How should I tame my lovebird?

[animalgirl]

I've let my new lovebird (his name is Mango) acclimate to his surroundings for 4 days now. I don't know how to go about taming.
Most videos I've seen say to feed treats to your lovebird until they are able to eat from your hand, and then you can take them out. My lovebird doesn't want to eat any treats, even long sticks of millet.
Mango is nervous around me, although he will go up to the front of the cage and eat and will play with his toys when I am near/ in front of his cage.
How should I begin to tame him?

p.s. He will run away if I put my hand near him, although if I leave it there, he will slowly become less nervous about it, and then will ignore it. Is this good?

 

[Shezbug]

Sit near him and talk to him without stressing him out about your hands. You want him calm and interested about your presence not nervous. 4 days is not a lot of time for a bird in a new home and if he is still uncomfortable then stressing him out trying to tame him will likely do the opposite.

 

[Zara]

even long sticks of millet.

Cut them down into smaller lengths. A full spray is quite long and can be frightening. Cut them to sorta the length of your index finger.
If still no interest, cut a smaller piece and put it in the cage for him to explore and learn what it is, it could be he's never had it before.

 

[Emma&pico]

I agree with @Zara maybe he doesn’t know what it is and once they get a taste it’s normal a hit

also agree with @Shezbug forget about hands for now just sit chatting whistling reading etc

@Pixiebeak as a brill idea of using a treat bowl or ledge so you just put a treat in and sit back let them come to bowl it work’s brilliant soon you will find he will be waiting at bowl ready when he sees you knowing you bring goodies then you can try millet piece through cage bars

 

[Pixiebeak]

4 days is really nothing in bird time , and especially when it comes to adjusting to a move to a while new environment.

Congratulations on your new one! Stick a picture in !!

Everyone already shared great stuff.

To add, I think it's really good to have routine and ritual and being predictable. At first I think it's important to always approach the cage from the front head on , announce yourself and your intentions as you head over. Hello Mango! I'm just coming over to say hello. It hello Mango, I'm coming over to give you new food and water. Stuff like that , they will start making connections.

Once your bird knows what treats are and you have found a few if their favorites. Then yes holding one hand flat , and offer the treat from the other hand, over time you can have them step on on the dien hand ( thst you eint move st first) to get a treat, it to step over the dien hand to get a treat. This can be very helpful in birds who have a fear of hands. I e used this technique in one of mine who had a real hand phobia. The hand is less scary ,it doesn't move, and hey they get treats near it . Then you can go to having hand with pinky down sideways flat in cage or flat surface . More if ehst will late be the way you offer for step up. And have them step up to it , nit move het treat and step off.

That's an example of shaping, and works well in training animals. Breaking things down to little parts and building on them .

 

[animalgirl]

I've spent lots of time in front of Mango's cage.
He must be really tame or have been handled at the place where I got him because he now lets me sit in front of his cage, and he'll even come out to eat his food when I'm there.
I even tried putting my hand (fingers) near his food bowl today, and he was a bit nervous, although he eventually came and stood next to my hand.
He still gets startled, of course, when I get up (as I am suddenly way taller than I was a few moments ago), and sometimes, I have to sit next to his enclosure for him to become used to my presence when I come into the room, but he'll come out eventually to resume his bird activities.

I tried what you guys said, and I gave him a small stick of millet in his enclosure. They aren't his favorite, but he'll eat it eventually. What other treats do birds like?
I am trying to figure out how to transfer pictures onto my computer so I can post them here.

One last thing, when is it a good time to cover the bird cage at night? I can usually tell when to cover it because he'll go onto his favorite perch, make a contented beak grinding sound, and he'll start closing his eyes. It's usually around 7 p.m., although today he decided he'll be sleeping early (6:30 ish). I usually get up around 6 and have to be out of the house by 7:15, so I uncover him around 6:40-7:00. Is this OK?
(I like to cover the cage because it allows him to sleep before I do, and It'll keep me from waking him with the lights. It also keeps the cage slightly warmer in case it gets cold at night.)
I am very happy with his progress

 

[Xoetix]

I've spent lots of time in front of Mango's cage.
He must be really tame or have been handled at the place where I got him because he now lets me sit in front of his cage, and he'll even come out to eat his food when I'm there.
I even tried putting my hand (fingers) near his food bowl today, and he was a bit nervous, although he eventually came and stood next to my hand.
I am trying to figure out how to transfer pictures onto my computer so I can post them here.

One last thing, when is it a good time to cover the bird cage at night? I can usually tell when to cover it because he'll go onto his favorite perch, make a contented beak grinding sound, and he'll start closing his eyes. It's usually around 7 p.m., although today he decided he'll be sleeping early (6:30 ish). I usually get up around 6 and have to be out of the house by 7:15, so I uncover him around 6:40-7:00. Is this OK?
(I like to cover the cage because it allows him to sleep before I do, and It'll keep me from waking him with the lights. It also keeps the cage slightly warmer in case it gets cold at night.)
I am very happy with his progress

I've gotten my birds on a schedule of 7pm(ish) bedtime and 7am(ish) wake up - generally 12 hours sleep is best for them I'm glad it's going so well!

 

[animalgirl]

Here is Mango!

 

[animalgirl]

What are some treats that lovebirds like? Mango doesn't seem to like millet

 

[Emma&pico]

Mine love nurtiberries stafflower seeds sunflower seeds Avaricakes little dried papaya fruits but mainly millet

he’s gorgeous

 

[Zara]

Millet, sunflower seeds, any other random seed, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, small piece of almond