It's a long story.. but we need help!

[allovera]

Hi everyone,

I just joined the site. I have recently "adopted" a beautiful lovebird, Bebe, from a friend of mine. She originally had two but Bebe's partner met an unfortunate end with their pet dog (terrible, I know!). This is how I came to be Bebe's new mom... the only other pets we have are fish so she will be safe here :) I've had her about three months now.

Anyway, Bebe is about one year old, not hand-reared and not at all tame. Her wings have never been clipped and she was allowed to fly around as and when she wanted in her old house. Now that she is alone I would love it if I could bond with her and tame her.. but easier said than done!
She is nervous of everything.. EVERYTHING! I've tried target training but she's terrified of the target and won't go near it, nor will she even go near her treats if she actually does get near the target by accident!
How can I tame her if she's scared of treats?!?!

I don't particularly want to clip her wings, I think she's had enough shocks just recently what with losing her partner and moving home. So I've been trying to train her in her cage, but then she gets moody about not being allowed out because she was out all the time in the past!

Please help me, I don't know what to do.. can anybody give me some steps to follow... please :)

Kay

[julesk]

This might be worth a try... not sure if it'll work, but...

1. With your clicker in hand, walk up to the bird until it is just out of it's comfort zone. Watch your bird react as it normally does (wether it's biting, lunging, or just acting nervous).
2. Stay very still, don't move or make the bird feel threatened.
3. The bird should soon relax his posture and calm a bit. It may take a while for a never before tamed bird, though. (I've only done this with once-tamed birds, and it takes them about 30seconds to relax.)
4. As soon as he relaxes, click the clicker, turn around and walk away.
5. Rinse and repeat... a lot.

This is normally used on agressive birds, but it should probably work for a scared one too.

What it teaches the bird is that it doesn't have a reason to be scared, and that acting scared or agressive will not get you to leave, and is thus pointless. Birds, although it doesn't seem like it, have a reason for whatever they do. Scream to get something, or bite to get something else. If it bites you because it wants you to leave, or acts afriad, you stand there while it does, letting it try it's methods, and slowly it'll learn that it's methods don't work. It'll see that the only time it gets what it wants is when it behaves. Ie, when you click and leave.

It worked well on my cockatiel who was agressive. He learnt fairly fast, but I think they are a bit smarter than lovebirds (correct me if I'm wrong), and he was originally hand reared.

Give it a go if you like, and let us know if it works or not :)

It should teach him that he doesn't have to fear you, and in time you can get closer and closer to him without him being afriad, and start building a bond. Trust it the most important thing to have as a bird owner. If they trust you, they will let you do just about anything :)

Once you are right up to his cage, and he isn't scared of you, talk to him a bit. Once he gets used to that and maybe interested in you, remove his food for a little bit, out of sight, about an hour or so, then come back with a piece of seed between your fingers and feed it to him though the cage. Just talk nicely to him, and hold your hand very still. He'll probably be nervous, but just wait and see if he comes up. It may take a few goes. More trust is built.

Then perhaps try putting your hand slightly in his cage, and just letting it sit there. Let the lovebird get used to it. Once he has, put some seed on the tip of your fingers and let him eat it off.

This isn't a fast process. It'll take a few weeks min, I'd assume, if you work with him everyday. Just depends on the bird.

Just remember to go slow and don't push him :)

[mmr]

Originally Posted by allovera

I've tried target training but she's terrified of the target and won't go near it, nor will she even go near her treats if she actually does get near the target by accident!
How can I tame her if she's scared of treats?!?!

First you need to find a treat she absolutly loves! And use thaat only for training. You can also just sit by her cage and talk to her sing, read let her get used to you. Sit by her cage and put your hand in there (resting) for her to get used to your hand...treats are also a way to get used to your hand. You can also stick train as well to get her from point a to point b! Target training can be as simple and a spot on her cage! That is how I target train. My birds I just tap my finger on one spot on their cage that I want them to go to and when they go there they get a treat!

