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Apocryphon33

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Hello, I got a Fischer’s lovebird about 2 weeks ago, she was hand fed (didn’t get her from pet shop but pet shop guy said she was young). The first couple days I got her I didn’t do anything to her but I also didn’t have a cage so she was perched up on my shower curtain.... there still I remained calm sitting. I knew that it was still to early to do anything, I try to have her step up and she flew on my head, I didn’t react or anything kinda just stood there, then she looked into the mirror and then flew onto my shoulder (my guess is she was already used to that), she liked the mirror and then eventually started going through my hair and biting it from the bottom to the tip of the hair ... I got her attention with hello and hi and she flew to my head and shoulder (she wasn’t fully flighted, I asked the guy that I bought it from if he can clip the wings and he cut all but the flight feather.) when she’s on my shoulder she will pick on my back of my neck and generally my face area and hair I’m not sure what that’s all about, she used to call out to me but all that changed after I grabbed her, I had to, situation called for it. Since her flight feathers weren’t clipped I had to go to a pet shop and have em done again... she would get to these high places and she started To use the (idk what it’s called it’s near the top of the ceiling but she fits on it and slept there for a few nights) thingy mcjig. I grabbed her on multiple accounts to be quite frank with you, I know that it’s wrong but I want to fix it... she’ll do everything she did before but she’s scared of my hands, quite possibly me. I don’t know what to do, I figure that if I just repeated step up she’ll get used to it, she does it but not because she wants to, like if she’s on a ledge and I push my finger (GENTLY) under her she’ll tense up a little and try to bite and step up (everytime she has bitten me its not extremely hard, it’s not even painful, I’ve never given a reaction to a bite... she’ll jump on my head or shoulder, she’s eat treats off my finger if the Millet is pinch (I don’t give her branch at a time I peel it off)...she’ll go on my hand if I hold the food cup but she doesn’t even know she’s stepping on my finger...



Please I really want to fix this. Just today I grabbed her like an idiot held her in my hand for a minute or two... I know it’s way to soon to even do anything but she was quick to open up to me and I’m compulsive (not medically, figuratively).... her name is polly btw but I don’t even know if she even knows that yet. Is it too late for her with the hand stuff, even if I stop grabbing like forever
 

Yoshi&Raphi

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You should never ever grab her unless it’s a emergency and even then it’s best to use a towel.

Does she have a cage? Or does she live in the bathroom.
 

Shezbug

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You can fix the relationship but you will need to be patient and learn not to grab her or force her to do things. You need to earn her trust and that can’t happen if she’s always waiting to be grabbed or forced to step up etc. She will likely feel extra vulnerable and confused about not being able to fly properly.
If you can avoid getting her clipped then do so as I believe birds who know they can fly away if they need or want to are less cautious of you if you earn their trust and prove to them you are safe. Plus they usually enjoy flying and it is so good for them physically and mentally.
Does she have a cage yet?
 

sunnysmom

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Welcome to the forum. I think getting a cage is a good idea. She can be out with your during the day. But at night and if you leave, etc. accidents can happen. It also gives her a place to feel secure. I would try to start hand feeding her some treats to show her hands aren't scary. Also, I'm not a fan of wing clipping. I understand why it was done but being flighted is better for a bird both physically and mentally.
 

Apocryphon33

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-yoshi
Ok, I won’t grab her anymore.... I’m not grabbing her hard mind you, but it’s the action and I understand... yes she has a cage after the second day. Another thing, my parents are divorced so taking her back and fourth would that mess her up?

-shezbug inwont force her to step up anymore... what do you suggest I do? Should I close her cage and wait for her to want to interact with me?

-sunnysmom I’ll keep it in mind to not clip the wings... hopefully as the relation ship gets better I wouldn’t have too, I’m hoping she wont keep running when she’s fully flighted...but if it’s her choice to run then whatevs lol.




She chirps when she’s asleep idk what it is, am I making too much noise? Me and my sibling and cousin were talking while she was sleeping and she was trumyimgbto get louder than us but another times she was doing it on her own... now loud and high picthe (she’s doing it right now) and I’ve pet her before when I have grabbed her, she made these low chirps, from what I gathered it’s not a good thing but it’s weird and you can barley hear it. Idk whatbit is
 

Zara

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Welcome to the avenue,

Please stop everything that you are doing with this bird. You will need to start from the beginning with this bird if you want to have any chance at a relationship. Go and read: Some things to do with a new bird.... | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

he cut all but the flight feather.
What feathers did he cut?

