Brand New Lovebird Owner... What's Normal??

[JamaicaMon]

I just brought my green blackmask lovie home last friday. I think it's about 3-4 months old. Named it Jamaica because of its coloring. I'm just going to guess it's a girl for now; sex is irrelevant to me. So it was hand raised. When I picked her up from the breeder he showed me how to pick her up. He also told me to feed her millet for the first month (not sure why, I don't think that alone is a balanced diet). Anyway I brought her home in a small cage and she ate just fine. I'd take the roof off and let her explore. Mostly she'd run right to the picture window because that's the area that gets the most sunlight. I mostly corralled her instead of chasing her. If she headed into the kitchen I blocked her path and she'd go back into the living room. She was even cool enough to sit on my hand chew on my bracelets(leather & rope) or walk all over my arms and shoulders and occasionally try to chew my hair. But then the real cage I'd ordered came. It's 18X18X54 with a playtop. She has one natural perch and a large spherical chew toy with sheets of rolled wood and blocks. I hung a plastic swing from that toy. She was really quiet for those first 4 days too. But she would fall while playing with the chew sphere or just trying to maneuver threw her new cage... a lot. And it scared me so I put a ladder near the perch. That helps. As for the chew sphere, i just moved down to the side of the cage. That way the fall isn't so far. So all was cool and dandy.
But these last 2 days have been strange. She sleeps in the top corner of the cage, just hanging there. I don't understand it. Is that normal? Should I get something to put up there for her to sleep in?
During the day and at bedtime her cage sits next to my desk in my bedroom. So I was watching a youtube video with some lovies in it. She heard 2 chirps and she FREAKED OUT! Literally turning in circles and attacking the side of the cage closest to the sound. I coaxed her into an empty dish and brought her to the computer and she walked all over my macbook looking for the source, kissing the screen. Now she often VIOLENTLY chews at the side of the cage when I sit at my desk. I don't play lovie videos around her anymore. Did I get a psychotic bird??
The other thing is that now she sometimes lunges at my fingers. She just seems to be overall much more aggressive and more vocal than those first 4 days. She's being a psycho right now as I type.

I'm a student. So I get up around 7:30-8am. Shower, dress, and interact with her. Then I leave at 10:30am. I typically get back about 6 oclock. I leave the tv on the jazz channel while I'm gone. And when I get home I roll the cage into the living room and leave the door open. But she will only leave her cage of her own accord if she can see sunlight coming in the picture window. Otherwise I'd get her out of the cage and she'd run right back in. So now I coax her out and leave the cage in the bedroom while playtime is in the living room. Oh and I haven't seen her bathe once. I put her back in her cage and cover it around 11pm. Then I hit the hay at 12.

Am I doing OK?

[JamaicaMon]

One more thing... She scratches herself/chews her feathers constantly. I'm like "Jeez take a bath already".

[linda040899]

First very major problem that I see is lack of enough sleep! :) Birds need a full 12 hrs of sleep every night or you are going to have a grouchy, grumpy parrot on your hands. I, personally, think that a lot of what you are seeing goes back to lack of enough rest. Try putting him/her to bed earlier and see if it helps.

[linda040899]

One more thing... She scratches herself/chews her feathers constantly. I'm like "Jeez take a bath already".
For birds, their feathers are like clothes to us. Many of them spend a lot of time adjusting and grooming those feathers. If she's around 4 months old, she's beginning the first molt and that will make feathers itchy. Have you tried a spray bottle set on mist and mist over her head and let the water gently drop like a soft rain falling on her?

[JamaicaMon]

Thanks so much for your suggestions.

I have a 2-hour break in between 2 classes. I'm going to come home midday more often to let her out, then put her to bed earlier and see if that helps.

I had to place her in the sink and run the water real light, splashing some on her. I'll go to target and get a spray bottle ASAP.

[JamaicaMon]

Things are a little better. A lot more joyful chirps and even some coos. I got a couple of real mean bites light night tho. But I think those were "leave me alone I wanna go back to my house" bites. Ironically I was trying to help her back in. Today she didn't show any interest in me. I opened the door and she flew out a couple times just to go right back. At one point I decided to do some maid work in cage while she was out. Afterwards I tried to coax her into a dish and she was being stubborn. But when I offered hands she got on (again i think my leather/rope bracelets are the real incentive). I put her on the table and scattered some toys while I was on my laptop. No interest in the toys. No interest in the strips of paper. I offered my bracelet... Instantaneous chew time! But as soon as i turned on my music she left the bracelet and hopped on my keyboard. She chased the cursor on the screen a bit then got cozy on my keyboard and settled in, as if I didn't need to use my computer! I understand it's a super warm spot but talk about a queen bee. I let her sit for 15 mins but I needed my computer back and when I tried to get her off she wouldn't budge...stubborn. I tried my best not to use food as an incentive but she played hardball. So the millet came out and now I can finally go to my meeting.

