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New Lovebird... Help Please!

Chaseh9464

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So i just got my first pet bird 3 days ago from a guy on Craigslist who said he just needed to downsize his flock. He said he kept about 20 parrots in an aviary together and he hadn’t interacted with the lovebird i got since it was born in November. He(not sure of the sex but i named him Kiyoshi) is fully flighted and I’ve been trying to feed him chop in the morning and throughout the day in small quantities and pellets at night but the only thing he’s TRULY interested in is millet. He is also very anxious about humans and doesn’t trust the slightest jerky movement near him or even in the same room as him. I’m keeping him in my room as it has the most action in the house, no one is ever in the living room so i thought it would help acclimate him better. I keep hearing all this stuff online about how it’s a really bad idea to let your bird “settle in” to its cage bc it can become cage bound and even more scared but i don’t think it’s safe for the bird at this point to try to get it out of the cage... again. I let him out the first full day with him and he was doing fine at first but then ran out of millet and started flying around my room until he finally landed on a perch i wired with millet. I guess my question is how do i bond with and take a bird that has never been handled and is extremely anxious. I have hope because I’ve got him to step up for millet but I’m scared I’m feeding him WAY too much weed and not enough fresh food:/ also i definitely understand that it will be a serious process to get this bird to trust me but I’m at a complete loss right now even though i thought i was prepared. I don’t know what I’m doing. Please help!!
 

Zara

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Welcome to the Avenue Chase 1.welcome signs.gif

While he´s still settling in, I wouldn´t worry so much over him eating too many seeds and not enough veg, as long as he is eating something. Try to get a good seed mix though, low in sunflower seeds, higher in buckwheat and canary grass seeds.
Still offer vegetables every morning in a separate bowl, maybe sprinkle some millet on top.

I guess my question is how do i bond with and take a bird that has never been handled and is extremely anxious.
Patience, millet, more patience, more millet, and more patience.
Spend time near the cage so the bird sees you. Talk to him calmly so he hears your voice.
Set up a bowl in his cage in a place you walk past, and when you do walk past the cage, drop a millet cluster through the cage bars so it falls in the dish.
When you´re sat talking to him, go over slowly and drop a millet chunk in - don´t just walk straight to the cage, approach it somewhat sideways, and slowly, and calmly.Don´t get right up to the bars, once you´re close enough that you can reach, just extend your arm to drop the millet in the bowl.

If you let the bird out of his cage, be sure you have the time to wait it out ´til he goes back in. While he´s out, have millet rigged up somewhere near you with somewhere to perch so he gets used to being around you. For eg. I have a small park on my table here next to my laptop and I clip half a millet spray to it for the birds to come and hang out and eat millet with me.
 

Chaseh9464

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Thank you so much for the quick and helpful reply!! This honestly gave me so much hope, i definitely need to be more careful with eye contact and approaching slower, but it’s somewhat nice to hear that i probably just need a whole lot more patience. It’s just kind of scary since it’s my first bird and it seems like he really wants nothing to do with me lol. Again, thank you so much for the reply!!! :)
 

Zara

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If he hasn´t been handled at all, he´s likely scared of you. It will take you longer to build trust with him than it would some young baby that was hand raised, or an older bird that is used to people.
It´s important you make all interactions positive ones. Even something simple like walking past the cage. Lucky for you he loves the millet, so spray/sprig will help you.
Be consistant, spend a few hours with him every day.
 

Chaseh9464

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Yeah i don’t believe he was handled at all as he’s very fearful at times, but i have got him to step up once for millet which really surprised me since he seems really anxious most of the time. I don’t wanna overwhelm him and put my hand in his cage anymore if it freaks him out though. I think at this point he would be okay with me dropping millet in his cage though he might not immediately get it or know where it is; i normally just hold the millet to the edge of the cage and he will occasionally hop his way over cautiously to take a few nibbles.
 

Sunni Tiel

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Yay you got him to step up! usually it takes longer to gain that much trust! It sounds like you are doing an amazing job! Just have patience and don't expect too much of him too quickly, some birds take forever. My budgie took 4-5 months to tame, but he just doesn't like people. He must have been handled really badly when he was young, he is still wary of hands. It sounds like you've got it, just keep up the good worK!
 

Chaseh9464

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Thank you so much!! That’s really encouraging:) i really appreciate it
 

TheBirds

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Sounds like you're on the right track :) When I first got my two Lovebirds, I avoided sticking my hand in their cages until they were accustomed to me .. it was their "safe space" and I could see the panic on their little faces anytime I came too close to invading their territory. Of course, it's not really an issue anymore (they tend to come to the door to beg to be let out).

Three days is pretty good going to have a bird eating from your hand after coming out of an aviary, unhandled, though!
 

Chaseh9464

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Sounds like you're on the right track :) When I first got my two Lovebirds, I avoided sticking my hand in their cages until they were accustomed to me .. it was their "safe space" and I could see the panic on their little faces anytime I came too close to invading their territory. Of course, it's not really an issue anymore (they tend to come to the door to beg to be let out).