Originally Posted by allovera

I don't particularly want to clip her wings, I think she's had enough shocks just recently what with losing her partner and moving home. So I've been trying to train her in her cage, but then she gets moody about not being allowed out because she was out all the time in the past!

Please help me, I don't know what to do.. can anybody give me some steps to follow... please :)

Kay

I know there are other's here that DON'T believe in clipping but I am a firm believer in clipping. Not only for the first few months for training and setting boundries with your baby, but I still do my macaws to prevent accidental flying out the window! But that is my oppinion. Birds thining is fight or flight! If she gets scared of "EVERYTHING" as you said maybe you need to slow down a little. Move at the birds pace. But I would clip...then once you get things more "controlled" you can always let them grow back. Then you can train flight recall!

[allovera]

Thankyou for the super fast replies! She loves millet, so I am using that as a treat (well, trying!) :)

I'll try both your advice and I'll let you know how it goes.. and I'll have a think about clipping her wings.... thanks again!

[New Ekkie Mom]

I agree with mmr on the clipping. Bebe is obviously a competent flyer, so clipping her wings for now should not cause her to lose her flying skills, should you decide to let them grow back in the future. It will, however, make her a little easier to work with. Since she is so used to flying though, I would try to do a gradual clip, if possible, where only a couple feathers on each side are clipped at a time with a couple days in between clips. That way she will gradually get used to not being able to fly as well, rather than being shocked when all of a sudden, she can't fly like she used to.

The main thing, as I'm sure you've heard before, is to be patient. It could take a long time. If you could try working with her in a smaller room, that might help too...like a bathroom, for instance. Just be careful of the mirror if she is still able to fly.

Julesk's technique of approaching from a distance, then walking away to reward good behavior is a good idea to try. The idea is just to get Bebe to realize that sitting still and being calm will not result in death, but rather will make the threat go away. Eventually, you can get closer and closer each time, while she learns to sit still and be calm.

Good luck!

[Razzle]

OK, I have NEVER used a target for training so obviously it can't be neccessary. Listen to Bebe. If she says "No targets, I hate them!" then no targets it is.

Your bird will not panic if you trim her wings, and feathers grow back so if she seems angry about it I would just not clip them a second time. But do NOT clip only one wing because she could crash and be seriously hurt or killed. If it's possible in your home, then I would say let your fly loose and see if she comes to you for a while. Just make sure you can catch Bebe to put her back in her cage without hurting her.

[allovera]

I will get Bebe's wings clipped later today if I have time. Thankyou for all your advice and help!

Let the training begin :-) I'll keep you updated.

[tabooh]

It is not easy to find a mate for you love bird, love birds can be tricky at even the best of times. But what you could do is buy a second cage and place it side by side with your current love bird cage. That way they can get to know each other over time and you will be better able to see if they get along or not. Slowly introduce them to each other, and then have a playstand area where they can hang out, but then return to their own cages.

Also clipping the birds wings if done properly is a good thing to do, I don't know how many sad stories that I have heard about people losing their birds because they throught that it was cruel in doing so. News flash the birds that did escape are died, it was winter time and they can not take the cold. At least for the most part depending on the breed, etc...

Good luck!

[allovera]

Update: Bebe has had her wings clipped, she was very grumpy about it at the time, but it only took two seconds - I had no idea it was so fast!

When we got home I let her out of the cage in another room that we never go in, she tried to fly but quickly settled down when she realised that she couldn't anymore. (She has had four flight feathers clipped on each wing so she can still get a bit of lift but not enough to get into trouble!)

I have to say the change in attitude is astounding! I never knew she could be calm!

We've already begun work on stepping up onto a perch that I'm holding and she's done that a few times with no problems!

Things are looking good, great actually!! I know that we need a lot of time and hard work but I'm feeling very positive.... thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for all your advice and help!!

[New Ekkie Mom]

Wonderful news! Let the bonding begin! :)