Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

how to tame my lovebird. help!

Discuss the methods and techniques of clicker training, target training and bonding. These are usually the first steps in training a young parrot.

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby pscindy_13 » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:02 am

Wolf wrote:It takes time and patience as well as persistence and consistency. You don't give up you just keep talking and singing and offering treats and if you do this every day your bird will eventually decide to trust you. I have a 15 yr. old Amazon that I can't handle and just barely comes out of her cage, although she is quite the talker. I have been working with her for well over a year to get her this far. So I understand how discouraging it can get.
All of the problems that you are having to go through are part of the reasons that many of us don't like breeders or pet stores. Both will sell a bird that is not ready to people who don't know about birds and then mislead them just to get the sale. they don't care about either the bird or the person. It is just not right.
Then the people eventually turn to forums for help and here you have fluff forums who will pat a person on the back or say oh you poor person for this happening, but offer no help. Then you have forums that care deeply about the welfare of the birds and do their best to educate the person about their bird and try to help them to make the best of this situation. They don't always say the things that the person wants to hear, but will always try to give the right information.
This situation is not your fault as you were clearly taken undue advantage of. And it is not the birds fault either, it is just responding to this as best it knows how to. The bird was not properly socialized to be a companion bird and this is why it is taking so long for it to accept you. Be consistent in your efforts and work with your bird every day for as long as you can. Be patient and understanding of the bird and he will eventually give you his trust. Never force yourself on the bird, but rather be patient and let the bird come to you. It is well worth the time and effort that you put into this relationship. I know that you don't see that right now, but it is true and if you will persist in gently guideing this bird to trusting you then you will see for yourself.


It's super discouraging but I hear ya and will keep trying :)
I did try treats but he doesn't recognize it as food yet. He just discovered the cuttle bone, standing on his pearch properly, and playing with his toys. He has no problem getting out of his cage, when I get home or wake up his already waiting at the door for me to open so he can get out lol.

The only time I try to get close is when it's time to get him back inside his cage. I slowly place my hand as close as I can get but when I see he starts to back up a bit that's when I stop and leave. There are sometimes he let's me barely pet his head tho. I'm just thankful his only scared of me then being bitey or eles that would be much harder.

I do feel cheated but sometimes I'm happy cause I was able to take him out of that place and I still love him regardles lol. I'm not sure if this is normal or not but he always makes a clicking sound before sleeping at 8pm. I think it's crazy adorable he has his own nap time~
pscindy_13
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 37
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black Masked Lovebird
Flight: No

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby Wolf » Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:23 pm

That clicking sound if it is the one that I think it is, is the sound of contentment. You have been making progress, but every time you go into the room that he is in take a minute to hold a treat in your hand for him and offer it to him while telling him that you are back and happy to see him. Give him a minute or two for him to decide if he wants the treat enough to step onto your hand for it or not. If not try again later.
I am here and rooting for you and him to relax with each other and come together, sooner. We are here for you and I will keep answering you and encouraging you for as long as it takes. Since they did not socialize this bird as they should have, you are basically working with a wild bird. The only difference is that this one has been imprinted on humans so that it is a little more accepting of you than if it had been completely wild.
The things that you are learning right now about your bird and how to relate to him in your bid to gain his trust are skills that you will use every day as long as you have birds. Almost every thing that my bird learns is taught by letting the bird know what I want and then waiting for the bird to try to do it and then offering some form of reward that the bird feels is appropriate.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby pscindy_13 » Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:26 pm

thanks~ :D

He actually been doing that since I got him. I thought it would be a short time thing or he was cold but he does that every night and it's super adorable~

I understand the treat thing and will try it. I just hope he knows it's food/treat. He is still learning about other foods and things.
pscindy_13
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 37
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black Masked Lovebird
Flight: No

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby pscindy_13 » Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:02 pm

Oh btw. Does anyone know what age the mask lovebird is when they start growing blue feathers on their back?

He used to have gray but now it's starting to grow blue feathers.
pscindy_13
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 37
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black Masked Lovebird
Flight: No

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby Wolf » Fri Apr 24, 2015 12:35 am

The best way to get your bird to recognize an item as food is to either eat some of it yourself in front of the bird or at least make it look like you are eating it ( they can be very hard to fool) and then make a big show of how good it is and wait for him to start begging for some of it before offering him a tiny piece of it. This normally takes many tries before he decides to try it and then most of the time he will spit it out. But don't get discouraged by this as it is normal just keep trying. Use a different food item each day.
If the temperature is above 65 degrees F. and he has a good coat of feathers, he should not be cold. If he is cold he will get very puffy and shiver, he may also make begging noises. If you are using air conditioning try to keep it out of the room he is in as most air conditioners produce ozone which is bad for them.
I am not sure of what age that this would occur in lovebirds but in most other species I think that it starts a about the same time as puberty as this would be an adult coloration. Is there still a black space at the base of his upper beak?
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby pscindy_13 » Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:43 am

I keep trying that but it's still not working and I can understand since he doesn't trust me.

The room isn't cold or anything. I thought he was cold but then I realized he was just getting ready to sleep.

I noticed a lot of lovebirds don't have the black on the beaks and they are just born so I can't rely on that.
pscindy_13
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 37
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Black Masked Lovebird
Flight: No

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby Blu » Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:21 am

Just keep working with him. It took months to get Blu hand tamed. I was getting a little bummed and on day he just came running right over to me when I was cleaning his cage and pecked me right on the lip and started singing to me :lol: . It takes a while to get them to trust you but when they do it is soo worth the wait :D
Blu the Budgie :budgie2:

Connor the Green Cheek Conure :gcc:
Blu
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 176
Location: Rochester NY
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Parakeet, Cinnamon Green cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby Pajarita » Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:25 am

Some mutations don't have the black spot on their beaks but you have a wild phenotype so it does.

Wolf, I think this bird is been free-fed seeds so I doubt he is going to react to any 'treat'.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby Wolf » Fri Apr 24, 2015 2:43 pm

I hear you, I tried to get the bird put on a better diet, but am not in a position to do more than suggest.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: how to tame my lovebird. help!

Postby Moffat » Sun Sep 06, 2015 2:20 am

I know this is an old post, but after reading the entire thread there is an important point that needs to be made.

You absolutely CAN NOT ask ask an underage child where they live, what their address is, or personal information such as how many siblings they have. Even with the best intentions, these questions are completely inappropriate.
Please remember that these forums are open for public viewing. At the very least asking such questions puts you in an awkward position of appearing to fish for information, but the worse case senerio is a child predator could use that information to locate, bait and cause harm.
It seems like this young person has resolved his/her issue, but if anyone comes across a similar situation in the future please refer them to a non-profit organization that could assist, rather than asking for an address or to meet up with them.
Moffat
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 2
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Lovebird
Flight: No

PreviousNext

Return to Taming & Basic Training

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store