bi-polar bird.

[lucky melatonin]

francis is crazy! i have a feeling he has a love-hate thing going with me. he has to be on me pretty much 24-7 or he stands on his door and chirps for me. i don't mind that...because i want to hang with him too! but....

when i first got him, even though he wouldn't hang out with me then and i had to make him, he didn't bite. and if he did it was barely a nibble. but now, he bites so hard if i even just sit there and my hand just happens to be near. really HARD too!

he especially does it if he's in my shirt. he likes to keep his body inside my shirt and poke his head out and he makes this clicky noise. but if my hand gets near, to like say scratch my face and chest, he nearly draws blood!

why is he being so bi-polar? and what should i do?

[kimsbirds]

Me thinks Francis is a Francine...sounds like a bit of territorial nesting behaviour going on...
Has Francis been DNA'ed?
Awaiting your response...
K

[lucky melatonin]

no, i don't really know what it is for sure. i wanted it to be a boy!!!

and i want it to ALWAYS be sweet and not the little monster it instantly turns into. it won't get out of my shirt for the past two days!!

[linda040899]

I have to agree with Kim!
I also think that Francis is Francine! Inside your shirt is dark and warm, perfect for causing nesting behavior. DNA sexing is in order and you may want to keep Francis on the outside of your shirt. A well placed bite will not be very comfortable and we have several members here who can attest to that........ :rolleyes:

[kimsbirds]

I have to say, none of my males were ever "bi-polar" exhibitionists, but rather calm and easy going. The on again/off again nasties I always entrusted to my girls...LOL

[lucky melatonin]

i guess that's it. makes me feel better that that's just the way she is and it's not she just hates me or that i'm tasty!

because she's so sweet and usually loves me to death, but god forbid i try to lift my dinner to my mouth while she's in my shirt! she doesn't bite me anywhere else, so far, just the hand and the chin once (mid-bite of my dinner).

i've read that all hens do this, but is there anything that i can do that she can still hang out on me without attacking occasionally?? because i have a feeling my blank stare of "why the heck did you do that?" isn't working.


***also, i know this isn't behavior, but i can't get her to use the calcium grooming perch i got. so her beak is getting icky. its black on the very tip, and i didn't think that was normal. does a vet do beak clippings or does that even exist? wooo, i feel like such a dum-dum. so i should be taking mike tyson bird to the vet soon and i'll let you guys know something.

[Sweetpeaches]

sounds like francine to me. lol....altho, i haven't had peaches DNA tested she exhibits the same behaviors. "hen" behaviors. she's a little over a year old now and within the last month or so has been really "nesty". climbing down inside my shirt (in the front and under the arm) a bit nippy.

but i don't think hen's are like this all year?? if she is a girl i can relate! i'm just turned 50 and i have my "moods" too! so, just like i need my space, i'm sure she needs hers.

we'll go through this together!

[donna1064]

My little hen, Baby, has been "bi-polar" too, for the last week or so. She just finished her first major molt and has got her "big birdie" feathers in and so it did'nt really suprise me when she started getting a little nesty/nippy.

Here's what I did.

First when she gets overtly nippy I try not to have a reaction and wil just tell her "NO BITE". I then put her back into her cage for a "time out". So far it seems to work although like with any human toddler, it has short-term results. They key is being consistent. She's starting to get a clue that when she bites Mama she has her freedom curtailed.

I also got her some new toys and moved her cage to a new corner, which seems also to be keeping her intrigued. Last but not least, when all else fails, I have a pair of gloves that I can put on if I need to pick her up when she's in one of her nippy moods.

I agree, it sounds like you have a nesty hen on your hands :whistle:

[linda040899]

Emily,
The black coloring on the tip of Francis' beak is normal in Green Peachies. It's not icky and it shouldn't be filed or trimmed. I try, at all costs, to avoid trimming the beaks of birds, as you may find yourself having to do that for the rest of the bird's life!

You are correct that the behavior you see is typical female lovebird behavior and it's not likely that you can change it. However, you can learn her body language and you will quickly learn when she's considering attacking. Avoidance is the best way to deal with it and it doesn't mean she's winning the confrontation. A hormonal hen is not in complete control of her actions and she's not doing it because she doesn't like you.

[thebubbleking]

My hen baby boo is the same way, your cleavage is her nest so to speak so shes defends it or... mabey it is a male, i know i would nip if someone tried to get me out of my girlfriends cleavage!

[michael]

Hi Emily. Although my lovie is in fact a male, he will occasionally make those clicking sounds. That is when I generally keep him outside of my clothing due to being a little defensive. Not quite as aggressive though as what you've mentioned about Francis/Francine................Michael and Goofy

[lucky melatonin]

no, no. he doesn't do the clicking when he's about to bite. he just lays against me and is real sweet doing the clicking or whatever it is, but when my hand comes near...the clicking stops that the lunging at the hand starts.

it's so strange because i'm like aww, look how sweet....whoa, maybe not...

[michael]

Emily. Those clicking sounds can be a sign of possessiveness, happiness, etc. Learning specific sounds and body language may help in determining what kind of mood your lovebird is in along with what to avoid and when to avoid it. Even though certain behaviors may eventually give way to knowing his/her true gender, at 15 weeks old, preparing for what may lie ahead, especially if he's a she could spare a lot of misunderstanding and injury. Apart from beak "grinding" which is quite different, the clicking/clucking noises can indicate its time to keep him/her out from underneath your clothing. Perhaps an early warning signal if you will. Please keep us posted as to how you two are getting along.:) .................Michael and Goofy

[beckyg]

I like to refer to Luna as a snake in the grass... she hasn't been sexed, but I think we may have made a good guess. I let her curl up under a cover on my stomache in the evenings when I am reading or watching a movie and I have learned it is dangerous to put my hands anywhere near the edge of the cover. Even if I don't think she can see me there she is. She stretches out her body as far as she can (thus the snake) and she is fairly good at her aim.:omg: I have just learned not to put my arms, hands or anything else there. Luckily she isn't too close to my face. Maybe you should see if she would go in a pocket or under a cover away from your face. ? Just a thought. Hope it works out for you.

[lucky melatonin]

i think the clicking in a good sign, because usually he's snuggled up to me when he's doing it, and he also does it as he's falling asleep at night. i didn't know what it was when i first got him, i was like OH NO, HE CAN'T BREATHE!! haha, i'm such a hysterical dork!

i found a certified avian vet at my university's vet school and sent her an email, so that's where i'm going to take him for visits. :) i'll keep you guys posted.

yesterday, i would put him back in his cage when he bit. and he HATES having to be alone in his cage. and he'd cry to be held, but i made him stay in a while. i think that may be beneficial in getting him not to bite (even if he's not being totally malicious, as much as protective). i think he'd rather be held and not bite than have to be alone. so maybe that'll work.