Separate a bonded pair of adult peachies?

[oldseoul]

Hi everyone! I've been a lovebird owner for a while now, but my first bird was a solo peachie back home, and I now live in Korea. About 2 months ago, I got a pair from a local pet store, and they were already bonded adults when I got them. I have them living in separate cages in the same room to help train them to be more human friendly, but it doesn't seem to do much. They are still completely terrified of humans, especially hands, and any time I have them out of the cage, they simply fly away to the other one's cage and try to be together physically.

I'm working with them slowly and have no worries about being patient, but that's not exactly the question I have. My girlfriend who lives in my neighborhood has expressed interest in having a bird as well, and my thought was that if we each take one and completely separate the birds, they may acclimate to humans better out of necessity. Since we live in the same neighborhood, we could still bring them together for play dates or something, but would being separated most of the time be too depressing for them? We're both home often enough to give them plenty of attention and care, so they wouldnt be completely lonely either, they would just be getting human interaction instead of birdie love.

So ultimately my questions are 1) would it be too cruel / depressing to seaparate them and 2) would it have any effect (positive or negative) on their training and acclimation to humans?

I appreciate any insight into this! Thanks in advance!

~Sean

[Philocacti]

I'm no expert but I assume they'll grief each other separation

[Maxie]

Would you like to be separated from the love of your life? :(

I think it would be best if you kept the bonded pair together. Separating them would cause them grief and I'm sure you wouldn't want that for your birdies :)

[akki]

I understand your concern and your troubles of taming them, but my answer would be yes, it is too cruel to separate them and no, it will not have any effect on their training, but instead will traumatise them even more.

The most important thing is to take it slow. Feed them from your hands, give them the treats the won't be able to resist (sunflower seeds, millet, my birds are would also kill for nutriberries treat). Let them hang out on your shoulders, instead of your hands. Maybe the birds have bad experience with hands and have a darn good reason to be afraid of them - it's hard to know when birds come from a pet store. When they are in their cage, approach them gently, don't make sudden gestures, talk to them in a gentle voice. Also, have a look at their housing situation - is their cage rectangular, not round? Does it have at least one blind wall next to it? Do they have a coconut or a tent, or a snuggle sack where they can hang out and hide if they feel scared? It's important to reassure the birds and give them back the feeling of safety, and only then the bonding can start.

If your birds are fully flighted, I would consider clipping the wings for the time being. If you have never done it yourself, take them to the avian vet (not a regular vet!), and they will show you how to do it without hurting the birds. It's relatively easy to do it yourself, but it's also easy to hurt the birds badly if you don't know how. It will be easier for you to approach them and feed them from your hands when they won't be able to escape from you.

Observe their dynamics - is there a leader between the two? Like, one always initiates something, and the other one follows? Try to bond with the leader, and the other one will follow.

Also very important: forget about punishment, anger, or any sign of frustration around the birds - it will set you back in the progress. Lovebirds are socially sensitive and will pick that up. Focus on the positivity, and just stick to the routine - you will be rewarded for sure!

Shout if you need any help!

[linda040899]

Lovebirds are very social little parrots and really enjoy the companionship of other lovebirds. I would not separate a bonded pair for all the money on the planet. You would break their hearts and lose their trust all in the name of taming.

I agree with trying to determine which one is dominant and focusing your efforts on that bird. Many parrots don't like hands and it may be something you just have to accept. You can try temporarily clipping 4-5 flight feathers on each wing just to limit where they can go and see if it has any effect. Instead of asking them to step up onto your hand, try a small perch and see what happens.

It will take time, patience and love but I think you can establish a trust relationship with them. Two may be harder but it's not impossible.