Are Lovebirds Easy To Train?

When it comes to training a lovebird you will need a lot of patience. Generally, as a species, birds are known to be a complicated species to train with some suggesting that training a cat or a dog is an easier task.

If you have a lovebird that has been hand-raised, training it will be much easier. This is because they have become accustomed to you and therefore will not be so hesitant about interacting with you.

If your lovebird has not been hand-raised by you and has only recently come into your care, you must allow it time to adjust to its surroundings.

With some birds, this can take around 2 weeks and in some cases, lovebirds who are quite cautious and nervous can take even longer to adapt to their environment. 

Despite the difficulties associated with training lovebirds, it is still possible, however, the process will require a lot of time and effort on your part. Before you embark on the task of training your lovebird you must ensure that they trust you and are comfortable in your company.

If they are not, they are going to be more reluctant to listen to you and as a result, you are unlikely to witness any results. Spend time with your lovebird so that they become familiar with you and your voice. To gain your bird’s attention, talk to it softly and avoid raising your voice when interacting with it. 

Now that you have decided that you want to try and train your lovebird, you must be persistent. Abandoning the process and then returning a few weeks later, isn’t going to achieve desirable results.

Initially, your lovebird may not seem very enthusiastic about spending time with you. If this is the case, do not be deterred instead give them plenty of time to get used to you. Daily socialization with your lovebird will pay off. 

As a species, lovebirds are known for their intelligence. They are thought to make great pets as they have affectionate personalities.

Though they can be kept by beginners, they can be quite feisty and do require a lot of attention. Stimulating your bird using food and toys will encourage them to engage their attention with you. 

Can lovebirds talk?

Typically lovebirds do not talk, and they generally aren’t considered to be a ‘talking bird’ species. In fact, some lovebird owners state that teaching them to talk is the most difficult part of the training process. Rather than talking, they tend to mimic the human sounds that they hear. 

It is likely that you will need to repeatedly say certain words and phrases to them. As they closely observe your actions and speech there is a greater chance that they will remember what you are saying to them. 

When teaching your lovebird how to talk, you will essentially have to interact with them in the same way that you would speak to a child. For example, don’t speak to them using long sentences, instead, use simple words and pronounce them clearly.

Engaging and speaking to your lovebird from the offset will help you to build a bond with them. Eventually, this type of interaction with your pet will become common practice and you will soon notice that they begin to pick up certain phrases and words.

Remember that a young lovebird isn’t going to repeat these phrases and words straight away, it is a task that will take time and you will need to be patient with them as they learn. 

How much time should I spend with my lovebird?

Lovebirds are an affectionate species that love attention. You should spend a minimum of 2 hours interacting with your lovebird a day.

As mentioned they will demand more of your time than other birds so ideally, you should spend around 4 to 5 hours a day socializing with your lovebird.

If you spend a lot of time at home throughout the day, then you have the opportunity to spend even more time bonding with it. 

Try to fit in spending time with your lovebird around your daily routine. If you are unable to spend 4 to 5 hours at once socializing with your bird, split these hours up throughout the day.

For example, when you wake up in the morning use any free time that you have before your day begins to handle and interact with them. Then if you have some time around lunchtime, you can spend another hour with your bird.

During the evening, you can spend a couple more hours with your lovebird. It is also beneficial to allow your bird to roam freely out of their cage throughout the day too.

Of course, it is important to ensure that the room is safe beforehand. There shouldn’t be anything in the room that presents a risk to their safety or any windows or doors open that your bird may fly out of. 

As lovebirds are a social species, they tend to struggle when left alone for prolonged periods and this can often result in lethargic behavior and stress.

On the other hand, there may be occasions where your lovebird becomes irritable and is attempting to escape from your company. This is a sign that they want to be left alone. 

Though it isn’t necessary, lovebirds can be kept in pairs. This isn’t to say that you can’t keep a single lovebird as you most certainly can so long as you are prepared to cater to their needs as sociable birds and give them lots of your time and attention. 

What is the fastest way to tame a lovebird?

There are several steps that you can take to tame your lovebird fast. Regularly spending time with them and speaking to them is a great first step.

Some would suggest that it is best to keep your bird’s case in a busy environment as this will familiarize them with people and noises, however, if your bird is quite timid, it may be best to keep them in a quiet setting until they seem more settled. 

Giving your lovebird plenty of time to get used to its environment is crucial. You should not rush into trying to tame them until they have adapted to their environment as this is likely to inflict unnecessary stress upon them. 

When trying to teach and encourage them to talk, using food as a reward will prove helpful. You can also tame your bad by bathing them in your hands.

Rather than spraying them or pouring water over them until they appear to be soaked, bathing them this way will make them feel more relaxed in your company and will likely strengthen the bond that you have with them. 

You should also try and familiarize them with your scent. If you have only recently introduced this bird to your home, it is likely to be quite nervous, and getting them used to your scent will help to calm it.

Spending time standing near your bird’s cage will allow it to take in your scent. If there are multiple people standing around your lovebird’s cage it is more likely to become confused and will be unable to differentiate between different people. 

It is also important to make sure that you are moving slowly and gently around your bird’s cage as this will make it feel much more at ease. Moving suddenly as you approach it is more likely to scare it. 

Once your lovebird seems settled, you can take it into a different room instead of the one that they are used to. Should they feel threatened or intimidated by their new surroundings they will be more inclined to retreat towards you and this will help to develop and strengthen the bond that you have with them.