Thinking of getting a friend for my lovebird, will he hurt the other bird?

[annacat]

I got my lovebird Freddie about a month ago. I named him Freddie after Freddie Murcury because he loves to sing.
I am his 3rd owner. Not sure what he weant through before me but I have discovered that he is an avid biter! I am now associating him more with Freddie from Nightmare on Elm Street! When he is out of the cage all he is interested in is climbing on me and constantly nibbling on my clothing (I wear protective clothing and gloves) progressing to hard bites that I can't feel because he is biting skii gloves and thick sweatshirt, not my fingers and skin. I have tried saying "no!" firmly and putting him back in the cage for a few minutes. He just resumes where he left off when I let him out again.
I have stopped letting him anywhere above my elbow when he is on my arm and not above my waist when he is crawling around on me.
Another problem.
We have a large dog who seems to be very interested in chasing the bird. I don't leave them in the same room togther alone and I never have the bird out of the cage when the dog is in the room. He has his own room wich is king of isolating for the poor guy.This limits his out of cage time a lot. I end up taking him out of his cage for about 30 minutes/day.
I am thinking about getting another lovebird to keep Fredddie company as I am at work for 10 hours plus 5 days a week (long commute). I am afraid that he will be too aggressive with another bird (If his behavior with me is any indicator).
Does any one have any advice? I don't want to end up with two birds in two separate cages.
I also don't want to become an accidental bird breeder. Any ideas on preventing unwanted egg fertilzation? Can you house 2 male lovies together? Pretty sure Freddie is a male but would need to get him DNA tested to find out for sure.

[linda040899]

When Freddie is out with you, perhaps some small toys he likes might divert his attention from biting. Parrots love to chew so things like bamboo finger traps, popsicle sticks, specially made "necklaces" for parrots that you can wear around your neck area all have the potential to distract him.

I would start with DNA sexing. If you have a male, then another male companion would most likely work. You don't have that option if you have a female. Some hens have been known to bet along together but those are the exception rather than the rule. And, of course, a male companion with a female will eventually lead to babies.......

[Bernadette N]

I have heard many cases of lovebirds that have been best friends with their new cage pals, but also many cases where they didn't like them at all, and either bullied or killed their cage 'mate'. I think with any pet this is a risk that will be taken. That said, you want the best for your birdie, so a cage mate might be a good thing. You will have to have them in separate cages for a while anyway (they have a period where they must be isolated from eachother for health reasons). Once that time is over, you can put them next to eachother in their separate cages and observe them :-) You can then decided if putting them together is a good idea.

I've done a LOT of reading on the topic, myself, as my husband and I are full time workers and have one lovebird. Ours isn't much of a biter, but he does like to nibble on my husband occasionally. It can be painful sometimes. I think it's more about them exploring everything, than being aggressive. Our lovie was a very anxious bird who wasn't sure about spending time with us, and would hide, although he was *very* curious about us. He was super afraid of fingers. We decided to fill his cage with toys, talk to him all the time and train him twice a day (we got the 'Good Bird Inc' DVDs - they are excellent!). He now isn't anxious, and he likes his training - we have taught him to step up, ring a bell and give us a 'kiss'. We leave his cage by the window so he can 'talk to the other birds', while we are away during the day. He sings his little heart out. When we are home, we leave his cage open, but he usually just likes to sit on top of it. He very occasionally explores the lounge room. He likes to sit on my husband's shoulder and go on round the house tours! (who is that other bird in the bathroom mirror?- tweet!). We've only had him about 8 weeks.

While we lamented and debated the topic for a long time, we decided not to get our lovebird a friend for a few reasons.

1. We bought him with missing toes on one foot, and a wonky wing. He'd already had one altercation with another bird, and it left him disabled. Poor tyke.

2. We wanted him to bond to us, and be a tame pet that we could train. We'd read that if you put them together they will often be more interested in their new pal, then you, and not feel like interacting. Obviously, thats not a 100% reality - there are many people on this forum that have more than one bird, and everyone gets along fine. It was a risk we decided we didn't want to take. It is also a responsibility to train him, as we are his 'flock', which we do each day at least once, usually twice.

