My new lovebird.

[Random]

Hello, this is my first topic on this forum.Im a new bird owner so i have some questions and this forum seemed like a good place to do so.
I just bought a lovebird 2 days ago, i bought him from a pet shop so he was not hand-tamed.The thing is that he is running around the cage the whole day, he only stops to eat and poop and to rest for 2 minutes.So i was just wondering if that was normal or is there something wrong with him. Here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10wSPaFMeM4.
And also i was wondering when will it be OK to put my hand in his cage(To introduce him to my hand )
Thank you in advance.

[GlassOnion]

I would personally take him back to the store, and find a local breeder online or look at Kijiji or Craigslist. You can buy a handfed, healthy baby for around $50-80, and I know petstores sell older, wild birds for ridiculous amounts. Older lovebirds are very hard to tame.

If you choose to keep him, I would look at Michael's taming guide.

[parrotlover]

I would bring him back too........

[liz]

I did not see any toys in the cage or foraging material. Did you not hold him before you brought him home?

[Random]

Thank you all for your response.
I have decided to keep him and try to tame him, if I see that it cannot be done I will give him back and look for a hand tamed lovebird from a local breeder.
I was going to buy toys for him but all they had was large toys, too large for this cage so i didnt want to buy them. I am going out today to buy him some toys so he can play with them.

[liz]

Toys can be almost anything. A clothes pin, bottle cap, knotted string, plastic straw or even a crumpled piece of paper.

Give him something you think he has never eaten. It could be the green from celery to pick on or some other fresh fruit or veg that you have in the fridg.

You also have to remember that he is now an only bird and used to others around him. Give him things to see and do for enrichment.

I have who really don't get enough attention (not saying you need 2), but they have each other and their own little world going on in the cage. Because of this they are not what you would consider cudley. They tweet and try to communicate with me and are the most cheerful sounding in my house. Because they are the smallest kids I have they rarely get out but love it when they do. When they are tired they let me pick them up to put them pack.

You have one and can devote more of your free time to it. Keep it enriched. Put it in a sunny location that you are in a lot, (mine is the dining room - my work area) so you have visual and verbal contact even when it is not direct contact.

When you have time, open the cage door. He might not come out the first few times but will eventually. Once he is tired from flying you can pick him up.

My methods are not like the others in the forum and I wonder if they are annoyed at me for it.
I don't require anything of my kids but to be happy and part of my life. I don't trick train or give rewards. I do teach them hello, come here and help. The rest they have learned like a little kid does just by listening and watching.

Keep in mind that this is how I do it. Others can give you info on other methods.

Rambo Myrtle
Shadow Sweetie
Lemone' Twinkle
Tommy Tammy
Tweetle Dee & Tweetle Dumb

[mcDaur]

I would look at Michael's taming guide.

agreed. take a look at it, i'm certain you'll find some useful tricks there

[jerbz66]

this is about my sisters new Bmlovebird . my step-mother and step-sister came home from shopping and I found out they brought home a love bird. I reconised it as a Black Masked love bird but they had no clue what it was and they had never heard of a blue black and white love bird but we soon found out later that I was right . my step-sister is 3 so she can't take care of it and my step-mom barley knows anything about birds. they probably wont let it out in the room that its in so i'm trying to get it in by room for flight time as well as time to play with the other birds of the family. but now after I realized that they think they need another bird . is the second bird necessary??? so bacicly they found a bird that caught there eye and brougt it home and now I have tow choruses. one leave it alone and let the bird die . or make it my responsibility and let it have a happy life... X10 .

[liz]

this is about my sisters new Bmlovebird . my step-mother and step-sister came home from shopping and I found out they brought home a love bird. I reconised it as a Black Masked love bird but they had no clue what it was and they had never heard of a blue black and white love bird but we soon found out later that I was right . my step-sister is 3 so she can't take care of it and my step-mom barley knows anything about birds. they probably wont let it out in the room that its in so i'm trying to get it in by room for flight time as well as time to play with the other birds of the family. but now after I realized that they think they need another bird . is the second bird necessary??? so bacicly they found a bird that caught there eye and brougt it home and now I have tow choruses. one leave it alone and let the bird die . or make it my responsibility and let it have a happy life... X10 .

I have been away for a week and out of touch. This is the first posting that I have read from you. You do not give your age but it seems to me that you are the responsible person in the family. A three year old is much too young to have any pet of her own.

I was never aloud to have pets in the house when I was growning up. When I had my own kids - we had pets. Even as young as three they learned how to care for them because I did it and taught them how to love them. They were my responsibility and their learning experience as well as becoming part of the family.

We could tell you what you should do or tell you what we would do, but what does your heart tell you? We will help you any way we can. It seems that it will also fall to you to teach your little step sister how to love and care for a pet.

You have a soft soul and only you know what you can live with.