Scared Lorikeet - only 4 months old

[Bungy]

Can someone please help me. I have a rainbow lorikeet i hand-reared from 6 weeks old. He (I think he is male) used to be very friendly and would sit on my shoulder every day and peck my cheek. Then last week his behaviour started to change where he wouldn't let me pet him, to not being able to put my hand inside the cage, because he is terrified. During the day I put his cage outside.

I spoke with the breeder and he cannot explain this behaviour except that I didn't handle him enough, which is not the case. I handled him at least twice a day. Can anybody help with my dilema, as my lori is only 4 months old and I am missing his previous loving behaviour. Bungy

[Ashling]

Has he had a traumatic experience that you did not know about: eg. a cat jumped on his cage and scared him (hypothetically)
You'll have to start at the beginning again: talking softly or reading to him sitting by his cage and progress from there to step ups and all that buisness! Good luck, this must be a sad thing to go through. :(

[rockybird]

Could someone have taunted him while he was outside or tried to steal him, thus scaring him?

[LGood22573]

That's the first thing that popped into my mind. Maybe something traumatized him when he was outside? Just keep being patient and slow and I'm sure he will come around. Is there any chance there could be something wrong with him? Sick or injured?

[montana]

its good to see I am not the only one going through the same problem, Have you managed to find a solution yet?, My lori just runs away from me as soon as i come near it. It comes to me whenever its ready but i am unable to approach it, my lori is also the same age and its quite a big turn around in behaviour seeing as it only happened within a week. If you had any success at all please let me know of your ways, i too also miss my bonding time :(