Do all lovebirds have ADD?

[nfmgirl]

I'm wondering whether the behavior that I see in my little guy is "normal" baby behavior that he will eventually outgrow, or if he is likely to remain this way...

I previously had a lovebird for 13 years, and recently lost my 16 year old cockatiel (the two of them were actually housed together for about 6 years before the lovebird Li'l Devil died. The three of us were unaware at the time that lovebirds and cockatiels aren't supposed to get along!) I decided to get another lovebird, and recently purchased a new peach-faced. Odie the Loverboy is currently about 9 weeks old, and I think that I've had him two weeks (maybe it's been three. It's late at night, and I'm too tired to count).

I have 4 cats, so Odie can only come out with me perhaps an hour a day. While he is out, he is all over the me. I don't recall my former lovebird being so nutty (even neurotic at times), so I'm wondering if it is a "baby"-thing, or just a difference in personalities.

Odie is everywhere. Down to my hands, around my hands (while I'm typing), up to my shoulder, climb my glasses to my head, climb back down to my shoulder, over to the other shoulder, down to the hands again-- all within a minute. He obsesses over things (like my rings) and won't be deterred-- I've never seen such stubborness! When I'm typing, he likes to dive under my curved hand and bury himself under it. When he's in his cage, he goes ballistic to get me to come over and pet him and give him love.

And now he has taken to bathing in a bottlecap. When I am drinking water, he goes crazy over the water bottle. So, I will pour a little water into the cap for him to get a drink. He'll take a drink or two, and then he'll proceed to dunk his head in and try and get his body into it (the cap is from a liter bottle, and about 1 1/4 inches across). He splashes around, I wet my finger and help him with his bath, and by the time he's done no water is left in the cap and I have as much water all over me as his does!

So does this all sound like normal adult lovebird behavior that I can expect to continue through the years? Or is this just nutty baby behavior? I'm beginning to think that my last lovebird was especially mild-mannered...

Heather

[Pips mom]

Odie is everywhere.
He obsesses over things (like my rings) and won't be deterred-- I've never seen such stubborness!
When he's in his cage, he goes ballistic to get me to come over

Heather

These sound alot like my lovie Pip----he is quite the little handful, and far from being mild mannered. In fact from all I have read about other lovies, I think Pip is one who is especially mischievous! He is almost a year and a half old and this is just Pip being Pip! Although he does not like hands, he still likes contact with people and especially heads! I think he might feel some warmth while sitting on my head and that's why he likes it. Anyway, I think only time will tell if your little lovie is just acting like a young baby or if it's his personality, but thinking most likely it is his personality----little lovies are monsters in disguise! A good wing clip should help, but as those feathers grow out, so does the attitude! :roll: seems like Lil' Devil fits this lovie alot better, huh?

[nfmgirl]

A good wing clip should help, but as those feathers grow out, so does the attitude! :roll: seems like Lil' Devil fits this lovie alot better, huh?

Thank's, Pips Mom! Yes, his wings are already clipped. We lost a keet when I was a little girl to a broken neck incurred because his wings weren't clipped, so I am a stickler for this now.

And, yes, he reminds me all of the time why I named my last lovie Li'l Devil. But Odie is Li'l Devil times three!

I would like to be able to take Odie to work on occasion, because I want him well-socialized and adjusted to different situations (my household is quiet and without visitors). I've taken him a couple of times, but he's such a nut that I can't last longer than four hours with him at work if I want to get any real work done. I was hopeful that I could set up a playgym to keep him occupied part of the time, but at the moment I don't see that happening-- he won't stay in one place longer than 30 seconds! Luckily I work only a mile from home, so it's easy to just run home at lunch to put him back in his cage when he gets to be too much.

Heather and the ZooCrew

[lemonypickett]

Eddie has 3 playgyms...... and they are all without a poop on them....... Why be on a playgym when I am around? The fid mom is the best playgym!

[Pips mom]

Oh Pip loves playgyms-----he plays on his all the time! Pip just likes everything, every toy, every food, he just likes everything! but, yeah he won't sit still long! I have his play gym and play area on his cage and also a play area on the side of the tiel's cage and of course his favorite toy that he humps on top of the tiel's cage, and he does spend most of his time in these places, but he also follows me around and lands on my head and plays on the computer desk while I am on the computer, goes around the living room and gets on shelves and other places he shouldn't be, so I have to get him out of those places, sometimes over and over! curtain rods are a favorite also. He gets into things, but not so much anymore because I have pretty much removed most of the things he had been after, but he still manages to find things here and there! As far as being able to take him somewhere like you have taken yours to work-----no way----he would be all over the place saying----WOW look at all this new stuff I can get into! he would be off chewing people's papers and whatever else he could get his beak on!

[Buy A Paper Doll]

I vote "difference in personalities" and your last lovebird was especially mild-mannered. ;) One of my birds, Milo, is usually content to just hang out quietly on me or my husband. (Unless I happen to be lying on the couch; then he runs down my legs and attacks my toes.) The other one, Melody, is the one I lovingly refer to as a "holy terror." She is constantly getting into trouble, climbing on everything and everyone. Mine are both three.

[LauraO]

All lovebirds are different but what you describe is definately normal. It sounds as if you have a WELL SOCIALIZED baby lovebird that wants attention and to be with you. I would try and take him out more often. I understand it's difficult with your cats, but lovebirds are very social and your little one needs more time and attention. He is a flock animal and you are his flock.

Congrats on the baby. It sounds like he's a great bird:D

[nfmgirl]

Thanks for the feedback. I make a point to take him out at least once everyday for 30 minutes, but I try to get him out for over an hour (with continual interaction through the cage bars throughout the day). Today I picked up him from home at lunch and took him into work. So he had a good 6 hours out with me today.

Luckily he is fascinated with ME, so he doesn't care to go exploring far from me. Even at work for 6 hours he stayed with me-- shoulder to head to fingers to shoulder to head to fingers. He just kept making his rounds.

He likes to climb on my hand and chew on my rings while I work. I type and use the mouse, and he never leaves the back of my hand for a couple of minutes at a time.

We'll see how he develops. Now if I can just get him to eat his fruits and veggies!

[Pips mom]

If your lovie is SO interested in you----then getting him to eat veggies should be fairly easy-----just have him out and get a plate a veggies and eat them so he can see you. This works with Pip and is what got him interested---he thinks if I am eating it, it must be good! I think there is a very good chance if he can see you eating it, he will at least give it a try.

[Kristina]

I got Fenway to eat veggies the same way as Pip's Mom. What helped a lot too was warming them up a bit in some hot water. I think it was (and still is) a bit of turn off to him if they're are still cold.

Fenway is still a bit of a baby (in age and my heart, LOL), he does some of the things you described. Last night, he was out and playing. He couldn't figure out what he wanted to do: chase his shadow or sit on someone's head. He did both, back and forth. LOL.

[nfmgirl]

Good suggestions! I did notice yesterday that he was interested in eating my Sun Chips when he saw me eating them. I thought then, "If only he would be so willing to try the fruits and vegs that I feed him!" I'll try to have him out more often when I am eating, and see if I can get him to try the fruits and vegs that way. Thanks!