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I got a new bird... HELP!

tinera.holiday

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Hello, everyone!
About a week ago I got a male lovebird, who i purchased from a breeder. The bird previously lived in a flock (so of course he isn't tame, but he does let me gently pet him on his lower belly and the back of his head/neck)
And ever since i've gotten him I've had some problems;
1) he wont really eat anything except the millet in his seed mix, ive offered him broccoli, lettuce, apples and a banana, but he wont eat any of it
2) he often goes to the bottom of his cage and sticks his beak out and goes up and down. perhaps he's trying to get out because he's bored... which leads me to the next problem...
3) he wont play with any of his toys! its probably because he doesnt know how, but since he doesnt trust me i cant really incourage him to play with them
Thanks for reading, hope to get a reply soon!:heart:
 

Clueless

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Try posting your questions in Lovebird Lane.

My personal thought is .... give it time. One week is very short time for an avian friend.

I know nothing about lovebirds but I can tell you that my amazons didn't play with toys at first.
 

Peachfaced

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Both Sherbie (Lovebird) and Rupert (Green Cheek Conure) weren't sure on how to play, either. Before you offer him food in the morning, pretend to eat his millet and seeds. Say something like, "Mmmm! That's yummy! Want some?" Then proceed to offer him his food. He'll soon realize that what you're doing is interesting or tasty. Do the same thing with toy parts. If you've got a small block of balsa, spend a moment fiddling with it, tear off a few pieces. Maybe offer him one of those pieces to beak at.

One week is a blip. Lovebirds don't generally need or care for fruits. Stick to offering up small pieces of vegetables.

Don't pet him on the belly; that is perceived as sexual in nature. Stick to the head and neck. :)

His up and down beak-between-the-bars is what I call the jailbird. Sometimes the bird is doing it to wipe their beak off, but if it's persistent, usually they want out of the cage. My first Lovebird, Beep, dragged her beak horizontally on the bars, to make as much of a racket as possible when she wanted out. If you do let him out, just open up the door and let him decide on his own whether or not to venture out. Make sure you allow extra time for getting him back IN the cage. I do suggest getting a T shaped perch and working on getting him to step up on it, so even if he's afraid of hands, he can be transported easily.
 

Garet

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1- Try coating the fruit and veg you offer him in seeds. Even if he only picks off the millet, he's still at least getting some nutrients. You can also try crushing his pellets so he has to dig through the powdered bits and may try eating the smaller chunks.

2- It sounds more like he's letting you know that this is his cage than anything else. My birds do that on their things as well, including my phone, certain sections of their cages, perches, toys, my fingers, ECT.

3- A lot of birds in his circumstances don't know how to play. He might never come around, or he might, given time. My lovies adore anything that jingles, shredable toys, and paper. What I do is take some millet and a bit of paper, pour it into the paper in front of them and either crumple it or fold it for them. That way, they have to work for their treats.

Also, I wouldn't pet his tummy if I were you. Anything below the neck is a bird's "naughty zone". He might see you as his mate...
 
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