Lovebird Taming advice

[Tizenket]

So, a month or so ago, I got a lovebird. The internet told me to get a younger lovebird, so I figured 5 months was young enough. I was wrong. I don't want to regret buying her, however, and have tried to tame her. It doesn't work.

TL;DR: any advice on taming a non-hand fed, 5-month-old, female lovebird?

 

[Flboy]

Hi! Don’t think taming, think gaining trust!

 

[Tizenket]

Problem is, how? Do I let her out of her cage? Do I just sit there? It doesn't help that I think the cage she's housed in isn't appropriate for her, as it is quite dented and incredibly hard to clean. Parents won't buy a new cage either...

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

Have you tried establishing trust by way of offering food from your hand? Bribery will get you everywhere they say

 

[Tizenket]

Hi, 18WheelsOfSteel,

no, by not hand tame, I mean she is absolutely petrified whenever she sees my hands. She's mostly fine with my face but will climb away from me if she sees hands and shreik at me if I try to corner her

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

My birds currently with me are new arrivals too, and part of the trust building process is consistency in my experience, make sure the bird is being fed a quality diet, is getting plenty of rest so they aren't as likely to be cranky, and work slowly, at first just stick your hand near the cage, nice and slow, start with the front, do that every day for a week, then add in the left or right side, then the next etc, eventually the bird will get comfortable with it. Just keep it slow, no fast movement and try to make sure your feeling calm and friendly, I swear parrots can pick up on that stuff

 

[Tizenket]

Ah, thank you for the advice!

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

Let us know in a few days how your getting on with it!

 

[BeatriceC]

Time and patience. Sit next to your bird and read to her. Rest your hand on the outside of the cage until she stops panicking. Then keep doing that but move your hand near an open cage door, but not in the cage. Then in the cage but far away. Then hold food. Let her come to you.

But food may not work. I have a very stubborn lovebird. I was getting very frustrated at the beginning, but as it turns out, she's not food motivated. What worked were toys made out of dried corn husks. She loves those darned things. After we figured out her "currency" she tamed in days.