What's going on with my Lovies?

[ppat324]

I just got my sweeties a little over a week ago. The have been moved several times before me. The first couple days they were doing good. Interested in surroundings and would follow me from one end of cage to other. Then about 5 nights ago they started shredding paper. Now they have stopped shredding but I see no evidence of a nest or egg. They have also become very aggressive.

Today I HAVE to clean the cage. Not just the bottom tray but the whole thing so this will be very interesting. Stacy is a biter and she draws blood. I will have a spray bottle at the ready as I can not continue to be bit (health reasons). ppat

[michael]

Even without various health issues, if you get bit, there's still the risk for infection. .. Besides the water bottle, do you have a pair of leather gloves? .. You might also try setting the water bottle to mist, as sometimes a jet stream can be pretty hard on a small lovebird. .. At any rate, hopefully it turns out to be less of an ordeal than originally planned. ... Of course, we do want a followup report here. That way we know whether or not you survived! .....:omg:.......:)

[ppat324]

Michael, you are so funny. Of course i will survive. I can not fight infection on my right side because of cancer treatments I had several years ago. I do wear leather gloves and they are smart enough to go up past the glove to the arm or any other area.
I am still waiting to hear from the previous owner as he says they are different when out of the cage. I just need to know what to expect because it is too cold out to lock my dogs outside for more than 10 minutes at a time. And I have no doors in my house to lock the dogs in another room. The open concept was so nice before...LOl ppat

[ppat324]

Just thought I would update everyone.

I finally got brave enough to open the cage. Neither one of the lovies wanted to step up but Stacy came out of the cage and went up top. I closed the door to the cage for a few minutes to see how it would go. One bird is enough to handle at a time the first time out. Both of my dogs were sitting on the couch and neither one was overly bothered with the birds. I was sort of blocking the view and my boyfriend was right next to them also, just in case. So, after a few minutes I had enough and tried to get Stacy back in the cage. She stepped up and I opened the door to put her back and of course Kiwi got out and I ended up with both birds on the top of the cage. We finally got Stacy back in the cage but Kiwi would NOT step up in any way shape or form. He wanted nothing to do with the dowel rod. I finally got my boyfriend to grab him gently while wearing a leather glove and got him back in the cage.

I must tell you I was wondering what my Boston Terrier would of done if Stacy flew down and landed on him. My labadoodle is so tame and used to cats and other animals I wasn't worried about him.

So, I survived and as long as my boyfriend will help me I am willing to let them out more often until they hopefully become used to us and friendly. ppat

[kimsbirds]

If you put away chemicals etc, and close the toilet seat, they will be safe on the curtain rod while you clean their cage. :)

Hey Michael, she survived!!!! :happy:

[ppat324]

I can't get them to leave the cage. They will go on top of it but if I try to get them to move away from the cage or if I try to get in the cage them go on the defense and fly right back to the top and try to bite.

And I closed the bathroom door before I allowed them out.

I will continue to take baby steps with them. They do love when I stand or sit by the cage and sing to them. I usually have a dog or two in my lap at the same time. The birds ignore the dogs when the dogs sniff them so I think those four will get along ok. They also love the Accordion which I try to play for them every day. I am starting to find which notes they like more than others...ppat

[michael]

If you put away chemicals etc, and close the toilet seat, they will be safe on the curtain rod while you clean their cage. :)

And please, continue to exercise great caution around your dogs. .. Regardless if their docile, its only by instinct one could suddenly react.


Hey Michael, she survived!!!! :happy:

Unbelievable!..........:thud:

[mangotiki]

can you darken the room?

[ppat324]

At this time I am not able to darken the room. It gets so cold in Wisconsin that we put up plasic on the windows and the blinds are inside the plastic. And I have light colored curtains.


Time got away from me yesterday so I didn't let my lovies out. I will try it again today. Late afternoon usually works best for me and my boyfriend. I just wish I could get either one of them to leave site of the cage as I have been told they are totally different when they can not see each other or the cage.


I am also finding that if I make them fresh food and put it in there dish they will not touch it. They know what belongs in there dishes and that is that. If I make a small plate of food for them and stick it inside the cage they will come and try some of the food.

What I have been doing is sweet potato, carrot, green pepper, boiled and mashed. Hard boiled eggs, also mashed. A few bean sprouts, slice of strawberry, few chick peas and some brown rice. I set it right inside the cage on one of the dowel rods and use the cage door to help hold it in place. Once I get my lovies to trust me more I will put another food dish in the cage but for now this works. ppat