Help with Lovebird!

[BabyBirdy]

Hello everyone! So I got a young, hand raised lovebird from a reputable breeder in my town about 3 months ago. I grew up with my father's macaw and was always around him. I would feed him, play with him, interact with him on a daily basis and my affinity for birds began there. While I knew the two species would be completely different, I didn't think I would have this much trouble figuring out this little lovebird.

He is a Peach face and I absolutely adore him. He is very active and and sweet, but my issue is that I don't know how to keep him well stimulated and from being bored! The reason? He's scared of everything! I have had him for 3 months and he LOVES people. He loves to sit on shoulders and fingers, but I don't know how to play with him because he is afraid of toys and basically everything we give him! If I just let him sit on my shoulder, he eventually seems to get bored and it's like he tries to get my attention by biting and hurting me, so I put him back in his cage. Then he chirps because he's bored in there too, but when I try to put toys in he's afraid of them!

Basically my question is that I would love to play with him and keep him entertained, but I'm not really sure how to because he is so afraid of everything. How can I be more playful with him so that he doesn't get bored? I have looked up stuff about love birds but can't find any real help so I was hoping that someone with experience could give me advice! Thank you so much in advance!

Oh an to add on... I have also tried feeding him lovebird safe fruits to add some more nutrition to his diet but as soon as he sees even a little piece in my hand he flies off my hand in fear! If I set it down near him he just avoids it like the plague!

 

[Flboy]

Just wanted to say 'Welcome" to you! I will let other lovies chime in with advice.

What part of Florida?

 

[BabyBirdy]

Hello and thank you so much!! I live in central Florida near Orlando!

 

[Kentuckienne]

I always had to play with any parrot toy myself before the bird would risk it. They are naturally afraid of new things. Maybe leave the new toy on a nearby table ... Now and then pick it up, play with it, offer it briefly to the bird and then take it back for yourself. If you have someone who can play with you handing it back and forth, even better. Only when birdie isn't afraid any more should the toy go IN the cage - birdie will be scared to go in the cage, trapped with a strange monster. Birds are all different in their taste in toys - some want to chew it to bits, some want to bob and smash and fling, some want to weave strips through cage bars...once you find a favorite it won't be as hard to introduce new toys of the same kind. Remember, they don't care if you like it or how much you paid for it - they knows what they likes.

 

[goalerjones]

You might need to allow him some "getting acquainted" time. Once, for my conure I actually had to demonstrate chewing on a wooden toys before he understood what it was for.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[Flboy]

Hello and thank you so much!! I live in central Florida near Orlando!

Same, Clermont here!

 

[jiannotto9492]

I would spend time just either holding him or talking to him while he's perched. Building a bond with a bird takes hours and isn't the easiest thing to do.