My bird are biting me and won't let me hold them.

[renugac]

Hi,

I just a bought a pair of love birds. They are both females and 8 months old. Both of them are very frightend only when I try to touch them. When I open the cage door they just love to come out and fly over my entertainment centre. When I hand feed them they take it, but most of the time one of them aims on my fingures to bite me. This biting habit started only after a week. If I want to hold them I have to chase them and grab them hard and they keep biting my fingures while I hold them. I was really happy that I got them but now I am upset and having second thoughts to give them back. I am surprised after reading how tame some birds are. Any suggestions please?

[kimsbirds]

Hi there,
Tame lovebirds don't come that way...it requires much patience and time and persistance and most of all TRUST.
If your bird does not trust you, there is no way she'll let you hold her.
Trust is something that takes months of work, you cannot expect it within a few weeks of owning birds.
Many breeders socialize their babies before they leave to new homes, but it does not sound as though yours are socialized well.
Trust can be earned by a daily routine. Best thing you can do? Talk to your birds and sit beside their cage a lot. Feed and water them on a regular basis and make sure they are getting proper nutrition, baths, cage environment and sleep(12-14 hrs nightly) A poor nights sleep makes a grumpy featherbutt!
Because you have 2 birds, you're going to have to work with them seperately, in a different room away from their cage and each other. A small dimly light bird-proofed room is a good start.
There are many threads in our other forums that deal with the bonding process and how other board members earned their lovies' trust. Read at your leisure, there's so much to learn:)
Good Luck

[rbalbury]

it might be harder for your birds to come around since you have a pair, maybe if u only hand one bird it would be easier. my peachface was very afraid at first and it seemed like he would never come around. i finally forced the issue and raeched in and caught him, of course he did not like this idea he would bite but i was persistent and would hold his beak for 5 seconds like i read in a lovebird book and i would also rub him while holding him. i would only do this for a minute or so at a time. within a few days he came around big time, and once the trust was established he made great progress over the next couple of months.

[beckyg]

It may be a good idea to get their wings clipped also. That way you don't have to chase after them. You could eventually let their wings grow back out, but it would help you in the training process to have them clipped.

Also some say it makes them a little less fiesty.

[rbalbury]

i agree with having the wings clipped. i forgot to mention that my birds wings were, and still are clipped

[Toneea]

My guys were very similar to this when I first got them. I used to take them individually into the toilet (I know, it sound stupid but you sit on the seat and its a small room with no distractions. Just no air fresheners or anything) and just play with them, talk to them. You still get bitten, dont get me wrong, it takes a while to earn their trust but they are so worth it! My birds are still not the tamest (due to her starting to lay eggs half way through thier training!) but they aren't terrified of my hands anymore. And I never clipped the parents wings either, the small room is enough if you are carefull and patient. That being said, the bubs wings are clipped and I think that is a big help in their training. Cos they're such silly little things, they panic easily and the wing clip saves them from bashing their little skulls into stuff and freaking out more.
Believe me, which ever way you tame them, they are definately worth it!! :D

[renugac]

Thanks everybody for your advice!!! You have all given me some hope. I have changed my mind to give them back. Thanks again.
-Renuga:)