New Lovebird help

[chiku]

Hi, I just bought Chiku, my new baby lovebird home yesterday morning... He's very adorable and i love him. I bought him from a lady who had babies from her lovebird pair and was hand-feed raising them. When I met the lady she took him (im assuming it's a he) out and he steped up on her fingure adn even on mine. After bringing him home, I played with him and he was pretty comfortable with my hand and petting him and what not. but...as soon as I went to go put him into his huge new cage he refused and climbed up on to my shoulder. I tried agai nand he did the same thing! so I just played with him a bit longer and tried to put him in again but he just wouldn't go in..He was really scared of the cage... But I put him in anyways because I had been playing with him for over an hour lol and wanted to do something else.

After a few hours, I opened teh door and put my hand in for him to 'step up' again and he just went crazy flying around everywhere and came out the cage! He just flew around and stayed away from me and would fly away as soon as I get close to him. So i just le him be for a while, tried to talk to him calmly. And he went by the window and kept trying to fly out lol! so I caught him with a cloth so he wouldnt keep hurting himself trying to go out...and started to pet him close to my ehart and just spoke of random things softly to calm him down...After a while i opened up my hold (wasnt tight anyways) and as he got comfy and started to sleep...lol and he fell asleep on me and i had to hold him at the bottom cause i let go ones and he slipped a little...lol

After that I put him i nthe cage again because..well he needs to get used to it and i cant have him out all the time! and he refused to go in again! then he started flying around and did the window thing again..So i caught him with the cloth again and put him in the cage.

I opened the door again after a few hours and he flew on out, around an dlanded on my head, i let him stay tehre for a bit then he got on my shoulder and stayed tehre....But he will not let me do the step up. He runs away as soon as I put my fingur close to him or go to pet him. And after a while, he flew on top of the curtain rod. I had my hand out as a perch and kept calling his name butdidn't come so I had to chase him and get him as he was flying, around back in the cage

He's been in the cage since last night and i havent took him out at all today. I need some help on how to get this bird to trust me. I was thinking maybe to just let him be in the cage to get used to it and feel safe in there and then i can slowly put my hand in after 2 days and offer him a treat and get him closer to me with the treat...

Should I leave him in the cage for 2 days to get him used it? If i put my hand in the cage he freaks and starts flying around and screaming! lol its funny and cute but i talk to him nicely and move slow and want him to not be scared.

Am I doing the right thing? I feel bad for leaving the poor baby in the cage for a couple days... Will he get sick or hate me even more if i leave him in the cage because it's only the second day he's been in my room and i know he'l take longer to get used to. But I dont wanna do something wrong and make it harder for me to tame him.

Any suggestions?

p.s sry for long length and thx for your time!

[Astrid660]

He sounds a bit nervous around humans; I would try getting some millet spray (birds love the stuff!!) and trying to lure him to eat from your hand. Take your time, don't keep him trapped in his cage, and trust will eventually build.. Just don't be forceful, and it will all come together. Slow movements and talking soft is a good way to build trust too. Just make up stories using your bird's name a lot, that's what I do. Tell him he's good bird, and that there is nothing to be afraid of.

Maybe put something over the window so he doesn't fly right into it.

[Trickham]

First, congratulations! :-)

Sounds like he is just nervous in his new home. Leaving him in his cage to adjust for a couple of days won't hurt him. Does he have any toys? Try not to stick your hand in the cage to get him. Leave the cage door open and let him come out on his own. I highly recommend that you take him to an avian vet to be checked out. Also have the vet, or someone who knows what they are doing, clip his wings. This will keep him from flying around and potentially hurting himself. It will allow also him to become used to you. I am personally not a fan of leaving a bird clipped all its life, but it can be a very useful tool in the beginning. Be gentle and talk sweet, and soon you should have a wonderful companion!

[chiku]

thanks for the suggestions
ATM chiku has been in the cage, he's getting used to it and i have millet spray in his cage and also a treat stick with normal food and water...He's eating them all! he's a very smart baby and tries everything new

one he's done the millet spray I'm gona start training him for his reward of millets lol so righ tnow i'm just letting him get used to it because it think it was all new for him