3. We didn't want cage aggressive behaviour from hormonal birds, unwanted eggs or the possibility of an impacted egg, meaning a very sick birdie. Again - DNA sexing can assure you get 2 of the same gender, but I have a feeling that even if you get two of the same gender, they sometimes get hormonal for eachother. I've found some weird cases in my research (2 hens, and one lays eggs anyway). Boys that like to make very good friends with eachother... ;-) - Again, your birds might be really happy, healthy, mentally sound birdies who just wanna be good friends. tee hee!

A thought just occurred to me - you are his 3rd owner? He probably is a bit wary of people. He probably just needs to know you love him :-) We have trained our Beaker to not be scared of hands by hand feeding him seeds. Do you know what Freddie loves to eat? Give him praise, feed him seeds - and I would definitely recommend watching the Good Bird Inc parrot training series :-)

Good luck with your decision!

[JohnUK]

annacat: It's nice that you are considering Freddie's long term wellbeing so carefully before rushing into getting another bird.

I got my two at the same time and so far they get on very well (apart from occasional squabbles over food). Freddie is different though, he is older, already a lone bird and has had several owners.

There's not really any wrong or right when it comes to introducing another bird - things will either work out fine or they wont. If it's the latter you are likely to end up with two birds in seperate enclosures but at least Freddie will have another of the same species to 'talk' to while you are away from home.

Taking into account Freddie's history I would give hime more time to settle in before adding another big change (a second bird) to his life.

[Pips mom]

annacat:

Taking into account Freddie's history I would give hime more time to settle in before adding another big change (a second bird) to his life.

I agree with this.......even though he has time to himself with no friend around, that may give him some peace for a while that he needs.....away from scary birds who bite and people, and right now he's probably still scared of both. He needs some time. I gave it a year before getting another bird for my first bird, although he was a cockatiel and it's alot easier with tiels because they are so laid back. I've found with birds that they tend to like who they like, and will even form a friendship with another animal if they like them! I had two lovies......Pip and Rudy..........they never got along and it was hard to tell who was the reason for this, but I'm thinking it was Pip! Now.....Pip sticks with his buddy Ivy, a bird about five times his size weight-wise. Rudy is now living with his buddy Bob, a parrotlet, so you just never know who they are going to like! It's always a tough call! My male cockatiel lost his mate and he was SOoo sad and upset, so I went and got him another female and kept my fingers crossed that it would work out. It worked out ok......the two get along fine and seem to like having the other around for company, but it's not the same kind of bond that he had with one he lost.........when I put him with her it was love at first sight, but at least these two are friends and do well together and that's really all you can ask for!
Good luck to you on finding another one that will fit well with your Freddie! I hope you take some time though first to let Freddie calm down and get used to the idea of a permanent home where he gets the same unconditional love that he gives, and good for you working with a biting lovie! It will pay off in the end! My Pip has always been bitey! He was given up too from his first home, but something tells me that with Pip, it had more to do with him getting into some other kind of trouble!! :roll:

[annacat]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I am definitely going to check out those Good Bird DVD's. I think our together sessions need way more structure!
I have beeen hand feeding him a green bean and he loves it. Of course when he is finished he is totally focused on either trying to bite through the skii glove or trying to make it up to my shoulder where he can bite my neck and ears. I have gotten pretty good at keeping him from doing that by blocking his path with a wooden dowel that he steps up on and I transfer him down to my knee. We do a bit of a birdie treadmill routine.

This forum has been a refuge for me. I am sure I would have dropped him off on the doorstep of his previous owners by now if I didn't have this place to come to for advice and community!

[JohnUK]

annacat: Any progress is good no matter how slow it seems to be going. All being well Freddie will be spending a long time with you and your family so I'm fairly sure the care you are giving Freddie needs will have long term rewards for all of you.

A thin green bean was the first thing that my two ate from my fingers. I was so pleased because they were two frightened 11 week old little lovebirds when I got them. Now they have pretty much anything offered to them. I sometimes think they view my fingers as food because they always try to have a quick bite if my fingers are anywhere near their home. When they are out having their free time they haven't tried to bite so far but neither are very tame and usually keep their distance except if I'm offering them a bite of millet spray.

