Biting hands but wanting kisses

[chip&dale]

Chip & Dale have definitely improved in behavious since we bought them. Dale now lets me kiss him on his beak but hands are still off limits. I'll touch his beak and he'll enjoy it but then remember "hey, that's a finger.. i need to bite it".

Chip is still a mystery. If I'm kissing Dale, he'll come right up and be literally an inch away from my face. He'll give me a look as if he's jealous but as soon as I try to kiss him - he bites my lip. Every time!

1. Any advice on how to get him to stop biting? I know he wants affection but I can't give it if he keeps biting me! Same with hands... they both attack hands as if its war. My other birds never had issues with hands and would step up on my hands no problem; they'll step up on a stick but never on my hands. this makes it difficult to work with them because even with a treat..they just bite my hands.

2. I've noticed as much as C&D love each other.. they also fight a lot! and sometimes when they're preening each other, the one being preened will squak as if in pain. Yet, if they're separated, they chirp constantly for each other and wherever one goes, the other goes - so they're definitely bonded. Is this normal behaviour?

[Willow and Oscar]

One of my birds bite, there are a few things that are advised but its a case of trial and error really as every bird is an individual. When they bite for instance, some people lightly squirt their birds with a water spray bottle, or you can just give them time out in their cage, tell them 'No' firmly or ignore it. For instance my biting bird loves water so the spray won't work, time out in her cage won't work as she's not hugely fussed on being out of it, so I try to ignore her or say no and we're getting somewhere with that. I also feed the bird from my hand with millet or cup seed in my hand so she can realise good things come from hands, and she can trust them. This seems to be working too, but it all takes time, patience and pain! (when she bites haha)

As for fighting, if they are fighting aggressively and actually drawing blood or doing damage then they should live in separate cages, and when out flying should be watched closely. My birds squabble a fair bit but without injury, I guess it's just a normal part of their interaction.

[chip&dale]

Thanks for the post. My birds do fight and their beaks have gotten bruised but at the same token they're joined at the hip. They sleep together in their "happy hut", literally on top of each other or neck to neck (I originally bought two but they stayed in one regardless), and they play together in the pillows and burrow in anything they can get...so separate cages I think would depress them. so far no major injuries so i think it is just sibling banter?

Thanks for your help :)

[Willow and Oscar]

No problem. I'd keep an eye on any injuries, because it can be difficult to get it right, I see your point on them liking to live together but also lovebirds can be aggressive so if it escalates I would separate. Mine live separately, cages are side by side so they can still interact and then they have supervised playtime together everyday and I would say they are as happy now as they were when they lived together.