Suzie is becoming a little Demon... again! Help

[sobkowich]

I've been working with my Lovebird for a couple months now, giving her space to do her own thing, and she has gone from screaming most of the day and evening, to comfortably sitting on my, or my girlfriends shoulder or chasing the cat up and down the stairs. At first I was worried about the cat getting the better of the bird, but lately, it seems as if the cat enjoys the attention and actually will roll onto her back (submissivly) and let Suzie walk on her from time to time.

Anyway, the problems that have persisted have been the ones that I am at a loss about, and wanted to get some input on.

First of all, Suzie is now about 10 months old, and fully flighted. She always has been. I have never been able to either get her to let me clip her flight feathers, or find anyone I trust to come over and have it done. So I think that Suzie thinks she has no reason to even try to socialize with me any more than she needs to, because when she's done with me, she can just fly away. Should I commit to getting her clipped? If so, that generates a whole ton of other problems.

Secondly, she knows that during the afternoon / evening, she will have free time out of her cage, and when she's out she loves to come close to us. At first I thought this was a good thing, as it showed me that she liked being around my girlfriend and I. But then I realized, she will never let us touch / pet or hold her. If she lands on my arm or head, she just sits there, and if I try to offer her a treat or get her to move a bit, then she'll scream, fly about 2 feet up, then land again, on the same spot.
Am I missing something? is she trying to socialize with us, but because It's not what I'm expecting, i'm missing it? She will sometimes sit on my arm or wrist and take a couple of seeds, but the watch's my hand closely, and if it comes close to her without a seed, then she lowers her head, opens her beak and lunges. She bites all the time, and not just little nips, but enough to break the skin sometimes.

Also, when she's out, she loves sitting on my monitors, that doesn't bother me, but when she get's interested in my fingers while i'm typing, she will take over the keyboard, and not let my fingers anywhere the keys, like she's getting territorial.

Finally, she has taken to knocking things around, and off of anything she can move, both inside and out of her cage. she's knocked phones off the wall, and even knocks her food dish all over. When I try to change the water or food dish, it's like a major attack and she will usually save her most savage attacks for when I am close to her cage.

Am I missing some obvious clues here? Does anything I'm talking about sound familiar? Suzie is a solo bird, I was thinking about getting her a companion, but this time making sure any additions were hand raised, as Suzie is not.

I have stopped offering her my finger as a perch, as whenever I did before, she would just lunge and bite. I know I have made progress with her, as she will let me stroke her with a spare perch we have. when I do touch a spot in her back, she will spread her wings and do a little prancy dance, funniest thing I've seen her do.

any tips or advice? Any and all is welcome
Thanks
Scott.

[Enko_chan]

Not all birds like hands, and some birds that do not mind hands, DO mind fingers. These things can take time. It took almost 1 1/2 years to get my lovebird, Odie, to come around to liking my hands and he is still tentative about them. He loves to be on my person, to socialize, and will step up onto my fingers now, but he simply does not like to be scritched or held. Its just the way he is. Some birds need more time than others, and some may never much like hands at all, but it hasn't been a problem with my bond with him- we have a wonderful relationship that continues to grow closer all the time. I let him proceed at his own pace.

As for knocking things down... lovebirds, every lovebird I've ever had, my mother has ever had, every lovebird I've ever met, has gotten joy and glee from dismantling things, pushing things across the table, and watching them crash to the floor! Especially if their filled with smaller things or can break or make a big noise when it happens! Suzie isn't doing it simply to confound you, but if you are confounded, I am sure it adds to her amusement! :whistle:

It IS possible to set up areas for your birds to play in and train them only to play in those areas when they are outside the cage, but it is MUCH easier to begin this training when they are clipped. My lovies have been free-flighted for a very long time now, but they continue to stay off their no-go areas despite being able to fly to them. Changing their food and water dishes to ones that mount in ways that cannot be torn down and spilled can help you with the problem inside the cage.

[michael]

I've been working with my Lovebird for a couple months now, giving her space to do her own thing, and she has gone from screaming most of the day and evening, to comfortably sitting on my, or my girlfriends shoulder or chasing the cat up and down the stairs. At first I was worried about the cat getting the better of the bird, but lately, it seems as if the cat enjoys the attention and actually will roll onto her back (submissivly) and let Suzie walk on her from time to time.

.......... Should I commit to getting her clipped? If so, that generates a whole ton of other problems.

.......... I have stopped offering her my finger as a perch, as whenever I did before, she would just lunge and bite. I know I have made progress with her, as she will let me stroke her with a spare perch we have. when I do touch a spot in her back, she will spread her wings and do a little prancy dance, funniest thing I've seen her do........

