New Bird

[sammi1998]

Hi everyone. We just adopted a lovebird from the rescue. We had been thinking about it for a while, then saw him and knew it was a good thing to do. The issue is, that he's hand shy. He doesn't bite, but he's scared. Any advice?

[marie83]

Just take it at your lovebirds pace, same as you would any other bird. Only use slow deliberate movements, try not to force anything on your bird, let him come to you in his own time- find his favourite treats and keep them only for when you are working on taming him.

Lastly keep lots of patience, taming can be a long slow process.

[liz]

Hands are scarey things. They can grab a little lovie.

With Myrtle I found that even though hands scared her faces did not. We had nose to beak conversations long before I could touch her. I have had her a year and she progressed day by day.
I started by touching her feet saying "tickle tickle" then her beak. Now I can tickle bellie and kiss her face and legs. She likes me to kiss her legs. When I kiss one she give me the other.

I am now working on scratches and pets. She is afraid of hands going over her head so now while we are wrestling and she is on her back I can reach under and "couchie couchie". She now understands what that means.