My little Vampire

[Hera's Gift]

I've been reading through the forum and I have a lot of ideas (great resource this place is -- glad I found it) . . .just wanted to ask if there's anything else I missed . . .

I just adopted a lutino PF lovie hen from a local bird rescue on Saturday. No idea what her age is, she was found as stray. She's very funny and gorgeous, sings and whistles -- I haven't heard her even make the famous lovie squawk yet.

She was known for nippiness, but loved to hang on the keepers there, but would occasionally bite after being out for a while. A little cage territorial, but nothing serious.

But since she's been home she's displaying SERIOUS nesty-like behavior. I have the wounds to prove it. She'll charge you and bite. But yet wants to be by you at the same time. She's VERY confused. :omg:

She was caged with a male at the rescue, so I'm betting that didn't help any.

She's in her own cage now, next to my other birds -- GCC, tiel, dove and finches and canary. My GCC wants to figure out what she is, and wants to play and the dove wants to woo her (the GCC and the dove are bonded like a pair -- go figure.)

I'm going to get some drapes on the bird room window to help control the lighting, I took the bird cozy thing out of the cage, I'm trying minimal "nesting" type material toys. Although I think I have some un-doing to do. She was adopted once before and they gave her straw and a nest box. Then back to rescue with a male cage mate. So she's pretty hormonal right now. :rolleyes:

I'm guessing the move is making her more crazy, but anyone have any tips that have worked for them to help her adapt and settle in -- and hopefully not reduce my hands to shreds?

She's so dang cute though. :D

[bellarains]

Hi,

When in a nesty/hormonal stage, the best thing I can advise is to just watch her body language and run like H E double hockey sticks when she gets in that linebacker stance:rofl:

Seriously, she may be missing her cage mate she had a little, along with being in a new place, being out in the wild, and in general moved around, she may just be in an extra special mood. Maybe give her a little bit before trying to handle her, and of course don't give her any nesting materials, cozy hut, or anything that resembles a nest, and hopefully she start to settle in.

All else failing, offer her some millet spray by hand through the cage bars. Sometimes a little bribery works;)

[Hera's Gift]

The bribery works -- she'll already take millet rom my fingers, and she'll step up occasionally since she knows what that means. But I must admit, I am a little skittish of that beak, she really does clamp on.

Not that I don't know about biting. My sun conure, who's now over the rainbow bridge, bit me through (yes THROUGH) the lip once. But I'd forgotten how viscious those little lovie beaks are!

Wish me luck!

BTW -- she's not a lutino -- I started looking through some pics, and they don't match -- she's not all yellow, her rump is blue . . . . must be some other variety . . . . .

[LauraO]

A lot of nesty hens will bite when around their cage, and once removed they are much tamer. If you have a bird room this is much easier as you can remove her from the room entirely though she may try to find her way back. Stick/dowel training are good for this as you can stick the stick in her cage to have her step up on or you can open her cage, wait for her to come out, and then have her step-up on a stick.

Nine of my 22 lovies are hens and only one is a really nasty one. She is my Creamino Cuddlebunny and she is just mean>: . If there are bird injuries you can guarantee who's beak caused them. I've been wrestling with her lately as she's taken up residence in the gap between the cages (they are on a stand that hold four cages) and she will not come out. I've taken to squirting her with water so she comes out for bed, but then she makes a lap around the room and goes right back between. I thought clipping her wings would help, but she can still fly really well with like one flight feather on each side. I love her but I've gotten my fair share of bloody limbs recently. Of course, I'll still grab her knowing she's going to tear in me. After she a few beak punctures I give her mad belly kisses:omg: .

Good Luck and let us know how it goes:D