Why can't they just play nice?

[Buy A Paper Doll]

As my pair get older, they do NOT share food well at ALL. I have the cutest photos of the 2 of them side by side on the edge of a bowl of sweet potato, both birds' beaks covered with potato mush. :) Sooooo cute.

But lately, if I offer a treat of some kind while both birds are out, Melody turns into a raging psycho and will not let Milo have any of it. I gave the 2 of them an entire fig. One half of a fig each. Mel expressed NO interest in her half until Milo started eating his half. Then she attacked him and wouldn't let him near his half or her half. After that neither bird touched the fig again. $6.99 for a pack of fresh figs and they're too busy fighting over them to eat them! >: Later I gave them each a butternut squash seed. Milo tore his up in 2 seconds. Melody was too slow with her seed so Milo took it away from her and ran off with it. >:

I know lovebirds are greedy by nature; I just wish they would play nice!!!

[Joanie Noel]

:rofl: I have to tell you, Jennifer, that some of your stories just crack me up. :rofl: I can relate to the possessiveness over food. Well, not me, but my birds. :wink: Both of my pairs are the same way. You know, a lot of people say to put a separate food dish in the cage per bird, but even if I did that they'd still only play "follow the leader" and fight over one dish. I'll admit that it helps in the way of trying to get another bird to eat healthy food, by trying it if the other bird does. But I agree with you when you say -- why can't they just play nice? :rolleyes:

~ Joanie

[zlatushka]

You know, the more I hear and learn about lovie behaviour, the more it really does strike me as the same as a 18mos-2yr old baby. Ever give one kid a treat/toy, or even each kid the same toy/treat? Always what the other one has that is more interesting... And the type of toys they like, etc etc...

Maybe we should all be reading parenting books for toddlers! :rofl:


rachel

[BarbieH]

Gracie is just horrible about sharing food. We finally solved the problem by putting another food dish in the cage and placing it across the cage from "her" food dish. They are both her food dishes, but at least George or Didjit have a chance of getting away from her when she tries to scold them away. :eek:

[bellarains]

Yep,

I do the same as Barb. They have their own food,water and treat dishes, all on opposite sides of the cage from each other. This doesn't always work, but Bela has learned that if he just sit's back and waits his turn, eventually Lacey will let him have some too.

Sounds like Ms. Melly wears the pants in that relationship, just like Lacey. Maybe us gals could take a few lessons from our hens :lol

[sdgilley]

:rofl: my kids take food from the grocery sacks as I bring them in the house and hide the snacks in their respective rooms! Kids! Fids! No, they just CAN'T play nice, it's not normal, evidently.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

hide the snacks in their respective rooms
Back when we were dating, my husband had a roommate who would hide "his" cereal in his bedroom so he wouldn't have to share with me. I guess some folks never outgrow that behavior!