Our birdie gone crazy??

[FikriCan]

Hi everyone,

We have a question about our lovebird's behaviour. Most of the time when he is in his cage he runs left to right frantically on the base of the cage. We think he does this because he wants to get out but maybe there is more to it?

He is less than a year old and yet untamed. He is with us for 2 months now. He eats seeds only, though we place fruits in his cage. In cage he is either very very active (running frantically as seen on video) or is sleeping.

We let him out of his cage everyday to kiss&pet him. We then let him wander around the house for a couple of hours. He usually prefers to fly a few times around and then sleep on top of the library. When we put him back in his cage he usually will start moving around frantically.

Has anyone observed similar behaviour? What do you think is the cause?

Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsPxkMdcb3U

[bookworm0550]

I think he wants to come out cuz mine do that when I get home. Do you have a bottom Part to the cage so he can't walk around on the bottom like that? Not to be mean but the cage looks too small for him.

[linda040899]

Running back and forth in the cage means that your lovebird wants to come out! There's a whole big world out there to explore and it sounds like that's just what he wants to do.

Most lovebirds are not big fruit eaters but most love vegetables. Mine like fresh shredded carrot, broccoli, string beans, sprouted seed and even figs. If he doesn't seem to be interested in what you are offering him, it could be that he doesn't realize it's food and can be eaten. Sometimes eating some of what you want him to eat while he watches will let him know that this is food. Most birds love to share food with their human slaves. Meals at my house can get very interesting!

[piousm]

All of my human friendly birds do that, though they tend to go to whatever side of the cage I am on, and dart left to right like gridiron players (or at least what I have seen of them in movies - we dont get gridiron here) until I let them out, especially at breakfast or dinner. He/she might be a little bored in the cage, as well - we put in leafy branches from bird safe trees, and they have fun in them (making a mess for us to clean up).

[CompassionAk]

You're bird is really cute,but I agree with Bookworm about the cage being small.If you can find another that is bigger and add some toys and some more perches he would probably be much happier. You can make toys for them to play with if you don't have a shop nearby,this website has some neat ideas http://cheepparrottoysntips.com/index.html and this site also has some great ideas for keeping birds busy http://www.thegabrielfoundation.org/documents/PEABV2FinalforPublication.pdf

[personatus]

Alot of birds do that when they are stressed aswell....

[LauraO]

Your birdy is definately beautiful! I also agree that his/her cage is too small. There should also be more perches of different sizes along with toys. Finally, it seems as if your lovie's cage is exposed on all four sizes. This will make most birds uncomfortable, which can be solved putting the cage against a wall in a room where the family spends most of their time.

While cages and toys can be expensive, there are some good used cage deals that may be an option. Toys can also be homemade and relatively cheap.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

:)

[bird-brain]

What a lovely fischer's lovie! Obviously, my baby is a fischer's also. I think fischer's are a little special and a bit different in temperament from some of the other varieties. Firstly, let me say that if you are actually petting the bird, it is at least fairly tame.

Second, yes, without a doubt no matter how long your birdie is out, this cage is three times too small. One great thing about these birds is their HUGE personality in a small package. They will play and entertain you and make you laugh non-stop if you get a larger cage and hang some toys in there. Your birdie will do loop di loops and hang upside down etc and just thrill you! My cage is not very fancy but Cabo LOVES his home. I have found cat toys that he loves and are safe for him, he loves BIG bird toys bt have to be careful he cant get caught in them, and golf wiffle balls. Plain balsa wood is very cheap and occupies him forever (just have to vaccum or sweep after). I also found some hard plastic small jello molds that he loves throwing his ball or paper shreds, bits of wood etc into jst cuz he can, then he tips it over lets it all fall out and starts again! Most lovies fly horizontally so owners prefer a wider cage. In my case, Cabo is a climber when in the cage, not a flier and HE prefers a taller cage. He's in a 18 deep x 24 wide x 36 tall loaded with toys and could care less if he EVER comes out. Read up on bar spacing cuz if they are too wide, the bird WILL get hung in them. Then just have fun. Also, if you want pictures just post and as ask, everyone has them! Enjoy your birdie!

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

aww! he's cute! the "halebopp" in my user name was my fischer lovebird & he was so sweet. he always loved to be out. The one in my avatar is my current lovie and when she was in a smaller cage, she used to pace like that to catch our attention to be let out.

I had to click your link when I read about the other members thinking your cage was too small as I had sunny in a smaller cage for awhile and i wondered "how small could it be?" Your current cage looks like a travel sized cage and i think Fikri would definitely thank you if you found him a larger cage. My husband and I upgraded sunny's twice in the last year and a half we've had her. She's currently in a mansion of a cage. lol No more upgrades for her.

