How can we get the lovebirds to like us.

[sj262]

Hi.

We purchased a pair of sibling lovebirds about 1 1/2 years ago. We got them from a breeder nearby who swore that they were handled and easy to tame more. I should have figured. He was older and literally had two rooms full of cages of birds. His TV was full blast so he could hear. It was clean, though and they seemed well cared for with a specific special handmade pellet and veggie mix that he literally made gallons of a day, ..and I should have realized, he did not have time to tame all of these birds, but what did we know. He said they were about 6 months old.

These birds are healthy, seem very happy with each other, but hate us. We can't get close at all. We used to allow them out in a closed off room (we have dogs), but they were so hard to get back in the cage, they'd get stressed, sometimes fly into the wall. It was so stressful. My niece came over (she works with the parrots at a local zoo and trimmed their wings so they couldn't fly, but it was still stressful to have them out)

They panic anytime we go to move toys around or whatever. Food and water can be done from outside the cage, so they're ok with that.

Ironically, they like the dog. She goes up to the cage and they fly down to her and lightly peck her nose.

Any ideas on how to go about taming them or are we just destined to have these pretty guys for the next 10+ years without any type of relationship. (we were going for birds like I see on this site.. interacting with us) They are funny sometimes and fun to watch, but.. ya know.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Planty of lovebird people here will chime in soon. Mated, flighted pairs are often disinterested in humans. While you're waiting for personalized help, the SEARCH tab above will probably yield some interesting threads... maybe look for "bonded birds not tsme", stuff like that?
Good fo you for reaching out.

 

[LordTriggs]

have you tried just sitting with them and talking? Being a pair they may never become fully tame, they want to be with their own kind and you're a predator. Just literally sit next to their cage for an hour or 2 a day just reading a book without staring at them

takes time but hopefully they'll tame down to a point of allowing touching

 

[clark_conure]

I'd try being more like the dog....sit real close next to them, look at them ask them how their day went, speak back for them if they don't reply....carry on a conversation with them....eventually they will see that well,(like Han solo in star wars, this is a boring conversation anyways) but they will figure out oh, I bet they wanna join our flock. Should we say chirp back?

 

[HenryC]

My lovebird was the same, skittish and really scared of my hands. The moment I came close to his cage he would jump to the corner and cling to the sides of the cage, and bite if I managed to touch it.

What worked for me, and I am not kidding you with this, is using a cellphone with lovebird calls playing (you can find videos in youtube). I played the songs and held the celphone in my hand, and he would become really curious and eventually he landed on my hand to check out the cellphone. When he did that, I gave him a single sunflower seed (never gave sunflower seeds to him otherwise, just with this excercise).

The cellphone helped too when it was time to place him in his cage for sleep/me going out. I simply placed the cellphone with the lovebird calls inside the cage, and he would go check it, after that I would approach the cage very quietly and gently and grab the cellphone, then close it, after that, 2 sunflower seeds.

With time, I didn't need the cellphone anymore, because the bird realized my hand is not a threat, pretty much the opposite, he would get treats when he landed on it.

Today, after 4 months of having him, he still will not let me grab him without getting a little alert, but he will step up to my finger/shoulder no problem. With time, I beleive he will trust me fully. Try that! You might have a harder time as you have a pair but worth a try.

Him now: https://www.instagram.com/p/BXRfRpdhezC/?taken-by=henruch0

 

[ocatoro]

I spend a lot of time in my study/office.

I was writing for car magazines when I first got my lovebird, who had not been handled at all. he was wild as can be.

I just left the door of the cage open and let him do the rest. I'd eat at my desk and leave bird food down near my keyboard.

eventually he just came down to investigate, but was still really flighty. but then began to want to sit on me and taught himself to step up...

I think just letting them get on with it and talk to them and eat with them, as they are social creatures... this worked for me. (although I only have one, which I only got on purpose because I read that pairs just bond to eachother)