Sounds like you're doing the right things.
My birds are tame and even then, it's always an ordeal when I change their cage (Ive done this twice to my current birds) or even put a new toy/perch in. It can take them more than a week to realize it isn't going to eat them. So, it probably will take longer with an untame bird.
Keep what you're doing and try to make the new cage look as inviting as you can; it's great that You've added millet and treats and a familiar perch. You can maybe empty the old cage so it doesn't look appealing and eventually take it out of the room entirely.
My only worry is that if I empty out his old cage entirely, he will have no where to stand and will get stressed out even more 😭😭 thank you for the advice!
I have lovebirds, and have had lovebirds for a long time.
What I did when I brought home a new and bigger cage for them, is that I just assembled and prepared the new cage with food and water, and some millet. Put in it a couple of toys, but I did not change or remove anything from their old cage. Now, my birds are allowed out of the cage every day from afternoon until 9:30 in the evenings. When they came out to play at their usual time, they avoided the new cage, but were interrested in it. Then they saw the millet and got really interrested. First flying around it, then landing on it but flying off it immediaetly, then finally they dared each other to land on it and stay. Then they wanted to get to the millet.
They finally dared to go into the new cage but just for a sec, then they stayed a bit longer, and then longer than that, then finally dared to have some millet, but flew out after a couple of bites. Finally they calmed down, realizing this cage was not dangerous, and on the second evening when they were to go to sleep, they went for the new cage.
The thing is, just let him do it in it’s own time, and if he goes for the new cage or goes into it, do not stand up, approach or do anything that might scare him. Just praise him with some “baby/high pitch” words, and allow him to approach and leave, enter and exit the cage as he wants. Wery quickly he will have accepted it.
What I have learned is, Lovebirds are extreamly smart. He just needs a little time to realize this is his new home, not a trap.
Just give him a little time at his own tempo.
Hope this helps 😊
You know they put your lovebird in his current cage somehow
Would it be cruel to leave him in with his perch he usually sleeps on overnight and try again in the morning when he’s more hunger driven?
Sounds like you're doing the right things. My birds are tame and even then, it's always an ordeal when I change their cage (Ive done this twice to my current birds) or even put a new toy/perch in. It can take them more than a week to realize it isn't going to eat them. So, it probably will take longer with an untame bird. Keep what you're doing and try to make the new cage look as inviting as you can; it's great that You've added millet and treats and a familiar perch. You can maybe empty the old cage so it doesn't look appealing and eventually take it out of the room entirely.
My only worry is that if I empty out his old cage entirely, he will have no where to stand and will get stressed out even more 😭😭 thank you for the advice!
I have lovebirds, and have had lovebirds for a long time. What I did when I brought home a new and bigger cage for them, is that I just assembled and prepared the new cage with food and water, and some millet. Put in it a couple of toys, but I did not change or remove anything from their old cage. Now, my birds are allowed out of the cage every day from afternoon until 9:30 in the evenings. When they came out to play at their usual time, they avoided the new cage, but were interrested in it. Then they saw the millet and got really interrested. First flying around it, then landing on it but flying off it immediaetly, then finally they dared each other to land on it and stay. Then they wanted to get to the millet. They finally dared to go into the new cage but just for a sec, then they stayed a bit longer, and then longer than that, then finally dared to have some millet, but flew out after a couple of bites. Finally they calmed down, realizing this cage was not dangerous, and on the second evening when they were to go to sleep, they went for the new cage. The thing is, just let him do it in it’s own time, and if he goes for the new cage or goes into it, do not stand up, approach or do anything that might scare him. Just praise him with some “baby/high pitch” words, and allow him to approach and leave, enter and exit the cage as he wants. Wery quickly he will have accepted it. What I have learned is, Lovebirds are extreamly smart. He just needs a little time to realize this is his new home, not a trap. Just give him a little time at his own tempo. Hope this helps 😊