the gloves? I realize this is going to take a lot of patience and I don't want to rush things for him so I just want to make sure I am doing this correctly. If someone can offer any advice on this it would be greatly appreciated!

[TooLover]

I, personally, suggest a towel or washcloth. The gloves freak my birds out............ it really is going to take a lot of time and patience, however, if you work with him each and every day he will come around. Another good idea is to open the cage and let him get out on his own. It takes them a little while to get used to their new surroundings and the new routines of the household.

[Vankarhi]

I answered your other thread again about what bird to pick. i see you picked a lovebird. Be patient and with time he will come around. I was impatient with my eclectus when I got her and she bit me senseless for the first 2 days and she was hand raised (not by me though). I have never had that happen before with a handraised bird, but I perserveered with patience and she came around. Remember everything is new and your new birdie does not know you and does not know you will not hurt him. Post a picture of him, as I am curious now that we have "peaches" in our family. In case you did not read one of the other threads, Peaches flew into our yard about 7 weeks ago and now has a home here with one of our kids. She (we think its a girl) has quietened down and lets us scratch her now. This is peaches, I cant remember if we called her peachy or peaches, oh well.

[Cindy Q]

With my little birds I would talk softly to them for several days and let them just get used to seeing me and getting used to their new surroundings. I didn't try to force myself on them for a few days just let them settle in, afterall his whole world has just changed and it takes a little getting used to. Besides theres really no rush so take your time. After talking to him for a few days and noticing that he no longer thrashes around when you go to change his food and water I would attempt to offer some millet or some other yummy treat that you do not put into his cage in the palm of you hand. Chances are he will ignore it, possibly for several days, I know mine did, but eventually (took around a week for my guys)he will venture closer and attempt to eat a little without touching your hand straining his little neck as far as it will go without having his body touch any part of your hand. This took lots of patience because I had to hold very still or any movement I would make would send him dashing as far as he could from my hand and the session would then be over for the day. After several days of this they would get more careless and trusting and would allow their breast to rub up against my hand as they ate from my palm. When that would happen I would also begin to relax and move a little more freely and as they got used to me they wouldn't run at the slightest movement anymore. My next step was to move my hand away from any perches so they would have to actually perch on my hand to get the millet, at that they would hesitate again, sometimes for several days until eventually my patience would pay off and they would decide to perch on my cupped palm to eat it. You have to be very still all over again for this until they are eagerly eating from your palm without hesitation. My next step after that was to try to remove them from the cage as they perched on my hand to eat, this also takes a little while but eventually they become so involved in eating and so trusting of you that they hardly lift their head to notice. I have never been fond of forcing my will upon any of my pets so while it may be able to be done by you toweling your bird and having one on one time with him that way, i've always felt that its quite possible you could do more harm then good by rushing them. It is tedious to let them come around at their own pace but I think they deserve a little respect and freewill personally. Make sure whatever treat you decide to use if you do do it this way is only available when you offer it from your hand. If they can get it in their cage anytime, why bother getting it from you right :) Anyways Goodluck.
Cindy Q