Three days is pretty good going to have a bird eating from your hand after coming out of an aviary, unhandled, though!
Yeah that makes a lot of sense! It’s nice to hear that other people’s birds were skidding and it’s normal for them to be scared at first. I was on my way to thinking the bird wasn’t tameable because it was an unhandled aviary bird but it’s so good to hear that other people have experienced the same thing and their birds have overcome it :) thank u so much!!
 

Leih

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If this is your first bird, you may be surprised by how different they are from cats and dogs. My lovebird took months (months!) to step up, and now she's totally "tame," albeit a bit of a sassy diva! (I wouldn't have her any other way! :heart:) Just remember that these birds are prey animals so they're naturally fearful. You're doing exactly right by taking it slow and let him set the pace. I thought my girl was broken because she just didn't do much for a good month! You'll get to know his body language and even what his chirps mean, and we'll all be here to help when you need it.
 

Leih

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Oh, but don't be fooled, most lovebirds don't seem to know that they're not the size of a macaw :roflmao: They can be pretty bossy, but they're really fun!
 

Chaseh9464

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If this is your first bird, you may be surprised by how different they are from cats and dogs. My lovebird took months (months!) to step up, and now she's totally "tame," albeit a bit of a sassy diva! (I wouldn't have her any other way! :heart:) Just remember that these birds are prey animals so they're naturally fearful. You're doing exactly right by taking it slow and let him set the pace. I thought my girl was broken because she just didn't do much for a good month! You'll get to know his body language and even what his chirps mean, and we'll all be here to help when you need it.
Wow, thank you so much. I honestly think the step up that i got was just a little fluke because he hasn’t done it again and is kind of afraid of my hands again but hearing your story really helps!! I’ve been pretty overwhelmed and scared i was doing the wrong things or that i wasn’t capable of working with this bird but I’m hearing a pretty consistent them of extreme patience that i probably just need to work on. Thank you so much for the advice, I’ll definitely keep you guys updated and ask if i have any other questions!!! :dancing:
 

Zara

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i normally just hold the millet to the edge of the cage and he will occasionally hop his way over cautiously to take a few nibbles.
Keep doing that ;)

Would love to see some more pics of your hybrid baby! He looks beautiful :swoon:
 

Chaseh9464

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Keep doing that ;)

Would love to see some more pics of your hybrid baby! He looks beautiful :swoon:
I’ll take some pics today while I’m working with him, I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of lovebird he is and i honestly never even thought about the fact that he’s definitely a hybrid :lol:I’m clearly new at this haha. What would your guess be on what kind of hybrid he is? I was thinking black cheeked x rosy faced but I’m really not sure haha but yeah he is so adorable i love him already
 

Zara

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I was thinking black cheeked x rosy faced
Going off of your tiny profile picture, I would think Roseicollis x Personatus (Peach-faced x Black masked).

You say Black cheeked, is there a reason? Looking at him, yea maybe he could be, but Black cheeked lovebirds (Nigrigenis) are not as common as pets and most that have them won´t create hybrids with them unless they´re a backyard breeder.
 

Chaseh9464

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Going off of your tiny profile picture, I would think Roseicollis x Personatus (Peach-faced x Black masked).

You say Black cheeked, is there a reason? Looking at him, yea maybe he could be, but Black cheeked lovebirds (Nigrigenis) are not as common as pets and most that have them won´t create hybrids with them unless they´re a backyard breeder.
The only reason I say black cheeked is because that’s what he looks most like to me from just google but I’m not exactly sure and also am not experienced in identifying bird morphs lol. I’ll get a better picture today ;) But honestly it could be a possibility that he’s black cheeked from what you say about backyard breeders because the situation i got him from seemed like they bred some of their own birds. I’m messaging the guy i got him from to ask some questions today... if you have any suggestions, let me know ! Thanks again for your help:)
 

Zara

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I say black cheeked is because that’s what he looks most like to me from just google
Black masked and Black cheeked look similar to a novice to lovebirds. They both have the black hood over the head in the face.
The red on the front of your bird and the green body is from the Roseicollis (Rosy-faced).
 

camelotshadow

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:smileflower: Cute. First I would ask the aviary guy what kinds of LB are in the aviary & if they have any idea who the peach faced was paired with? Least you can rule out a mutation that was not in the aviary.

Keep using the millet its your friend to making friends. Time & patience.
 

Chaseh9464

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Black masked and Black cheeked look similar to a novice to lovebirds. They both have the black hood over the head in the face.
The red on the front of your bird and the green body is from the Roseicollis (Rosy-faced).
i think looking back it looks more masked to me too than cheeked, the red eyebrow that he has confused me i didn’t know peach faced had that feature! Thank u:)
:smileflower: Cute. First I would ask the aviary guy what kinds of LB are in the aviary & if they have any idea who the peach faced was paired with? Least you can rule out a mutation that was not in the aviary.

Keep using the millet its your friend to making friends. Time & patience.
I’ll do that, good idea!! Thank you. Yeah that lil guy is pretty brave for millet haha:cool3:
 
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