• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

7week progress

Kbell

Meeting neighbors
Joined
2/18/20
Messages
21
Hello everyone it has been 7 weeks since I brought my young LB home. We are making progress but still definitely timid. Also, I have observed that not only do I have a very timid bird but I think a stubborn one too:) not taking to any other food than seeds and throws out everything else onto the floor additionally, he is not always receptive to coming for treats ( millet )when I try to lure him for his socializing and training. Any tips? Anyway here is my latest pic he will now allow me to feed him and let me pet his head :) wow only took 7 weeks lol
 

Attachments

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,373
Location
Reino de España
Hi :)

You know, some birds just don´t like to be touched.
What I see in that picture is you are tricking your bird into being touched by offering millet and then touching his head. By doing this, you are associating the millet with something he may not enjoy. And now he is not as forth coming to the treat (millet).

So now what?
Now it is time to start from the beginning. Offer the millet through the cage bars, allowing him the security of the cage. When he is out, offer more treats but don´t touch him, just let him eat them. Build that trust for now :)

As for touching, I always signal my birds to sort of ¨ask¨ them if they would like scritches by rubbing my thumb and index finger together in front of them and just waiting for them to come to me, I only have one bird who will stick his head right on my fingers for scritches, the rest just aren´t interested.
I´m sure @DoubleTake has a video of him ¨asking¨ if his lovebird would like scritches.
Here it is, look at 00:13, he asks his bird, ¨do you want me to scritch you?¨, and she responds ¨yes¨ visually, by pushing her head to his fingers.
 

DoubleTake

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
5/31/17
Messages
1,744
Location
Mission Viejo, CA
Real Name
Brian
What else do you do to socialize with your bird? First week when I brought her home she was terrified of me. I just left her cage open and pretty much watched TV 6 ft away from her. Would watch bird videos on youtube which made her curious that over came her fear and wanted to look. Peach faced lovebirds are a little different than fischers, peach faced are a little more out going.
 

Kbell

Meeting neighbors
Joined
2/18/20
Messages
21
Hi :)

You know, some birds just don´t like to be touched.
What I see in that picture is you are tricking your bird into being touched by offering millet and then touching his head. By doing this, you are associating the millet with something he may not enjoy. And now he is not as forth coming to the treat (millet).

So now what?
Now it is time to start from the beginning. Offer the millet through the cage bars, allowing him the security of the cage. When he is out, offer more treats but don´t touch him, just let him eat them. Build that trust for now :)

As for touching, I always signal my birds to sort of ¨ask¨ them if they would like scritches by rubbing my thumb and index finger together in front of them and just waiting for them to come to me, I only have one bird who will stick his head right on my fingers for scritches, the rest just aren´t interested.
I´m sure @DoubleTake has a video of him ¨asking¨ if his lovebird would like scritches.
Here it is, look at 00:13, he asks his bird, ¨do you want me to scritch you?¨, and she responds ¨yes¨ visually, by pushing her head to his fingers.
 

Kbell

Meeting neighbors
Joined
2/18/20
Messages
21
Yes, that makes perfect sense. I guess I thought I was using the millet as a positive reward but guess not so positive now that I look at it from a different perspective. My first bird ever so I’m in the dark. I completely understand what you mean. Thanks for your advice I have not been able to successfully get him out of the cage so I’m working on the step up with a wooden perch I’m also using millet to lure him but maybe not a good idea? Thank you for your advice hands off for now!
 

Kbell

Meeting neighbors
Joined
2/18/20
Messages
21
What else do you do to socialize with your bird? First week when I brought her home she was terrified of me. I just left her cage open and pretty much watched TV 6 ft away from her. Would watch bird videos on youtube which made her curious that over came her fear and wanted to look. Peach faced lovebirds are a little different than fischers, peach faced are a little more out going.
Thanks for your response and you have very beautiful birds. I spend long days in my home office sitting next to the cage about 2-3 ft away so talking to him/her I keep the cage door open mostly and I’m currently trying to train with a wooden dowel to step up and come for millet I do this 1-3 times a day at least 15+ minutes I want to be able to take him/ her out of the cage to perch and acclimate outside of the cage. Sometimes I will roll the cage closer and will just rest my hand in the cage. My bird is young but that’s all I really know and was raised in a large aviary so not hand fed or trained in any way. Any tips tricks or something you think I may be doing wrong ? Any advice would be much appreciated:) thanks
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,373
Location
Reino de España
so I’m working on the step up with a wooden perch I’m also using millet to lure him but maybe not a good idea?
Sounds good, just remember, let him eat the millet and enjoy his treat, that way the millet will continue to be positive :)

So is your bird not wanting to leave the cage?
Try attaching an external perch near the doorway, fix some millet on the perch and leave the door open. Allow him to come out on his own, don´t force him out.

I spend long days in my home office sitting next to the cage about 2-3 ft away so talking to him/her
Spending time near his cage talking to him is a good idea. Offer some pieces of millet through the bars too :)

I recently posted some tips for someone else, here is the link so you can see what I wrote: Bonding Older Budgies
 
Last edited:

Kbell

Meeting neighbors
Joined
2/18/20
Messages
21
Thank you so much for all of your advice. No he does not want to leave his cage :( and I leave the door open for hours while in my office. I will try the external perch idea and I guess see how it goes! I decided to stay hands off for now like you said I think I’m forcing him but not realizing it. Wow new bird parenting is far more complex than I thought. I had my puppy completely trained by 7 weeks lol. My only experience with animal training I guess it’s natural to do what you know ..... but I’m so glad for having this forum for guidance. Thanks again Zara :)
 
Top