my lovebird

Question
I recently just got a lovebird and it seems to be comfortable with me, jumps on my arm and runs up to my shoulder but completely wont go near my hands and I want to be able to get her to purch on my finger to make it easier to get her back in her cage, what should I do?

Answer
Hi. Thanks for your question! Sounds like you guys are off to a good start, especially with him already already feeling comfortable enough with you to approach you and get on to your person!  Sometimes though, the actual step-up command or getting the bird to perch onto a finger takes a little longer. It sounds like he is warming up to you so you have a good base to work with.
If you are trying to train him to "step up" onto your finger, place your finger right above his legs, against his breast.  Make sure that you are placing your finger HIGHER than where he is already standing (birds like being/going up higher and like to be at the highest place possible which also explains why he is climbing all of the way up to your shoulder!).  Then say something like "up" or "step up" when you do it (you can say anything as long as it is consistent). When he does obey, make sure to reward him with some little treat that he likes and praise him. Birds love attention and praise!
Be prepared however for some possible bites. Sometimes when birds are "testing" to see if a surface is "safe" to sit on, the first
thing they will do is approach it with their beak. Sometimes it is to check to see if it is strong enough to support the body and sometimes they appear to be trying to bite but are actually attempting to grip your finger slightly with their beaks for balance before pulling up with their entire bodies.
In regards to having him up on your shoulder...there is a general warning to this behavior. Like i said, alot of birds do this instinctively as they like climbing and being up at the top of things. However, a bird feels a sense of superiority when he is on your shoulder. Since he is at your eye level, he considers himself to be your "equal". You do not want this...it is important to keep him below your eye level so that he knows that YOU are in charge. This means keeping him off of your shoulder and on your finger/arm below your eyes.  Otherwise, he may also bite since he feels like he is "in charge".
This sense of superiority is probably what is contributing to him not wanting to get off of your shoulder once he's there...he likes being up there and feels like he doesn't "have" to obey you when he's up there. The best way to get him off of your shoulder is to make sure he doesn't get up there to begin with! You can start this once he is finger trained. When he steps up onto your finger, keep him there on your finger, lower part of your arm, or your lap/knee if you are sitting.  Continue playing/interacting with him as usual. If you see that he is trying to climb up to your shoulder, you will need to use the "ladder method" to keep him off of your shoulder.
When you see that he is trying to climb to your shoulder, distract him by putting your finger out and doing the "step up" directive.  Then keep him on your finger or put him back where he was. If he keeps trying this, just continue to put your finger in front of him. The reason it is called "the ladder method" is because if he keeps trying to jump off of your finger and go up to your shoulder, you will need to put the finger of your opposite hand in front of him again ( you will end up alternating fingers, placing him on the finger of the opposite hand over and over, like he is walking up a "ladder"). Some birds actually enjoy this, others tire of it and eventually stop trying to climb to your shoulder.
With time and effort, she will trust you to handle her and you can begin understanding how to further bond with her. I hope this helps and I am glad that I have been able to help you so much! Good luck and let me know how it goes. Alicia