Attacking things....

[CleopatraLove]

Just curious if I should be worried about this behavior?

She's sweet and wonderful towards me and other people, but "objects" are another story.

A stray pen on the desk...she runs at it and attacks it. My camera...she absolutely hates! She repeatedly lunges for it if I get too close. I put up a new swing in her cage, she's been attacking it all morning.

It's rather silly to watch, but I am worried if they are causing her stress, or is she just playing?

[linda040899]

Sounds like people are OK in her space but objects are seen as invaders! Most lovebirds will push stray objects off surfaces onto the floor and then look down to watch whatever it was hit the floor. That brings a great sense of accomplishment for them!! :lol

It's hard to say how she views the swing without actually seeing the body language that goes with the "attacks." Can you share photos or video of what's she's doing?

[CleopatraLove]

Hi Linda :)

edit: I have a video of the way she reacts to the camera, and it is the same for the swing. I am uploading it now and will post the link when it's live :)

off-topic-
I'm curious, that beautiful green bird in your signature, (as well as on the banner here) what kind of lovebird is that? i never saw such a green before!

[linda040899]

The bird you are asking about is Miracle, my late Abyssinian Lovebird hen. In the 3 short years she shared her life with me, she stole my heart to a point far beyond where any bird has ever managed to get. She was diagnosed as epileptic and I lost her very unexpectedly to a seizure.

http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/miracle.html

[Bubblelady]

My Buddy (used to) attack pens/sticks/pill bottles with great enthusiasm. One of her favorites was to attack a moving object (that I was wiggling) from the inside of a grocery bag with a small hole in the bottom, or from the inside of a toilet paper tube, or from under a blanket. She also attacked the bell in her cage if she wanted out or was really mad at me. The pen/stick/pill bottle attacks have always seemed like playing to me. I should note, however, that she only attacks these things if I am wiggling them. She will drop the odd stationary pen off the desk & let it fall, but only goes into full-blown attack mode if I am an active participant in the game. I call the game "Attack Bird".

Linda, I knew that was your bird in the picture but didn't know how you lost him. I lost my first lovie to a seizure disorder. My vet took a picture of him (with my permission) to include in his lecture material. He told me lovies have the highest incidence of epilepsy of any member of the parrot family. :(

[LauraO]

Linda is right. It's hard to totally understand a behavior without seeing it. Of course, my first thought is your birdy is being playful and just like to be a little roughian :).

[CleopatraLove]

here ya go ---- Just posted the video, this is how she reacts toward the camera, her swing, and other objects. Even a pen on my desk. If she notices it, she dodges right at it and lunges her head like in this vid-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TktkkQ6SE8A

(i do not typically "dangle" it in front of her face like that lol, just demonstrating for vid)



Linda she was amazingly beautiful. I'm sorry you lost her at such a young age, that is a shame :(

[linda040899]

Actually, that's baby behavior. Cleo has her own space and anything that gets near it will get attacked to make it go away. It's defense behavior.

Until she's a bit older, I would remove the swing and anything else in her cage that causes this kind of reaction. At this age when they are with their parents, they are snug in the nest box with mom and dad with mom and dad to protect them. Since she is with you, you are "mom" and she views you as her protector.

At this age, she hasn't really learned how to play and she won't develop that until she's weaned. It goes back to self-confidence and she will begin to get that beginning at age 8-9 weeks.

[CleopatraLove]

thanks for the info! I will certainly keep her feeling safe :)

[Gill]

I wish mine attacked objects! Instead they attack my face! Your baby is very cute :D

[AlFa]

Hi everyone,

So I have two lovebirds pretty young maybe 4-6 months. I use these containers that hang off their cage to hold their food, and recently they team up together and unhook the container letting it fall with its contents. So when I get home from school I see their food on the bottom of their cage and I wonder if this means anything. It seems as if they are attacking their container and sounds a lot like some of the behavior you guys describe with the pens and cameras, but what concerns me is that its their food. Thanks in advance.

[Bubblelady]

Parrots love to watch things fall :happy: It's just sooooo much fun :happy: Buddy used to do this to food cups, too. Only she was smart enough not to spill her own food. Just dumped the canary's food & water--every day, once she discovered this wonderful game! Till I used a cue tip to swab the cup hooks with tobasco :omg: Put an end to that game in short order. Or you could just invest in new food & water containers. Ones that are Lovie-Dump-Proof. And don't worry about spoiling their fun. They'll figure out a new Lets-Drive-The-Parront-Crazy game quick enough :rotfl

[thebubbleking]

Ah parrot games, thats the bad thing about haveing birds so smart is they figure things out pretty darned quick!
My lovies like watching things drop, unhooking things, makeing things bang and all kinds of naughtyness but fids will be fids lol

[linda040899]

Hi everyone,

So I have two lovebirds pretty young maybe 4-6 months. I use these containers that hang off their cage to hold their food, and recently they team up together and unhook the container letting it fall with its contents. So when I get home from school I see their food on the bottom of their cage and I wonder if this means anything. It seems as if they are attacking their container and sounds a lot like some of the behavior you guys describe with the pens and cameras, but what concerns me is that its their food. Thanks in advance.
Since this concerns food and the game produces a lack of, it's time to get food dishes that they can't unhook and drop to the floor. I use the kind that attach to the side of the cage with round ring type holders and the stainless steel dish just sits down inside the ring. I have yet to have a lovebird that can get the dish out of the ring.