sorta lost, lots of guessing!

[anistara]

this forum is amazing. i am a bit overwhelmed and will probably spend the next 3 days searching. but! i really need to know things right away! lol! so...

what to expect at about 4 months? when is puberty? is she teething?

she won't eat other food except her seed mix, millet and treats. darn kids! i found the answers to that one, gratefully, what a load off my worried mind!

also, i see a lot of videos with lovies playing on tables and so forth. mine just wants to sit on my shoulder, but i want her to play some. my computer is near a window. i have a small ladder i got as decor from a southwest gift shop (like a mini hopi kiva style, its really cute!) the decor is now hers, more useful for sure! i like having her on my shoulder, except i am still a bit nervouse as she does nibble my ear, knot my hair and bites my neck! as far as i can tell from reading, shes not so bad, just learnin' i guess.
oh, and she did seem to know step up when we got her, but it seems like shes forgotten, or maybe it wasnt really clear? any links to the right threads with these concerns are worth a million dollars (that i don't have, sowwy!)

is she really just like a little baby and will learn how to do this? am i expecting too much too fast perhaps? i wanna know it all, and i want to know now!! ;)

thanks in advance, i'll keep searching!

[linda040899]

Considering you've only had this lovie a very short time, the progress you've made with her is amazing! Being young, she's trusting and, obviously, she's never been mistreated. If she had, you would be having more issues with her than you are.

At age 4 months, she's not sexually mature but will be within the next 2 months. The nipping is normal. She's exploring her world and, for lack of hands, she uses her beak. She has to learn that she can sometimes exert too much pressure and that it hurts!

Work with her on "step up." Do laddering exercises with her; "Step up," "Step up," "Step up," making her change fingers each time. As she goes to change her weight from one finger to another, move the finger she's leaving down just a tiny bit so she has to go to the new perch. Press your index finger gently against her chest when you tell her to step up so she hears the command from you and she feels what you want at the same time. Make sure you use verbal commands and be consistent.

Again, being young, she's going to have to learn to play with toys. It's not instinctive. Lovebirds are also very social and they prefer to being with their humans rather than on a gym or on their cages.