Scott. .. First, its very important to address the relationship between Suzie and your cat. .. Its extremely DANGEROUS! .. Rule of thumb...Cats are predators. Birds are prey. .. Regardless of how great they interact, there is no way to predict if or when natural instincts will kick in. .. Should Suzie become a bit more territorial and bite your cat, that could cause a sudden deadly conflict. Cats also carry in their saliva bacteria known as "pasteurella". .. Your Suzie need not be bitten to die from a simple exposure to pasteurella bacteria via saliva.

Much of the other behavior your experiencing is quite common. Often, parrots don't realize hands are part of the whole human anatomy. .. Eventually though, some will, and well, some won't. .. Only patience and trust will determine the outcome. .. Utilizing a stick for training purposes can help ease the tension, while at the same time save some flesh. Many members use a stick for an initial "step up", then gradually work towards eliminating it. .. Others find their birds respond better by stepping up onto a stick, and therefore, prefer to leave it at that. One thing to note.... By rubbing Suzies back with the stick, you are initiating a mating response (spreading her wings). ..If you trying to work with her behavior, that will likely make matters more complicated.

Clipping your birds wings is a personal choice. .. Some use it as a way to keep their birds safe, others may use it as a way to speed up the training/taming process. ... Whats important, is that young ones learn to hone in on their flight skills BEFORE their first clipping. .. Should you eventually decide to clip, its also important that you have performed whats refered to as a "mild clip". ...This type of clip helps to limit flight without totally eliminating it.

If your planning on getting Suzie a mate, please take a few days to read through our forums. Things to consider are; .. Whether or not they'll accept each other, as well as what to do if they don't. .. Age. Species. Gender (to ensure your not pairing up two young females). And general health. ..Note; 30-40 day QUARANTINE before introducing is a must..............:)

[sobkowich]

Thanks for the input;
I'm not considering mating for Suzie, simply more of a companion. I know they don't need a partner, but I'm sure being the solo bird in the house can be a bit lonley. But I will not proceed with getting a companion without a quaranteen first. There is a shop in my area dedicated to lovebirds / Parrots, and they have been great help with questions of diet and behavior. They were the ones that told me that Suzie may be upset about not being let out of her cage daily, and when I started giving her some free time, that is when she appeared to become more relaxed in the house.

As for the bird and the cat, I'll keep an eye on the two of them. Usually, the cat sits on the stairs, or the couch and watch's, then eventually, will leave the area. Its only when the bird goes looking for the cat, when there is the odd staring contest or game of, "Don't come in here.... I mean, In here.... I mean, in here."

Thanks again for the input.

[sobkowich]

There has got to be something wrong with Suzie. I try to simply give her water or food and she breaks the skin on my fingers. I can't even get the door open on her cage half the time because she's outright attacking me the second I even touch the door. I dont' mean little nips either, where she nips then flys away. She will charge at me, dig in with her beak, then I can feel her digging in even more, working her bite to make the most damage possible.

Not only that, but she insists on squeeking in her extremely high pitch scream. It's enough to give me a spitting headache after only 5 or 10 minutes. Lord forbid me turn on the TV or radio, she screams even louder then and will not stop unless turn off the tv. Even moving her to a different room doesn't help. And it's not like she's singing along, it's ultra high pitch crys. she'll sing to herself when she's flying around or when she's socializing. She doesn't always scream at the tv, but when she's aggressive, then there had better be nothing else on. Even my gf and me talking can sometimes set her off. If my gf asks me something, or we're talking about anything, Suzie will start screaming, and not stop until there is silence.

I get so frustrated with her, I dont know what to do. I'd hate to have to get rid of her, simply because she's obviously not sociable. It's almost as if she hates me, or anyone around and will take any excuse to attack. Seriously, I'd hever had so much blood drawn on me from a pet as I have with this little bird.

If anyone has any advice, tips, suggestions, anything, I'd be thrilled to hear it.

[thebubbleking]

Been there done that. OK patience she attacks when in the cage because thats he house shes protecting it i have a couple lovebirds who are the sweetest..outside thier cage inside they are beasts. she is drawing blood because she is not warning you she is protecting her house by any means, i have a hen who is worse trust me i have come to accept she doesnt like hands in or near her cage and i wear gloves when changeing her food and water. you are supposed to ignore when she bites but i know alot of the times thats not possible so it doesnt become a game i wear gloves and ignore her.
As for the noise think of a two year old they always want attention same thing with lovebirds...ignore her and when she gets quiet and plays with toys etc THEN give her a treat she will learn quiet and playtime means goodies, your two best tools for your situation is patience and bribes :)