Hi everyone! I just purchased a lone female lovebird. The parrot store where she was purchased said she was partially hand trained but I would still need to work with her. I bought her on Monday, today is Thursday, and each time I attempt to take her out she goes literally insane, and for fear of her hurting herself I shut the cage door and wait for her to calm down a bit. I don't want to "chase" her around the cage with my hand because I don't want to seem like a threat. My question is, how long did it take your lovebirds to warm up to you? What did you do to earn their trust? Any and all tips are greatly appreciated. I know I haven't had her long at all, I am just worried that she'll never have a desire to be with me. Thanks in advance!

Oh don't try to take her! They are not cuddly birds and don't like to be touched. I got my not at all tame lovie in May, and she freaked out when I approached the cage or put my hand near. I just talked to her softly and spend a lot of time around her for the first couple of days. Then I went to work with my computer on the floor carpet and opened the cage door. She couldn't wait too long to get out of the cage and start exploring the room and me - she went under my knees and finally climbed into my robe on my chest! When I moved she was a bit scared. I always talked to her. To get her back I approached her very-very slowly and offered a little perch and later my finger (very slowly) to step up. She reluctantly did it, but now she just jumps on my finger if she sees it around. It took probably a month to tame her, and I tried to be as gentle as possible. It worked - she is very sweet little girl.
Lovebirds are extremely curious and if you just spend a lot of time around her she'll warm up to you. I'd not try to pick her up or touch her though. Just offer something to step up. Try also to put her on your shoulder - they love shoulder rides. My lovie just hanged on me for hours.

You only had her for 4 days, that's an extremely short period to see if she likes you or not.
I feel that pet store birds come home a bit more phobic because of all the people rushing up to them and poking their fingers at them.
From your description, it sounds like you're trying to rush this too fast. Usually, you hear that you should let your new parrot settle in for a week so they start knowing their environment. I know it may not be your intentions but "taunting" her, in a way, seems like it's getting you nowhere.
I would first start off by spending time NEAR the cage, let her begin to understand that you aren't a threat. Once she starts getting comfortable, start trying to use treats as a distraction. You have to go at HER pace rather than your own. She was placed under an alien environment so it's normal for her to be scared.

I actually got pretty far with Izzy. She wasn't particularly hand friendly and would take chunks out of you with no questions. It came to the point where I would have to use a perch to transport her-but hey! She still got her hour+ of interaction and mental stimulation. But it was mostly through step-up training which is EXTREMELY helpful. Treats also really helped, as a Millet-Monster, I got her doing tricks in a week and it helped to distract her when she was about to bite.

Delfin has an article on here with some pretty helpful information regarding training and bonding.

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Esther (Male, GD: 08/22/12)
Arrow (Female, GD: 08/22/12)
Izzy (Female, GD: 06/23/14-07/29/14)
Gizmo (Male, GD: 09/06/14-02/14/16)
Ducky: (Male, GD: 06/13/15)
Cora: (Female, GD: 06/13/15)
Kratos: (Male: GD: 06/13/15)

Thank you both so much! I had planned on just leaving her for about a week but her reaction when I take out her water for changing and check her food had me worried! I've been putting her cage on the floor and talking to her and offering kale and bits of an orange through the cage but she wouldn't take it. I hope she doesn't see me as an enemy, as the parrot shop owner did remove her from her cage and hand her to me even though she appeared as if she didn't want to leave the cage. Hopefully thats not the case! Thanks again!