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Post by megapod on Mar 6, 2008 20:46:39 GMT 10
I'm going to try to stick it out with my allergies, see if it gets better.
I need some help though. I've got two lovies, and want to be able to handle them. Every time I go near their cage they're happy to watch me, but as soon as I open the door, they scream at me, and fly to the furthest corner and keep screaming. Then takes a few minutes for them to come down off the top of the cage.
I don't know how old they are, the guy my OH bought them off told him they were a few months as they still had some black on their beaks?
Is there any hope of me being able to have birds I can handle?
I'm really new to all this, so I literally have no idea!!!
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Post by just4birds on Mar 6, 2008 21:24:40 GMT 10
Hmmm you could try taking out the sunflower seeds in there daily diet .... and then use that as a treat/reward ... It may take a bit of time ... but most birds will do just about anything to get a sunflower seed.... Use the sunflower seed in one hand .... like a target ... then get them to sit on your other hand .. u'll find after awhile they will follow the target hand around  Good Luck |
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 7, 2008 6:59:57 GMT 10
I am not sure, but I think with Lovies you really do need to get handraised ones that are raised properly and handled all the time. But having said that ......... it is not impossible. But you also have the added trouble of having 2 lovies at the same time and none of them are bonded to you yet. If you only had one at a time then that one could have had the chance to bond to you .....then you could have got a second one and the first one would have stayed tame and could have helped in showing the other one that "humans" are not scary creatures. That is how I have tamed some of my birds down in the past. I would use one of my pet cockatiels or my tame galah to show the new untamed bird that "see this bird loves me and is not scared of me "
But try to see what their fav food is and do what Lisa suggested.........use that fav food as a bribe. You will have to be constant too and do it all the time and try to keep handling them, but they more than likely will bond with each other and not you.
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Post by robert on Mar 7, 2008 18:35:25 GMT 10
megapod, to have a tame lovebird,it really ought to be handraised and socialized properly. Some people do tame some parrots down. I think if you do this,with lovies you are extremely lucky.In fact any success ought to only apply to that individual Lovie. Pity you can't put those two lovies in a big aviary and let them breed.And you acquire properly socialized ones. Sorry if this sounds negative. Hopefully you can prove me wrong. I love Lovies. But it is important for them to be properly socialized. Best . Robert and Angel
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 8, 2008 13:44:12 GMT 10
Yes Robert I had hoped I wasn't negative either.
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Post by megapod on Mar 12, 2008 22:58:23 GMT 10
No, not seen as negative.
I had just mentioned to my OH that I would love a bird, so for Valentine's he decided to go a buy me two lovies from the pet shop up the street (two "lovebirds" for Valentines)
They are beautiful looking birds, and he put so much effort into them as a gift but I just wish he'd said something prior, as I really wanted a handraised bird, for the reasons you mentioned.
Just disappointed really, as at the moment, they just sit in a cage, with little interaction with me as they want nothing to do with me. Not really what I imagined from owning a bird I guess.
I can't put them in an aviary as we are surrounded by soldier birds and they will kill them. When the lovies are singing inside, the soldiers even hang of the screen doors to try to get them, even though they are safely inside, and no where near the door.
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Post by farseeker on Mar 13, 2008 7:30:50 GMT 10
Hey there Megapod. I've not dealt specifically with lovebirds before although I do have a friend who has a couple, so here are a few suggestions. Perhaps try some clicker training? You'd have to find something to use as a reward first, but you might be able to perhaps get them more used to you that way. Also, in order to get them more used to your hands - you said that when you open the cage and put your hand in they freak out. Perhaps try just resting your hand on the bottom corner of the cage without the door open to begin with, and wait until they accept that, then move a bit closer as they become more accepting of you being there. Once they're okay with you being that close (hand against the side of the cage but no door open) try opening the door and just letting your hand rest at the opening. I tried this with one of my older, more skittish budgies at one point. Unfortunately he made a great escape before I was able to get to the point of having my hand near his perch (took the opportunity when my Mum was putting in a treat) but he had calmed down a lot by that point. Also remember that parrots are prey in the wild, and they see us very much as predators. Just having us watch them can be very scary for them because they think we're sizing them up for a meal. When you're with them, try to just watch them out of the corner of your eye instead of looking at them directly. It can help to reduce how threatened they feel. Birds are also very in tune with how we are feeling - they're very perceptive to body language and changes in our tone. I don't go near my birds if I'm annoyed because they pick up on it and it makes them uncomfortable. It may help that if you're starting to feel a little frustrated or annoyed with them (which is natural, it's a bit of a tricky situation) give it a breather and then try again when you're calmer. Lastly, if what you really want is a handtame bird, perhaps you could wait and see how your allergies go with these two and then explain to your partner that you love them very much and are thankful for having them, but that you and they are content with having a 'hands off' relationship. Then you could go on to say that you have the 'bird bug' now and start talking about getting a handtame one to add to the collection.  Just be aware that if you do take that option you're going to have to work hard to keep the handtame one focussed on you and not your lovebirds, particularly if you get another lovie. |
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 13, 2008 15:54:40 GMT 10
if you get another bird though you could house it in a separate cage and that way it will ....... or should bond to you. Make sure it is handraised......whatever breed.......and handled properly while being handraised too. Then you could spend quality time with the new baby while also showing the lovies that this new bird is not affraid of humans. I used to use a tame bird to show "new" not so tame birds that there was nothing to be afraid of.
Good luck with whatever you do.
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Post by robert on Mar 13, 2008 16:59:43 GMT 10
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Just be aware that if you do take that option you're going to have to work hard to keep the handtame one focussed on you and not your lovebirds, particularly if you get another lovie.