I'm not sure how to tell if she's getting bored in the cage. So I rearranged things and added another perch and foraging toy for easier maneuvering and activity.

[thebubbleking]

some birds dont know what toys are used for so you can play with it to show her how it is done also they love anything shreddable or with a bell for some reason hens love bells those swings with bells on them are a favorite just make sure it is not a jinggle bell like used in cristmass as thier toe and nails can get sought in the slits also make sure the bells clapper is secure and to big to be swallowed :)

[Carole]

I have two lovebirds and a cockatiel. One of the lovebirds likes to take a bath. I have a small flat dish and put about 1/2" of water in it. She covers herself in water and splashes her brother. He likes the spray bottle, but I have to hold it up high over him or it scares him. My cockatiel would stand and let you spray him all day :) He lifts up his wings so I can do underneath and loves getting all wet. With your lovebird I would hold the bottle up high and let the water fall so it's like rain. I think it's just more natural for them.

Carole

[Joannadk]

Hi JamaicaMon

To me it seems like Jamaica is still trying to adjust to her cage and the inviroment. You have only had her for a short while, so give her time and she'll come around.

I wouldn't change or rearrange anything in her cage, since it only leads to more stress than she's already having. She needs to be completely confident with her cage, before you change anything in there. Her cage should be the place where she feels secure and safe.
It might take weeks or even months, depending on how nervous she is.

Joannadk

[JamaicaMon]

It's been almost 3 weeks now. Whenever I leave the house I leave the radio or TV on for her. She stands at the door of the cage whenever she wants to come out. So I open the door and leave it open. And then she takes 10 mins to decide that she actually wants to come out. She flies out (with clipped wings) and runs back to the cage. I made a ladder/staircase out of K'nex that sits in front of the door. Sometimes I block her way back to the cage, forcing her to get on my hand or arm for a ride. She's still VERY anti-finger. Flat hands are fine. She's very dominant tho... tries whatever to get on my shoulder... I don't want her there. I try very hard to keep her from getting up there because she'll chew on my hair and bite my earlobe.

She's super vocal in the mornings and the early evenings when I come home. But she makes really cute noises when she's in the little house. I wish she would sound like that all the time. ;)

As far as the bath goes, there has to be a lot of water in the dish. The only problem is that she occasionally poops in it. And there's only 2 dish holsters in the cage. So I only offer her bathing dish when I'm around so that I can replace it with a drinking water dish when she's done splashing.

And she's still addicted to the millet spray. :( So I fill the dish with Kaylor of Colorado and stuff millet and shreds of paper in a little paper bag will holes in it. Basically I make her work for the food she wants most. I can't tell that she's bored or anything.

So I guess we're good, cept for the biting.

[penelope's person]

It's been almost 3 weeks now. Whenever I leave the house I leave the radio or TV on for her. She stands at the door of the cage whenever she wants to come out. So I open the door and leave it open. And then she takes 10 mins to decide that she actually wants to come out. She flies out (with clipped wings) and runs back to the cage. I made a ladder/staircase out of K'nex that sits in front of the door. Sometimes I block her way back to the cage, forcing her to get on my hand or arm for a ride. She's still VERY anti-finger. Flat hands are fine. She's very dominant tho... tries whatever to get on my shoulder... I don't want her there. I try very hard to keep her from getting up there because she'll chew on my hair and bite my earlobe.

She's super vocal in the mornings and the early evenings when I come home. But she makes really cute noises when she's in the little house. I wish she would sound like that all the time. ;)

As far as the bath goes, there has to be a lot of water in the dish. The only problem is that she occasionally poops in it. And there's only 2 dish holsters in the cage. So I only offer her bathing dish when I'm around so that I can replace it with a drinking water dish when she's done splashing.

And she's still addicted to the millet spray. :( So I fill the dish with Kaylor of Colorado and stuff millet and shreds of paper in a little paper bag will holes in it. Basically I make her work for the food she wants most. I can't tell that she's bored or anything.

So I guess we're good, cept for the biting.


Biting: Spray bottle. Just a couple of months ago I thought I couldn't keep mine but now I spray her every time she lunges and she's caught on quite well! Your bird is still young so it should catch on quite quickly.

Hating Fingers: I've come to realize that some birds don't like hands. Mine doesn't. She'll snuggle right into my neck and go to sleep but try to pet her and watch out! Yours is still young so it's totally possible that she'll come to be fine with them...especially since she doesn't mind flat hands.

Finally, I've learned that any change with a lovie takes TIME. I bought Penelope this really cool toy about 10 months ago and she's just decided she likes it. Your birdie Jamaica is probably on 'island time' too! :rotfl