Vampire Birdy might need friend.

[Iosevus]

Well, Fia continues to tear and eat my skin.. the other day he even made the back of my arm bleed and I look over to see him enjoying a beaded blood snack. I am making progress in teaching him not to, but he is very stubborn. I partly think he is bored and finds it enjoyable, problem is I have toys for him everywhere and give him free reign of my apartment so I'm a bit befuddled as how I can try and find him some entertainment.

So now my thoughts start to go back to getting another birdy. Problem here is first I live in a studio apartment, a 6 week quarantine would be impossible. Second, if I'm not able to find another peach lovie do I risk a different species. Would having two side by side cages work well for companionship? (Granted they would be out and together supervised when I am home)
I imagine that 2 birds would be double the chirps, but do they tend to be louder?

Any thoughts on my predicament?

[linda040899]

My own personal thoughts are that Fia likes the taste of blood and I think that's why he mutilates your skin whenever given the chance. I had a pair of lovie parents that where terrific parents, until the babies began to get their pin feathers! They would immediately go after the new wing feathers and chew them raw and it took me a clutch to realize they liked the taste.

Before you look at a second bird, perhaps try not allowing him on any uncovered skin. One of my macaws is a biter and I have to be very careful about how I handle her. Many times I use a perch rather than allowing access to my hands. Shoulders are absolutely off limits!!!

Anyone else have any ideas?

[Iosevus]

He's only gotten blood twice and the first time he didn't snack on it :P

I blame myself for not stopping it sooner, when it started it was just a light nibble that tickled so of course, I didn't do anything. Overtime it evolved into tearing at skin. And playing keep my hand away might just be a fun game for him, so I've had to change the way I do things. I let him start chewing and then startle him in some way.

Medium term I do plan to get a buddy for Fia, but I was thinking about waiting til I got a house. Two things cross my mind constantly though, he rarely seems interested in playing with anything and with me having been working from home for the last few month he's been out of his cage and around me for a good 10-12 hours a day. When I get back to the normal working grind, he'll suddenly be home alone for 8 or more hours a day.

This would all be so much easier if I won the lotto and could give him his own room full of waterfalls and plants and other lovies.