[bird-brain]

Merhaba tekrar FikriCan, ben seni anlayan adamlar Türkiye'de. Ben zor bir zamanı olan Adona içinde bir arkadaş. O bazı zamanlar alırsa, kendisini eğlendirmesi için ona bazı oyuncaklar vermek sen arıyorken iyi olacak.


(Hello again FikriCan, I just realized you guys are in Turkey. I had a friend in Adona who had a difficult time finding what most of us would call a cage of the proper size. If that takes some time, giving him some toys to entertain himself will be good while you are searching.) at least this is what I MEANT to say.....Turkish grandmother, I am rusty hehe.

[FikriCan]

Thanks for all the answers. It feels good to know that there is nothing wrong with Fikri.

We'll try feeding him some veggies and see if he shows interest. His cage may be a little small but we hope that he'll only be using it for meals and sleep once he gets used to us.

I didn't know that it can take so long for him to get used to us. It is almost two months that we are together, Selin says. Still he doesn't show much sign of friendliness. He seems alright and sits rather calmly in your hand when caressed but he flees the very second he gets the chance.

We are both looking forward to mornings when he'll come to bed to wake us up. :)

[FikriCan]

Got a little surprised after posting and finding out that there were more answers waiting :)

I too have thought about upgrading his cage but Selin thought it wasn't that necessary. From your comments I understand that it plays a big role in our lovie's mood. I'll look into it.

As for the toys, I gave him balls in different sizes outside his cage. He sits far from them and when landing he avoids them. He just doesn't get it :)

Thanks for the toys links. We may build some of our own. ;)

@Rusty from Turkish grandmother: Mate, your assimilation process seems almost complete. Come to Turkey sometime so you can work on that real rusty Turkish of yours. :D

[michael]

.........We are both looking forward to mornings when he'll come to bed to wake us up. :)

Haluk. .. If your planning on allowing your bird to "free roam" from his cage at night, please give that a second thought. .. Because many parrots are quick to find a warm snuggly spot within clothing/blankets etc, this could turn tragic should they fit in next to you without your awakening. .... We've actually experienced members who have lost a lovie behind a couch cushion. This could even happen while your awake!...........:omg:

[FikriCan]

Thanks for the warning Michael. Right now we don't let him free roam at night but if we decide to do that in the future we'll remember what you said.

[bird-brain]

@Rusty from Turkish grandmother: Mate, your assimilation process seems almost complete. Come to Turkey sometime so you can work on that real rusty Turkish of yours. :D

I had a trip all planned out a few years back then we got started with horses. Now I barely have time to visit my parents who are just 5 hours from me let alone travel across the globe LOL SIGH...maybe one day.:D My grandmother was fluent with her english and only spoke turkish when she was angry. I'm really good at phrases that should not be repeated! hehe

[linda040899]

I have to agree with Michael regarding lovebirds being safe in their cages at night. The saddest e-mail I've ever gotten was from a young girl whose lovebird used to like to come cuddle with her while she was in bed. On the morning in question, she was asleep when her lovebird came to visit and, not realizing it was there, she rolled over on it. When she woke up, she found her bird next to her....dead. :very_sad: :very_sad: :very_sad:

[FikriCan]

:very_sad:

Very sad indeed Linda. Here lives a famous overweight singer who one morning woke up and stepped on her poodle which was lying next to the bed and killed him. Can't imagine her pain. Got to be even more careful with our tiny bird friends.


@Rusty :D : Turks have a long history with horses. There is a lot of interest in racing as well. Maybe you'll visit sometime for leisure and business together ;)

[linda040899]

This is one lesson that I've learned from others. I have no desire to experience it first hand! Some accidents are preventable, although there are others that are not.

[FikriCan]

Another quick question comes to my mind. I have seen people taking their parrots out in the open on their shoulders with no strings attached and they wouldn't flee. Is it something taught? Can anyone take his lovebird out with them without the fear of them flying away?

[michael]

Another quick question comes to my mind. I have seen people taking their parrots out in the open on their shoulders with no strings attached and they wouldn't flee. Is it something taught? Can anyone take his lovebird out with them without the fear of them flying away?

When our daughter first aquired her one of her lovebirds, unbeknownst to me, she had been carting him around loose wherever she went. .. Even to the grocery store where she had worked! ... Needless to say, this changed rather quickly when she stopped over one day to visit toting an unrestricted lovebird on her shoulder. .. NO! ..It is NOT OK to take ANY parrot out in the open without strings attached! .. Even with their wings clipped! ... I will make no qualms about it. .. There are absolutely no circumstances (including "free flight" training exercises) that can safely allow companion parrots that type of freedom. .. All it takes is one surprize move, and your beloved bird could be gone forever!.......:omg:

I'll spare you the post traumatic details regarding starvation, predators, inclement weather, etc, thats soon to follow their disappearance.............:(

[FikriCan]

Message taken :)