Rose-headed parrots, or lovebirds, are rather shy by nature, but it is quite possible to tame them. However, this requires a lot of time and patience.

Before you start taming your parrots, it is important to better understand their behaviour.

In all likelihood, your parrots have not been hand-fed from an early age. What's more, many customers of the pet shop they came from have probably put their hands through the bars and thus helped to unsettle the birds.

If you have just bought the little parrots, they will also need to familiarise themselves with their new environment and with you before you start taming them.

The cage is the rosehead's home, its privacy. They want to feel safe and comfortable there. The birds will therefore also want to defend their territory against your intruding hand. They first have to learn that you don't want to take their home away from them.

Let the parrots come out of the cage by themselves, even if it takes a while. Never shoo them with your hand.

Only when the birds have voluntarily left the cage and feel safe in the room can you start taming them.

You should always reward each bird for desirable behaviour, never for undesirable behaviour. The reward should be in the form of small treats that you know the birds like, such as small pieces of fruit for example.

You need a lot of patience. Invite the birds to take part in your activities in the flat or room. When you sit down on the sofa to watch TV, open the cage and allow them to join you. You can place a small bowl of treats near you.

Even if the birds don't respond to your invitation at first, just leave them alone. Go about your business and give them the chance to keep you company again and again. In the meantime, speak to them in a gentle and encouraging tone, but don't push them.

At some point, curiosity will get the better of them.

Later, when they have got used to you and their surroundings, you can try taking them individually to a "neutral" room that they don't yet know well and where their cage is out of reach. Now you can work with the parrot without it being too distracted.

Rosehead kitties will not learn any funny tricks or like to be cuddled, but they are not only cheerful and pretty companions, but also very sociable. If you give them a lot of patience and understanding, they are sure to become trusting. It's great fun to watch them interact with their partner or owner.