Hello from Michigan

[yellowbird]

Hi there! I'm a newbie from lower Michigan. I am a wife and mother of a five year old son who is the joy of my life. I have a peachfaced lovebird who is 3 1/2 months old named Yellow (my son named her). I'm not quite sure how to determine if she will be a cremino or a lutino. A lot of her brothers and sisters were dutch blues. She does have the patch of apricot on her forehead, but she's been getting a little more apricot color on her bib. I know that they don't reach their full color for awhile, but I'm not sure how you can tell exactly what she is. I have been posting on another website and met a young lady Kaye who referred me to this website. I've had tons of questions because my sweet baby girl who we brought home had become aggressive and will not have anything to do with my husband or my son anymore. I have realized birds have favorites, but I wanted her to stop charging at them. We are learning together. What works, what doesn't. I am in the process of stick training her now (just started today) so I can have someone else besides myself handle her. She's very attached to me and wants to be with me all the time she is out of her cage. She really is a sweet bird and loves to be petted (once I read how they like to be petted). She's still a baby and I'm trying to learn and adjust along the way to make her a happy, well adjust lovebird.

[yellowbird]

Just trying to see if the picture of Yellow shows up...finally. I will get a better picture of Yellow later. ;)

[bellarains]

Hi,

Welcome to the board. We know Kaye well, and I'm glad she asked you to join us. We are a big family here, and we care very much about each other's fids as well as each other. We consider ourselves part of an extended family or as we like to call it "flock", so welcome to our flock :)

The best way for your son and hubby to form a relationship with Yellow as well as yourself is to spend time with her. As she is bonded so much to you, it might work better if you were not in the room when they spend their time with her, and later on, you join in on their time also. They do however tend to bond more with one person than anyone else, and it seems Yellow has chosen you. Not surprising, as I'm sure you are her primary care giver. It might also help if your son and hubby give her her meals, and some treats, that way, they are the good guys too ;)

Your son and yellow are adorable. I will look forward to seeing more pics.

[kiwilovies]

Welcome from New Zealand! :D
Sounds like you have a creamino, with the apricot band, has she got white flight feathers, and just a shimmer of the faintest blue in her rump? If so, she is a creamino :D
If she has a really noticable blue rump and light grey flight feathers you will have a Pallid, cant wait to see a picture!

See you around :D

[Min]

Hi, I'm from lower Michigan, too. I have 2 lovies. One is an old man (Jellybean) and the other is about 3 years old (Ikie). They are both peachface hybrids of no special kind, but they sure are special to me! I got them both as untame adults and there is just no taming the old guy. They both let me handle them with no problems or bites, but I can tell they don't like it. I don't push it with the old guy. I figure that if he's happy not being held, that's fine. I do work with the younger to keep him semi-tame. I would someday love having a sweet cuddly one. I have several larger parrots, too, and lovebirds would train in the same way... by building trust. She has to want to go to them.. they have to make it special for her to want to be with them, maybe with treats (millet or pine nuts?). They should start by giving her treats through the bars -- and only they can give the treats, not you. Pretty soon, she will look forward to seeing them. Then they can progress to handing treats to coax her out, then to coax her to step up. Let her take it at her pace, which may be very slow, but I believe if you push the training and force her to be held, that's not a trust bond, but a submission bond. It can work, but I don't know if that is a happy thing for the bird. If they are working with her, I would suggest you be out of sight. When she can't see you, she will have to rely on them. Even if she doesn't become sweet and cuddly with them, they may build enough trust that they can handle her when you aren't home. I have to constantly work with our African Grey that loves my husband, so that I can handle him. Training has to be constant and consistent, or all the progress can be lost. These are just my suggestions only going by what works for me with parrots I have. Others may have different ideas. I wish you love and happiness with your new lovie!

[yellowbird]

Thank you for welcoming me! Wow, New Zealand. Isn't internet amazing.

I agree with all of you about training her to work with my husband and son. I actually plan on them giving her treats and working with her in another room without me. My worry is that if I'm not around or have to go somewhere for awhile that she will need to be handled by them while I'm gone. If she's petrified of them and only bites them, it won't be a pleasant experience for any of them.

Her flight feathers are white and there is a hint of aqua-blue-green color on her tail feathers. Like I said she does have an apricot band, but her bib has become more peach since we got her. I was told that she's be a creamino. Actually the breeder said she was an albino lutino. Can you attach photos to a message or only as part of your signature (avatar)?

