How to Tame Lovebirds

Lovebirds are small parrots whose origins are from Africa. There are several species and color variations of lovebirds. The most common ones used as pets are peach-faced, masked and Fischer's lovebirds. When buying a lovebird, ask if the bird has been hand raised, which means it's been handled on a daily basis. Hand-raised differs from hand-fed. Hand-fed birds are fed and then placed back into a cage without further handling. Lovebirds need daily handling to stay tame and affectionate.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Towel or glove
• Sunflower seeds or other treats
• Wooden dowel

1. Make your lovebird feel comfortable. Keep noise and activity around the cage to a minimum. Give him a few weeks to settle into his new home. Keep the cage in a small room with minimal furniture. Spend time talking to your bird in a soft voice. Keep your inflection even and your tone soft. Read to her or just sit next to the cage while watching TV.

2. After he is no longer bothered by your presence near his cage, offer your bird sunflower seeds or other treats through the cage's bars as you talk to him.

3. Open the cage and offer treats to your bird from your hand after she consistently accepts them through the bars. Talk to your lovebird in a soft voice while offering the food.

4. Teach the bird to step up onto a wooden dowel after he accepts treats without becoming upset or trying to nip. Push the dowel gently against the bottom of your lovebird's chest while saying, "Step up." Offer him a treat as an incentive. It will take several sessions before your bird learns.

5. Stroke your lovebird's feathers while she is perched on the dowel. Keep the dowel in the cage for the first several attempts. Talk to your lovebird using a soft voice and offer treats after he allows you to pet him.

6. Transfer the lovebird from the dowel back onto the perch. Place the dowel next to the perch and tell your bird, "Step off." Gently encourage her to move by pushing against the back of her legs with another dowel or your finger. Give your bird a treat when he moves to his perch.

7. Substitute your hand for the dowel. Your lovebird is tame when he will hop onto it and allow you to pet him.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are worried about being nipped, wear a glove or wrap your hand in a towel. Work with your bird three to four times a day and keep the sessions 5 to 10 minutes long. The first five or six times your bird hops onto your hand, maintain your hand inside the cage to prevent him from panicking and flying off. Birds are individuals and will learn at different speeds. Have a qualified professional trim the bird's flight feathers to his prevent escape. Keep all doors and windows firmly shut. Don't let dogs and cats near the cage.
• Never chase your bird around the cage. Never raise your voice or move quickly around your bird. Consider getting two lovebirds if you don't have time to handle your bird every day; otherwise, he will revert to wild behavior. Never handle your bird roughly.

References

• Taming Lovebirds
• Lovebirds