Taming my lovebird?

Question

Well, this goes together with my previous question which was answered. I'm going to get my lovebird some new toys, treats etc. Maybe even a new cage (this ones getting old). I was going to try and tame her so I can spend some more time with her while I'm doing some other things, and if she's tame we can let her fly about and stuff. How should I go about taming her so she wont be scared of us anymore and hop on our shoulders and fingers etc? I've never tamed a bird before but I'm willing to spend time every day with her just to accomplish this task. No idea what age she is, but does it matter?

Answer 1

If this is the first time you're getting toys and treats for your lovebird, it's pretty late. But better late than never, right? If you're getting a new cage, that will take your lovebird some time getting adjusted to. Other than that, I think that you're a fairly good candidate for taming your lovebird, considering the amount of time you're willing to dedicate to taming your lovebird. But be warned, it's lots and lots of patience and perseverance: at least an hour daily, preferably in short sessions of 10-15 minutes at a time, for months or possibly years, depending on the bird's individual tendencies and age. And yes, the bird's age matters significantly -- a younger bird is usually easier to tame, but an older bird can also be tamed with almost exactly the same techniques, only it takes a bit longer and requires more patience.

Another thing you need to be careful about is that the bird is kept healthy -- enough fruit, veggies and fresh water in diet. Environmental precautions should also be taken seriously, especially with an older bird -- this means no Teflon cookware or appliance in the house, as they're if overheated, and you never know when an accident may happen; yappy kids or untrained, predatory pets are also a no-no.

There's this book called "Guide to a Well-behaved Parrot" by Mattie Sue Athan. It has some wonderful techniques for taming all kinds of pet parrots -- big or small, young or old. There is also some good info on pet bird taming on the Internet, although I found it hard to filter it.

Answer 2

sup

Answer 3

Time and patience!!!! Keep slowly and gently putting your hand in the cage, talk gently, try to get a little nearer after a while, until you can stroke her, she needs to trust you and it will take a while. There are books to learn you all about lovebirds, be worthwhile buying one.Good luck!!!