[annacat]

Freddie is really loving the green beans, and apples, and thinly sliced carrots, thinly sliced broccoli stalks, and jalapeno peppers. I clip them to the side of his cage all over the place in the morning. by the time I get home from work he is all out of veggies and plays with the empty clips and chirps at me. I am pretty sure he is hinting that he would like some more. So I give him some more!
I read through that book about enriching your birds environment
There are so many projects in there! A great reference for a bird novice.

I will continue to work with him and I am going to order that training dvd this weekend.
I think part of the reason he gets so fixated on getting up on to my shoulder is because he is bored sitting on my hand.

[annacat]

[- and I would definitely recommend watching the Good Bird Inc parrot training series :-)

Bernadett N-
As far as I can tell there is a #1 training dvd (I don't see any sign of #2, or #3) and a 4 hour dvd of a workshop. which would you start with?

Seems like the workshop one would have more info (being the longer one)

[JohnUK]

annacat: Freddie does something neither of my two do - he eats apple.

I had a thought last night about Freddie being on his own. When I go out for any length of time I either leave the radio or a CD playing. My two seem to enjoy a Spanish radio station I listen to http://www.chanquetefm.com/radio.html and they love soft Flamenco music CD's that I play most of the day. Might be the tone of the Flamenco guitar tremolo strings that they respond to. Sometimes, I will play my flamenco guitar in Amor and Vida's room and they look as though they are enjoying listening, unlike my neighbours!

Have you seen the aviarys at http://www.twinbeaksaviary.com/aviary.html I like the waterfalls but the plants probably wouldn't last very long with lovebirds.

[annacat]

[QUOTE=JohnUK;193732]annacat: Freddie does something neither of my two do - he eats apple.

I had a thought last night about Freddie being on his own. When I go out for any length of time I either leave the radio or a CD playing. My two seem to enjoy a Spanish radio station I listen to http://www.chanquetefm.com/radio.html and they love soft Flamenco music CD's that I play most of the day. Might be the tone of the Flamenco guitar tremolo strings that they respond to.
Thanks John, I will try Flamenco. I have been leaving the radio on and when i am home on the weekend days I will hear him chatting up a storm with the radio or the birds outside the window. That is encouraging as I had imagined that he was pining away for a companion, but seems pretty happy on his own so far.

Sometimes, I will play my flamenco guitar in Amor and Vida's room and they look as though they are enjoying listening, unlike my neighbours!

Your Birds are very lucky that you play for them. I try singing along with the Steve Miller Band to Freddie and he seems to enjoy it. Probably the only one on earth who does!

[Bernadette N]

Seems like the workshop one would have more info (being the longer one)

You are right. The workshop is excellent and does cover much of what the basics DVD does. I would watch that, and most definitely the parrot body language DVD!!!

I bought mine at Australian Bird Keeper magazine online shop, but I am sure you would be able to find some locally...

http://www.birdkeeper.com.au/bird-dvds <--- the online shop I mentioned. I haven't seen a 2, 3 or 4 either. Perhaps it's in the working.

body language DVD: http://www.birdkeeper.com.au/bird-dvds/dvd90-understanding-parrot-body-language-dvd

:)

[annacat]

Well, I bought the good bird inc 4 hour seminar dvd. It seems like the birds that she is training are so much calmer than Freddie.
When I let him out of his cage he jumps onto my gloved hand and starts biting the fingers like crazy.
He wants to be up on my shoulder and becomes obsessed with that goal.
Today I got sunflower seeds and first fed him through the bars on his cage so that he couldn't bite my fingers and he would get the idea of how to take one from me.
Once out of the cage he was not really interested in the food. He just wanted to bite my fingers (with gloves on), try to make it to my shoulder, and when I was sitting on the floor with him he became obsessed with trying to bite my toes (I had socks on). He was chasing my feet very aggressively.
I quickly put him back in his cage for a few minutes. Once out again he was obsessed with all of the above and seemed really agitated about it.
The attempts at chasing my feet became way too aggressive so I put him back in his cage and kind of had to force him in there. He really didn't want to go.
I am at a loss as to how I should approach training him.
He is not docile at all and seems a bit angry and obsessed with biting my fingers and toes or getting up on my shoulder to bite my ears and face.
Not much fun at all for me.