New to Birdkeeping

[pvl_ru]

As I left my house early in the morning, I heard a loud chirping noise of an unusual bird, and I saw it race through the street as two sparrow-hawks were chasing it. I noticed that it was green in color. One of the sparrow-hawks knocked it to the floor, in the leaves. I ran up and the sparrow-hawks flew away. I picked up what seemed to be a parrot. I quickly ran home, put it inside, and left to the bus, because I was late.

In the evening, when I came back, a friend of mine told me it was a Lovebird, a Peach-faced Lovebird to be exact. He brought me a big cage, I'd say about 3 feet long, by two feet wide, and about two feet tall. It was flying around the house, and loudly chirping, or singing as you may call it. It was terrified of us at first, but it was trying to find some food. We gave it buckwheat and it sat there eating them for around an hour, we also gave it fruits and greens and water, but it didn't like any. Later on it even sat on my hand when I offered it to the bird. As it sat on my hand I slowly put it in the cage.

The bird is really quiet, and doesn't make any sounds, it is really afraid to come out of the cage, and when I slowly offer it my hand it runs away and tries to hide in the corner. What can be wrong? It does have slight wounds from the sparrowhawk, it has a bit of dried up blood by the beak and a few feathers missing, but nothing too bad since it was flying all over the house the previous day. It was eating lots and lots of buckwheat, we put some in the water so it would drink the water too, and that helped.

The question is, what should I do so it won't be afraid? It sat on my hand earlier for a while when I put it in the cage, it never bites when I put my hand close to it, only runs away and tries to hide in the cage.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MikeyTN]

Regardless if he's acting fine or not. He actually needs a visit to the vet in case of any infection. He might be starving pretty good so you should purchase some cockatiel seeds with less sunflower and let him be for a bit. He was running for his life outside so he's a bit emotional plus starvation. Dont try to feed him anything he doesn't want to eat right now, diet can be changed later on. Main thing is to just talk to him often, give him a break for a week or so he will perkup. Then you can start working on taming him down. Good luck! Ask any question you may have.

 

[pvl_ru]

Thanks! Does parakeet food work too?

 

[MikeyTN]

That will work! You basically needs to get him fattening up a bit, is he pretty thin right now??

 

[lene1949]

As Mikey said, he need to see a vet..

Also he's probably an escaped bird... Someone loves him and misses him very much... Please check the vets near you as well as the classifieds and all other places, where people might be looking for their lost birds...

 

[kitt]

The poor little thing...can you imagine what is going through his head....first being out in the wild and then being nearly killed and now in new surroundings....oh my goodness.
Please take him to an avian vet....and as suggested....get him some good parrot food and leave him be for a little bit...let him soak up everything that has happened.....

 

[osnyder]

So glad you rescued him, and I would expect him to be distant for a good while. It's frankly shocking to me that he sat on your hand that one time! I agree that you should check ALL possible outlets for "Lost Lovebird" notifications (Craigslist, Petfinder, etc) and if you can, take him to an avian vet.