how should I approach acclimating my new recently weened lovebird?

[zoinksberg]

Hello!

I'm getting my lovebird in 2 hours and I hope I get a response before then but if not don't worry I'm just going to use common sense although I'd really appreciate guidance. So I've seen on some websites that when you take home a bird you should have them calm down in your room not in the cage so it knows it's safe in the room and with you instead of the cage which makes taming it easier. that makes sense to me but also I've read that you don't want to interact with a stressed animal because then it's going to associate you with its stress. So the other approach is to leave it in it's cage for the first few days and let it settle in on its own and slowly begin to establish trust. If this lovebird wasn't hand raised that would be the way I would do it. That's how I've done it with other animals like hamster and mice and even fish. However the other way seems to make sense to me. It is used to having a caring human and so it would expect humans to give it comfort. I want to give it comfort if it will let me give it to it. Alright thank you!! please give me a response preferably someone who has bought a hand raised lovebird or bird in the past.

 

[Flboy]

IMHO, you may be best off in cage acclimation! Let you little guy get used to his new home! To have him loose in the room in the very beginning, could lead to a couple of problems. One of which he will not know where to go back to for the feeling of safety, and if it turns out he is really spooked in the beginning, you are going to have your hands full trying to control him and it will make his nervousness only worse!
Just go at his pace! Hands off? OK! Please hold me and cuddle me? You bet!

 

[zoinksberg]

Hey sorry I haven't replied yet but I did read your comment in time and I am going with the cage acclimating. The poor baby is really nervous and after talking to the breeder more I'm starting to realize it's probably a lot less time than I thought. He sent me the link to his YouTube channel on how to tame them and it's basically him herding lovebirds on to a perch trying to pet them and then herding them again once they jump off. He also told me 75% of lovebirds are female and I can't find that anywhere else online so now I'm getting worried about the bird. I haven't seen it drink but I did see a feather in the water bowl so I'm hopeful. It also hasn't touched its food but it has eaten some millet. He told me they only drink twice a day and a very small amount but I remember my cockatiel drinking more than that. I looked up signs of dehydration and I don't see any but I'm still worried. I've been putting lovebird call videos on and that seems to help it a bit it will chirp back and it ate millet the first time a played it so I think it makes it feel safer but I'm worried it's not good for it. Please give me any advice you can thank you!!

 

[LordTriggs]

breeder sounds in politest terms a bit of an idiot, telling you to not put them in the cage (panicked bird, window, "splat". Or they find a hole to hide in and get trapped, not exactly a good first day) and 75% Female? News to me. But hey as long as your lovebird is healthy that's what matters.

Yes 100% let them get used to the cage before you and go at their pace

You will find for at least a few days that you won't often see them eating or drinking. Maybe out the corner of your eye. They feed when they feel secure and right now alone is more secure than with you in the room. Try and peer round corners to see if they're eating and drinking and just try as hard as you can not to stare at them and to move slowly and deliberately around them. Bit of time and patience is all you need

 

[zoinksberg]

Thank you that makes me feel a lot better I'm just so worried about the little guy. He has eaten almost all of the millet now so I put some more pieces in the food bowl to tempt him to eat actual food. I'm also worried because he seems to get tired a lot and I think it's stress but I'm not sure. I'll watch him throughout the day and his eyes start to close and then open again. I'll play him my ukulele and sing to him and he seemed to like that yesterday he started to grind his beak and go to sleep but that could just be because he's tired a lot. He's also not touching the toys I have in there he just sits on his swing and only leaves it (in front of me) when I'm messing with something in the cage and he gets scared. I feel like I'm slightly making some progress but I'm just worried that he's sick and not stressed but the only real issues I've noticed is that I don't see him drink and he's tired and sometimes he seems to be breathing heavily but his tail doesn't bob so I'm probably just overreacting. thank you for your response!!