lovebirds questions

Question
Dear Tara,
   I just got a lovebird and I don't know how to tam it or how to trim its wings? Also I can't tell if it is a boy or a girl. It sits like a girl but its tail is shaped as a boy. So I have no idea what it is. Could you please help me!
  Courtney

Answer
Hello, Courtney, I have never heard of sexing love birds by the way there tail is shaped..... you can't tell the sex of love birds without a test done by a vet, trimming wings can be hard if the bird bites, if the bird struuggles you can cut its wing instead of its feathers.... you'll need someone to help you with this, one person holds the bird and opens one wing and holds it so you can clip the feathers..... clip an inch off the feather or a half inch... just be sure you don't cut too clsoe to the wign itssefl, I would be a good idea to have a blood stopper on hand just incase you cut a feather with blood running through it, do this to both wings... I have never had any luck clipping only one wing, the feathers will grow back and need clipping every month or two. AS for taming talk to him through the cage everytiem yuor in teh room, I have never had luck with ofering treats throguh bars so I have taken a more deriect approch... take the bird out in a light towel adn sit it on your finger or arm(go out of the room his cage is in or he will fly to it or to anything familier in the room), talk to him while hes on your arm and pet his head/back, if you pet his belly he will step up onto yuor finger, tell him step up when you do teis so he will learn what this means, do this three or more tiems daily for fifteen or more minutes each time, good luck with your new little friend.