I recently adopted two from the pet store I work at because they have been returned three times (the female has scissor beak though it is getting better with regular trimming). They aren't tame at all though they don't go crazy whenever I stick my hand in the cage. I've read that lovebirds can be particularly hard to tame but I'm not giving up on them! Does anyone have any suggestions about how to do this, helpful tips or websites? Any help is appreciated!
Answers:
Yeah lovebirds that have bonded can be extremely hard but not impossible to train. First how long have you had them in your home? If it hasn't been long they need some time to adjust and you say your female's beak has been trimmed, well that's enough to tick her off for a while and not trust. It is quite painful for them to be beak trimmed. To help with the beak you can put a sand perch in their cage but not where they actually like to perch. They might like to rub their beaks on it to keep it trimmed themselves. It will also help to keep their nails trimmed and not too sharp. Do you let them come out of their cage on their own at all? You can also sit by the cage and give them treats to get them used to your hands then when they will allow you to pick them up take them individually away from the cage and out of site of the other and start working with step ups and lots of praise when they do it, give them treats also when they do as you ask them. If they bite you push into the bite and firmly say "no bite" to teach them that you are the boss. If pushing into the bite doesn't work then you can try the earthquake, when they bite gently but quickly drop your hand down and it'll throw them off balance. A few times of that and they won't want that anymore. With bonded lovebirds it will take lots of patience and persistance. Keep it structured so they know what to expect and when to expect it. Hope this helps!
Love birds bond more to each other than to people. It's great that they don't go crazy when you put your hand in.
Start offering them a treat that they only get from your hand- a grape, a bit of apple, anything they love- they'll learn your hand is their friend.
I think being returned to the store has them upset- they've never had a change to settle down and learn that people are OK.
Just give them time.
If they are bonded, you might be lucky just to get them not to freak out when you put your hand in the cage.
We opted for a single hand-fed baby and he's bonded to me and my husband. He's pretty funny, he loves us and has a funny personality.he's like a tiny feathered dog that chirps.
like the others said they have bonded to each other. Your best bet if you want to make them hand tame is to separate them into different cages and in other rooms so they cannot see each other. If you think this is too harsh I would just leave them together and be happy they don't freak when you put your hand in the cage.
play soft music when you feed the bird and clean the cage. it really makes a difference in calming the bird down.
www.birdtricks.com is a wonderful site. It is very informative, and I use the methods on my own birds with great results.
Best of luck to you.
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