What do I do about my evil bird?

[amylb64]

I have had my lovebird for 3 years now, she is my first/only lovebird, I got her as a baby, and she has been attached to me ever since. When I first got her, she was nice to my family, but for about a year now, she will not tolerate being out of her cage when anyone else is in the room other than me. When I have her out, and on my shoulder, if someone else walks within 10 feet of me, she bites me(and draws blood). She will bite/growl at anyone who comes near her cage other than me, to change her water/food or just passing by. We also have a male budgie in a separate cage, and they seem to like each other, chattering back and forth, but my lovebird has taken to screeching so loud, even at night, that we have to put her in a dark room with the door closed at night in order for anyone in my house to get any sleep. I work more often now than I did when I first got her, and while I am away at work, she screams for me the whole time. It is driving my family crazy. I have been thinking about getting a mate for my bird, slowly introducing them, and eventually having them in the same cage, and I realize that it will make her less attached to me. When I get a mate for her, do I need to try to get one that is roughly the same age as her? And do I need to stop handling her so that she wants to attach to a mate? Help!

[linda040899]

Parrots can be very persistent when they want something. That's for sure!!

The problem here is that you are the perceived mate and even giving her a lovebird mate may not change things. She's attached to you and that's all she wrote. The aggression exhibited when anyone other than you comes near her shows her possessiveness. Lovebirds are very social and require a LOT of attention. Some make good single pets, while others don't. The fact that there's a budgie companion for her to socialize with is probably and indication of what might happen should you get a male lovebird.

Putting her to bed in another room may be your only option. Make sure she gets 12 hrs of sleep, as that's what parrots need. Less than that and you can have a cranky, out of sorts feathered pain in the butt!!!

Anyone else have any ideas???

[mstomcat65]

i agree with linda... i had/have a macaw ( she's 18 now) that if she didn't get 12 hrs sleep time she was a totally cranky crabby bird and would start laying eggs. it was especially true for breeding season (for her nov - jan). Now with lacey i havent had her long ( 4 months) and i'm seeing if i don't give her at least 11 or 12 hrs she seems to be off a bit. i know she's young yet so i can't say what she will be like as an adult but i'm guessing the same will be true.

[michael]

Thoughts here. Try to arrange things so that any interaction you or your family have with her are in a room separate from her cage. .. Does she have a cozy, bird buddie, or any other particular soft object in her cage? If so, try removing it during the day. .. As odd as it sounds, her biting you whenever someone walks by is her way of warning YOU of an impending intruder. Can you tell us what your family composition is? Has anyone ever handled her besides you? And what type of environment is she in i.e., external noise, windows, high traffic area, etc? .. Her screeching while your gone means she's upset or uneasy about something. One reason might be because she had gotten used to you being around more than you are now and is attempting to contact you. Another, is that she is somehow being constantly threatened or stimulated by whatever is going on in her environment. .. As for a mate. I would at least hold off until your certain her behavior isn't something managable or temporary. One example, besides the above factors, is hormone season not only occurs during the spring, but for companion birds, can happen during the fall as well.