Yep, he does not want anything to do with me.

[PinkSugarHeart]

Heeeey guys.

I brought home a male Fischer's lovebird over two weeks ago, and I am still haing difficulty gaining his trust.

He was a hand-fed baby that came from a breeder that apparently socializes her birds very well, and claims to have taught them to "step-up." Anyway, he is fully flighted, which makes trying to get him to trust me very difficult and frustrating.

I've been presenting seed in my open palm to him, which he does eat, as well as holding millet spray out for him to inhale like a gigantic pig. I've been trying with little success to try and get him to warm up to me with the magic of food bribery, but it doesn't seem to be going very far. He would much rather follow the budgies around and harass them by climbing on top of their cage than give me a second look. If I so much as try and approach him he flies off somewhere out of reach.

He will fly onto my arm or hand if I am holding one of my budgies, but that is only so he can pester them, and if I try to get him onto my finger he takes off in a rush.

*Inhales deeply* Basically I am a total noob at this whole trust earning thing when it comes to birds, so ANY advice or stories to help keep me from giving up would be appreciated. Would clipping his wings make it easier? I know, lots of people get bent out of shape at the very mention, but I'm running out of options at this point.

Thank you D:

 

[jugoya]

Time Time and more time.

2 weeks is very little time for a bird... take another month or so and then start worrying about it.

It took Porter 4 months to fully come out of his shell.

Also a partial clipping wouldn't hurt...

Just the last three primaries on each wing, that way he will still be able to fly just not as high or well.

I partially clip my budgies simply because they have landed in the washing machine before.. and though they love me very much... they are very independant little things.

lol.

 

[legal_eagle]

Clip the wings.

 

[PinkSugarHeart]

Good gracious, that is a long time lol, but I will keep working with him. He'd much rather spend time with the budgies.

I am petrified of wing clipping, and would much rather not do it myself. Also, I feel guilty about doing it. I shall just continue plugging away at the little dude.

Thank you :3

 

[christine]

It took a few months to earn my lovebirds trust & get them comfortable with stepping up. The little things kept me going--like OMG they finally took food from me--that took a few weeks, then step up first onto a perch/stick then directly onto my finger (for that you have to coax them with food). I can tell you though that 2-3 months after getting them they will have learned a lot and you guys will all be buddies.

Trimming wings isnt too scary and I definitely recommend it. Especially when they are new like this because they can get scared and hurt themselves. You can google "how to trim wings" and it comes back with some useful stuff. You don't need to trim a lot, just a feather or two can keep them from doing crazy stunts trying to get away from you.

 

[DallyTsuka]

while it's a good idea to definitely keep working with him how you are, let him set the pace. respect his boundaries


but, realize that some birds are just more bird oriented and are happy to prefer bird company over people company. we got a bird like that ourselves lol mango is our bird-bird

 

[PinkSugarHeart]

*sighs* Hah, yeah, it's proving to be quite a challenge to put it mildly. He is a fat cow so he'll eat anything if I offer it to him with my hand, so that helps, and I have to use millet spray to get him onto my finger 98% of the time.

Yup, I have been taking it slowly and not forcing anything on the little dude too quickly, so that he isn't fearful of me. The wing clipping thing also scares me because I don't want him to completely distrust me after that...which would be understandable considering I wouldn't be pleased with someone wrapping me in a towel and then hacking away at my body parts. D:

Meep, I really hope he isn't a "bird-bird," as you put it, for I have a pair of budgies that would much rather spend their time nibbling and grooming one another than entertain the idea of me, so Pascal would be a sad blow.

I'll let you know if I make any monumental breakthroughs, and hopefully within the next few months he'll tolerate me. Thanks guys