Today as I was petting her underneath her beak, like where her neck is...there are little prickly things popping out. They are white and peach in color. Can you tell me what those are?

Min, where in lower MI do you live?

Thanks again and I'm sure you'll hear again from me.

[Mummieeva]

There are a few sites people use here to create photo albums. Look in the picture section and it tells you how. I love the picture next to your name she is a beauty for sure.



Steph

[bellarains]

Hey,

The prickly things you feel are called pin feathers. These are new feathers coming in, and they can be quiet painful if rubbed the wrong way. Yellow will let you know if you rub the wrong way though ;) If they are bothering her, you can mist her with a little warm water, or offer her a bath, this will help the keratin work it's way from the feather shaft. That and a little skirtching(rubbing) them gently she will appreciate greatly.

From what you have described of her coloring, I am guessing you have a lutino. If she is getting color around her neck area that would indicate lutino. The white flights could go either way. One other thing is lutinos have red kinda like dots on their tailfeathers, does Yellow have any red in her tailfeathers? Ah well, as she goes through her molt you will be able to tell more.

[butterfly1061]

Welcome from Atlanta, Ga!

Yep, sounds like you may have a Lutino. They are great fids. I have a Lutino named Molly, who will be one year old on Wednesday and a 4 1/2 months old Creamino named Daisy. Daisy is going through her baby/adult coloring molt and Molly is doing a regular molt. Pin feathers are the worst. Poor babies!! Molly runs to me for head rubs constantly and Daisy is just beginning to try out the rubbing. They are bother VERY bonded to me, but do not like each other, so you can imagine the time out of cage I get :rolleyes:

Anyway, again welcome and hope to see you around the board.

[Min]

?
Min, where in lower MI do you live?

I'm in Royal Oak, with my Jim, his son, my daughter (that moved out years ago and is having a baby next month), three cats and seven birds.

It's nice to know other bird lovers around here!

[kiwilovies]

Come on guys... :D That lovie looks like a creamino to me! :p

[yellowbird]

Well we just got back from vacation and all is well here. Yellow had a good time at my parents house. She bonded with my mom and was let out of the cage each day, so I think that helped with her coming home and not being mad with me :p . Here is a link to some pictures of Yellow.... http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=justmoore&P=&AID=2548575&Pres=Y

Min, we lived in the Detroit suburbs for seven years (Sterling Heights & Roseville to be exact) and now are living in Adrian. We worked in Troy and Birmingham when we lived up there. Small world, eh?

[bellarains]

Yep,

From the more recent pics she sure looks like a creamino baby. A sweetie pie too :)

[kimsbirds]

She sure is a beautiful Creamino !!!
(Lutinos would have a full frontal red patch and vibrant yellow feathering, not the brow band of orange and the pale buttery feathers of this one)

Pretty girl!!

[Min]

Min, we lived in the Detroit suburbs for seven years (Sterling Heights & Roseville to be exact) and now are living in Adrian. We worked in Troy and Birmingham when we lived up there. Small world, eh?

My daughter went to school in Adrian, and I have a niece in college there now, so I know Adrian well. I could drive there with my eyes closed. I miss visiting the duck pond! My family is in Toledo (where I grew up) that's near there, too!

You DO have a pretty little feathered friend! Wheet-whoo!

[Paulette]

Welcome Yellowbird! What a cutie. I am a new lovebird owner too. I just adopted a bonded pair recently. You will find lots of great info at this board. And be careful...wanting more lovebirds is imminent.
Paulette

[butterfly1061]

Yep, Yellow looks like a beautiful Creamino. Looks like my Daisy. Too sweet!! :)

[EgyptianMoon]

Hello,
I know I'm late welcoming you to the baord. The people here are wonderful!

I'm a Michigander also :rofl: I live in Troy. I'm a small hobby breeder of only
6 pair.
I'm a stay at mom of two girls ages 4 & 5. I would love for all of us
lovie owners in this area to set up a dinner night or morning coffee one day!
Maybe even a evening bonfire in my back yard! :happy:

It would be nice to meet more people with the same interest!

Renee'
Egypt

[Janie]

Hi and welcome! Your little "Yellow" is so pretty. I love the name, too. Simple and to the point!

I'm in Atlanta and have ONE SINGLE LOVEBIRD (Oliver)! On this forum, that is a rare thing! :)