I grabbed her on multiple accounts
Stop grabbing her. If she doesn´t want to be with you then buy a playstand that you can put toys on and she can play there instead.
You may find that leaving Polly caged for a few days while you offer millet through the bars will help try and earn some trust back.

everytime she has bitten me its not extremely hard, it’s not even painful, I’ve never given a reaction to a bite.
To teach her not to bite, it is important to avoid as many bites as possible.

Just today I grabbed her like an idiot held her in my hand for a minute or two
I’ve pet her before when I have grabbed her, she made these low chirps, from what I gathered it’s not a good thing but it’s weird and you can barley hear it. Idk whatbit is
Holding her like this is called flooding. It is bad. You can´t force love or trust. You really need to earn it. She may be making the noises because she´s scared.

She chirps when she’s asleep idk what it is, am I making too much noise? Me and my sibling and cousin were talking while she was sleeping and she was trumyimgbto get louder than us but another times she was doing it on her own..
Yes you are making too much noise. Do you have a spare room or nook away from the noise? Maybe you can move the cage at bedtime so she can sleep peacefully?

my parents are divorced so taking her back and fourth would that mess her up?
I´m sorry to hear your parents separated. She will be fine. You could have two cage setups and use a small travel cage/bag to transport her. It may work in your favour as it will give her instability and throw her off laying as much as normal. Just be patient with her. Speak only calmly to her, don´t swing her travel cage. Clip a nice chunk of millet in there for the journey with no swinging toys.

 

Duel

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My fischer back when he was clipped and 3-4 months old whenever I had him step up he would use his beak as well and it didn't hurt or pinch at all. I think at the time he was simply using his beak to balance himself when stepping over. As for the fear of hands mine used to also avoid my hands and wouldn't act all tense when my hands were behind my back or were hidden under my sleeve but I solved this by a little experiment. At night when he would finally be asleep I would quietly approach his cage and take his food out of it then in the morning I put a handful of it in my hand and left my hand to rest at the bottom of the cage completely still with his breakfast waiting. At first he was very hesitant but I was very patient too and eventually (on the first day I did this) he tried eating from my hand and it was fine until I barely moved my hand a bit to which he got scared and backed away. I kept doing this with him every day and he slowly got more fine with eating from my hand even with slight hand movements. Now he flies to me whenever I open his cage and even waits for me in front of the bathroom when I take him off to go in.
 

Zara

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At night when he would finally be asleep I would quietly approach his cage and take his food out of it then in the morning I put a handful of it in my hand and left my hand to rest at the bottom of the cage completely still with his breakfast waiting. At first he was very hesitant but I was very patient too and eventually (on the first day I did this) he tried eating from my hand and it was fine until I barely moved my hand a bit to which he got scared and backed away. I kept doing this with him every day and he slowly got more fine with eating from my hand even with slight hand movements.
To add to this,
If you are going to do this, you must wake up in the morning on time to feed your bird. Also, you can only have your hand offering food for about 20 minutes. If the bird does not eat, you will have to give their food back. It is like doing this for vegetables. You can do it, but you have to wake up before the bird to have the food ready, and you can´t do this for a long time while the bird is hungry.
 

VinnyLB

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10-4 Zara, thanks for going into depth on it, wasn’t aware of that and thanks duel for the tip, it worked the first day on me too (today lol) she’s hesitant but everntually she comes around (wasn’t long)
 

Duel

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To add to this,
If you are going to do this, you must wake up in the morning on time to feed your bird. Also, you can only have your hand offering food for about 20 minutes. If the bird does not eat, you will have to give their food back. It is like doing this for vegetables. You can do it, but you have to wake up before the bird to have the food ready, and you can´t do this for a long time while the bird is hungry.
Oh yeah I never did it for long, 15 minutes was the longest I did and I already had to get up early which is why I was able to try doing it to begin with.
 

calibird

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Welcome to The Avenue.
 
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