Pictures Orca: Taming Journal

[BeakyBird]

Thanks to the wonderful suggestions and help from fellow lovebird owners, I'm going to chart any/all progress Orca makes towards being tame. I feel this way I'll feel I'm accomplishing something (even small) and I can see how long it really took/takes for him to become tame.

This is Orca.

Apr 4 - Orca arrives home. Introduced to cage. Ate well, drank well. Resting.
Apr 5 - Orca has settled a bit. Figured out the cage setup. Still eating well. Resting.
Apr 6 - Allows me to walk past without freaking out. Talking to him from bed. (4 ft away)
Apr 7 - Singing from 4ft away. Started to chirp and dance. Still afraid of getting too close. No reaction to walking past.

 

[Cathy AZ]

Pretty.....the name fits. Sounds like he is settling in just fine. IS his wings clipped so you can hand tame him?

 

[BeakyBird]

Pretty.....the name fits. Sounds like he is settling in just fine. IS his wings clipped so you can hand tame him?

The breeder clipped them without telling me, so I didn't really know until I got him. :x But I suppose it'll make it a tad easier. Ollie, my parrotlet, was flighted when I got him and pretty easy to tame.

 

[Anne & Gang]

 

[gibsongrrrl]

wow, he is GORGEOUS! what is that color called?

 

[BeakyBird]

Mauve black masked lovebird I believe. Thanks!

 

[cupoftea]

Good job, slow steps are very important!!! I'm really excited for you!!

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 8 - Last night Orca was a look more bouncy before bed. He's (not DNA proven) been actively chewing on toys, and is still eating and drinking like a champ. I notice more and more each day that he is becoming more comfortable with my presence. Yesterday, among the wonderful advice of other lovebird owners I bought him a snuggle sack, and a coconut hideaway. I tucked a tid bit of millet in the coconut, and called it a night. This morning when I woke up my boys I found Orca sleeping in his coconut. Of course he devoured the millet. Glad to see he likes his new coconut. He also really likes all the fun perches I bought for him.

On Wednesday I have a package from A Bird Toy and a few different foods from Petco coming in. So we'll have to see how he likes all his new stuff. (And don't worry, Ollie has gotten a few new things too!)

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 8 (con) - So I spent most of my day talking to him, and trying to move closer. He's a lot better with me moving closer, which is awesome. But around 6pm I talked to the breeder who in response to my unhappiness with him being untame said "We like to put them on their back and pet tummy. Also hold on chest." Well this confused me, I asked again if he was tame or not and expressed how nervous of me he is, she said "Yes. You wont hurt him. He loves to be handled." Which strikes me as odd, I didn't tell her I was afraid of hurting him, and He definitely doesn't love being handled. Am I doing something wrong?

So I took her advice and tried to hold him on his back and rub his belly. NOPE. Then I tried to hold him against my chest, and again. NOPE. So I'm not sure if she's the bird whisperer, I'm dumb, she's lying, or if he's still coming around.

Needless to say, I think my actions of trying to do what the breeder said, sent me like 5 steps back. : /

 

[Maxsmom]

Love this thread. Trust your instincts. Just follow his lead. Patience Respect Trust....You were doing all right things. Softly talk to him and let him get used to you


Love name and boy is he cute

Don't worry about a set back just give it time

 

[BeakyBird]

Love this thread. Trust your instincts. Just follow his lead. Patience Respect Trust....You were doing all right things. Softly talk to him and let him get used to you


Love name and boy is he cute

Don't worry about a set back just give it time

You guys rock. You're always so encouraging. <333

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 8 - photos / videos

This image was while I was trying to hold him against my chest like the breeder instructed:

 

[Picaroon]

My lovie, Picaroon was a rescue and NOT tame when I got her. Just like everyone is telling you, it's all about time and trust. I strongly suggest starting some target training with Orca (love the name!) since you can do it without needing to touch him. I use a chopstick as the "target" for Picaroon and also use a clicker (same as what they use to train dogs). I hold the clicker and chopstick in one hand and have millet ready in the other. Stick the "target" into the cage and when Orca puts her beak on it (nips it) click and supply the millet for a quick nibble of a treat. He should naturally be curious enough to beak the "target". From this you can start to move the "target" further away and eventually all over the cage. Great way to get an untamed bird in/out of the cage too. It's a good boning experience as well as mental stimulation. From this they learn the clicker = treat too which preps you to teach all kinds of things. Good luck with your lil' guy, he's so cute!

