HI I AM A NEW LOVEBIRD OWNER. PLS HELP

[bhagyashree]

HI

I am a first time owner of lovebirds or for that matter any pet. My friend gifted me two beautiful lovebirds on my birthday. I have no clue how to take care of them. It's just been 2 days since I have them and they don't seem to like me. I sprayed applecider vinegar on my birds and their cage after research on the web as I saw a brownish mite crawling on my yellow lovebirds head. Today morning when I woke up n checked on my birds my yellow bird couldn't open her one eye I rushed her to the vet n he treated her eye with an eyedrop n her eye is open now but still swollen. Also both my birds are super desperate to get out of the cage. I want to let them out of the cage but I am scared that they won't go back in. My birds are desperate to get out of the cage they are trying everyway. Also pls help me on tips to take care of them as I know nothing.

Awaiting for someone to help me.

Bhagyashree

[marie83]

Hi welcome to the forums

There is no rush to let your birds out the cage.
These birds are new and like any person at a new job, new school, new club or new home they need time to settle in.
They are suddenly in a new place, with a new person, they don't know if you are to be trusted or if you might hurt them yet but they will learn in time they can trust you.
For now just sit outside the cage and talk to them, let them get used to the way you look, move etc, dont stare at them too much and move slowly to start with. You can try feeding them treats once they get used to you being there.

If you think they have mites you need to go back to the vets and tell them that as they will need treating properly.

What food are you feeding them? they may need a better diet.

When you say you don't know how to care for them I'm going to assume you know nothing at all so basic care they need imo is, food fed in meals twice per day, cage cleaned fully once per week at least and newspaper on the bottom at least once a day. Clean water at all times, changed at least twice per day.

http://trainedparrot.com/sitemap.php Have a look at the articles here, these will teach you nearly everything about taming and training your birds. Take your time, theres no rush and rushing may make things worse.

Keep us updated and feel free to ask more questions

[bhagyashree]

Thanks Maria

How regularly do they need to bathe?


I change the newspaper twice a day give them clean water. I am feeding them seeds which my friend gave me do the seeds need to be there throughout the day or should I give them just twice a day. And meals mean seeds right? I offered them spinach and they don't look interested to eat them.

[marie83]

Bathing depends on the bird, give them a shallow dish of clean water and see what happens, if they dont use it within half an hour- 1 hour take it out as you don't want them bathing in their own poop.
You can also try getting a water misting bottle and spraying them lightly, if they freak out dont force the issue just leave it, just pull the trigger once and see how they react, if they dont mind or get excited pull it again, go slowly
Ollie my Green cheek will bath daily, my cockatiel will only bath on her terms, sometimes this will be once a week, sometimes she will go up to 2 months or more. For the first couple of years she would panic like a loon if we tried to spray her and she wouldn't go in a dish.

As for the seed, its not ideal as a diet, far from it, however you don't need to be changing everything in one go. I would keep them on the seed and try to introduce them to fruits and veg in the meantime until they have been with you about a month then we can guide you through getting them to eat a better diet.

Oh regarding basic care, I should have mentioned they will need suitably sized bird safe toys and also natural perches, check online as to what branches are safe. Plastic perches and wooden dowels are no good and will need replacing as soon as you can

[bhagyashree]

Thanks for you advice I just moved them from my living room balcony to my bedroom they seem to be calm here.
I haven't named them as yet. They are 4 months old. The girl is yellow from head to toe and the male is blue in color with grey head.