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Surfingbird
11-25-2011, 04:16 PM
Ok, so let me tell you my story!
I got Blue, my peach faced lovebird when he was 4 1/2 weeks old from a bird expo. He was housed in a little reptile/fish critter thing with his/her younger sibling. The critter things were stacked upon each other. There were other species of baby lovebirds and parrotlets too. But I picked Blue because I clicked with him. His sibling, even though he looked like he was only 2 weeks old, was not as cuddly as Blue. She gave me old formula, which Blue didn't like much. Blue sneezed and kept one of his eyes closed, so I knew he was sick. My dad was on a trip for 5 days [he left the day after we got Blue] so I waited for him to come home to bring him to the vet and get fresh formula. He had a bacterial infection and the vet gave us meds, which we gave him through a 1 cc syringe for 2 weeks until he was better. He's 2 months and 3 weeks old tomorrow. He weaned at about 9 to 9 1/2 weeks old.
SO here's the problem:
He started biting me at about 5 or 6 weeks old. =( I thought it was just baby teething, but I guess not. He bites now like crazy! He's already pretty cage aggressive. The cage aggression started a few days after we got his wings clipped, about a week and a half ago. Today there was a problem. I tried to give him something from my finger when he was in his happy hut, and he bit me the hardest he's ever bit me and latched on. I had to pull away, and he fell to the cage floor. It hurt so bad. I think our relationship is starting to crumble pretty badly, ever since he weaned. He isn't as cuddly any more nor attached to me as much. He bites every single time I have him out of his cage, several times. He bites for no reason (to me). He just walks over to my hand, and starts biting my fingers or knuckles. Even if I'm holding them still. It hurts! And he doesn't like my mom. He bites her ears like crazy, and fingers. He's drawn blood from her. I have no idea what to do. How should I react when he bites? I have to put him right back in his cage after he bites, because I would lose my temper with him and end up hurting him, sorry to say. I never want to hurt him though, and that's why I put him back. I try not to react when he bites, but it hasn't worked. I've tried cage time-out, blowing on him, the earthquake finger shaking thing, and even placing him on the floor after he bites. None have worked. I know it will take a while for him to stop biting, but I need some help here. I just want him to not bite as much! I mean, I can't go a minute with him on me without him biting. I just want to be able to have him out and not have him biting me. =( I love him but I wish he would start being nicer to me! I mean, you can tell that he loves me. He cuddles under my hair and comes to me for protection but he just bites me like CRAZYYY. Oh by the way, I have tried keeping him occupied when he's out with toys. He still bites just the same.

Please don't take this wrong. He is the most cuddly, loving animal in the world when he's tired and in the mood to cuddle, but most of the time he won't let me pet him at all and he bites like crazy.

thebubbleking
11-25-2011, 06:38 PM
sounds like he is in teenager mode he will mellow as he gets a little older now he is just testing boundrys etc. also almost all lovebirds no matter how sweet are cage protective if you are doing anything other then changeing water or food or putting in a treat be prepaired for a bite they are defending thier home it is natural instinct.
Remember lovebirds are prey animals and as such negative reinforcemnet doesnt work, next time he bite and stops praise him and give him a treat, reward works best with training.

lovie_couple
11-26-2011, 01:27 AM
Can you post us pictures of him. Front and back?

First off, the breeder that sold you the bird was totally irresponsible. They should not have given you a bird before 10 weeks old, especially not to a person that isn't trained to hand feed babies!

Keep hand feeding formula on hand sense he is sick, also get a scale and weigh him every morning to get his true weight. It should NOT drop more than a gram.

Second, your bird will bite. Remember he is new and young and may be afraid of your hands. Give him time to adjust. My bird would not go near my hands unless I fed him, and screeched like I was hurting him when I pet him. Now he likes cuddles for the most part. Thought he still has bitey moments that draw blood. Just remember birds have personalities like people. Some days I don't want to be messed with either. A good rule is to gently rub their beak and say "no bite" in a gentle voice. And you can also put them in time outs as well.

Every bird goes through a bitey stage, especially when they start becoming sexually mature. The best thing to do is to deal with it appropriately and with kindness, and it will likely pass.

My bird hates my mom too, so we keep him away from her. Sometimes they just don't accept some people into their flock.

Surfingbird
11-26-2011, 09:50 AM
I know she was not responsible... she even offered to clip his wings right there. I wanted him to fledge first though. And he was sick when we got him. But hey, he survived through it right? And he's happy and healthy now. He's been to the vet 3 times in the short while we've had him.

Here's pics (I don't know if posting pictures is the same on here than the other board I use :O)

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z475/StacyAndTango/003-2.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z475/StacyAndTango/002-4.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z475/StacyAndTango/001-4.jpg

P.S. the flash makes his face look white