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 9 - Well sadly it looks like after that escapade that the breeder suggested, he's a little less trusting of me today. But he's become more curious of his surroundings outside the cage, and he's talking a bit more too. I love when he trills. He got some new toys today from ABT, which so far he's thoroughly enjoying his boing. Again, he's still eating and drinking well which is always good.

I attempted to start target training today, as suggested by many of you. Using chopsticks I had had from a little back as @Picaroon suggested. But he showed no interest in the stick and was just stiff as a board to me being so close. We'll try again later, and again tomorrow. Thanks for all the help thus far.

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 9 (con) - A small but celebratory leap was made tonight. Orca ate millet through the cage bars, while I was holding the millet. I sang to him a bit and calmed him down, then invited Ollie to eat some millet, after watching Ollie eating gladly from me, Orca joined in too. Small step, but wonderful!

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 10 - I'm slowly learning more about this bird, who the breeder claimed to be "8 weeks old". He's definitely not, as he'd still have the black on his beak. He appears to have already gone through his six month molt, so that would mean he's older than six months at least. What have I gotten myself into? I wanted a baby to train and love, and all of this is heartbreaking and discouraging. I'm trying my very hardest, but I'm also very upset to think I was bamboozled!

As far as the chopstick target training goes, he wants nothing to do with it. He'll come eat millet from my hand through the cage bars, but when it comes to the chopstick he just stares at it, never to lay a beak on it. Also, as soon as I pull the millet away from the cage he high-tails it out of there.

 

[Picaroon]

I'm so sorry you're disappointed, but it sounds like Orca is lucky to have you. When I got Picaroon I was not even expecting to have a bird! I had just lost my dog 3 days before and in those 3 days I had my neighbor begging and pleading for me to take this lovebird she found because it was biting her granddaughter who was VERY young. It's difficult, but it can be done. I'm going through hell right now with an amazon (my first large bird) who has special needs and VERY distrusting. It's so hard to take things slow because we both know that our intentions are nothing short of the best, but they don't. I'd say keep up with using your other fid to model for Orca ("oh, when she goes to Ollie's cage, he gets millet! He likes her!") before thinking about approaching Orca's cage. Always approach with a favorite treat and keep the contact just to giving the treat for a while. Just keep your day to whatever you'd normally do before Orca came into your world. Let Orca watch your universe and decide on his own when he's ready to be a part of it. Keep it positive and slow moving and you'll get there fast than you think.

On another note... VENT! Vent your feelings and thoughts like crazy here. I've found myself so frustrated the past week or so with everything and feeling like I was failing that it helped to just get it out on the forums. People here are nice and welcoming and full of experiences similar (or worse) and it helps to hear from them. A quote I commonly heard in the dog world that I think absolutely works here... "You get the (parrot) you need, not the one you want". Everything will work out.

 

[BeakyBird]

You're so helpful.

 

[BeakyBird]

Apr 10 - The breeder is steadfast in telling me all her birds are friendly and whatnot. "You must be the alpha or the leader in the relationship. He may not come directly to you. put your hand over his back and pick him up. now secure his head with your thumb and forefinger. Now flip him over. you are no in control."

 

[eleni]

Orca is so pretty
Good luck with the taming, I wish you lots of patience But I'm sure that in time he will come around. Sorry that the breeder lied to you- that sucks. It sounds like she may just be more interested in selling the birds and making money rather than being honest and making sure that potential owner gets a feel for what they will be working with. How is Orca around Ollie and Pico?