Lovebird hello

[Phocyn]

Hi. I have four love birds of possibly mixed origin. My birds have their own issues a piece. All four were paired, bought from different homes and sourced to the same breeder....

There in comes the problems. My birds are inbred. I am not a breeder. I am a bird watcher. I enjoy typing the kinds of birds I see and wanted to have some at home.

My birds have been separated upon the female attacking her mate, the same mate plucking out his own feathers, another male with a misshapen beak, and a second female with a passion for destruction.

I have contacted various sources about what to do. I have been advised to clip, hand tame, and separate the birds for their own good. So, I need people for advise amd resources.

So many problems.....

But I love birds. Help me help them?

 

[BirdManDan]

Laura & Flock!

THE I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE AVENUE!! WE'RE A BUNCH OF ANIMAL LOVERS HERE!! HOPE YOU FIT RIGHT IN!!

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[iamwhoiam]

Welcome to AA.
Here are two good resources when it comes to working with birds:
Training Parrots | Parrot Training DVDS & Books
Welcome to BehaviorWorks.org
It's good that you have separated the birds. Do they have preening and foraging type toys to keep them busy? What are you feeding them?
Maybe some lovebird people will come along and give you some advice. @metalstitcher

 

[metalstitcher]

Welcome to the Avenue.

You are going to want to keep them apart since there seems to be some major distrust going on with your flock. Toys are going to be a good distraction for them because lovebirds love tearing things up. So chew-able and shred-able toys are going to be a plus. You need to go slow with them when you start working with them You need them to get use to being around you first. Just sitting in the same room as them and reading out loud to them in a calm voice will help. Every time you walk by their cage drop a treat in their dish. When you move on to the hand taming start with a perch for them to step up on. Over time move your hand closer to them so they don't spook as easily. I don't know about the whole clipping thing. My two had a partial clip when I got them so I could work with them over time and get them use to being handled. Also no Happy Huts please those things are dangerous for birds due to the threads and fibers shredding.

@fluffypoptarts and @LunaLovebird I know I missed some stuff

 

[expressmailtome]

Welcome, and enjoy the site!

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome. Not all birds like each other. So if you're birds don't get along you should separate them or put any that get along with another together. As for breeding, there are ways to discourage egg laying.

 

[Phocyn]

I've had them for almost six months the first pair and four months the second pair. I've determined a clipped progress is the most stable approach and I've progressed to hand training. The birds are misted since they won't bathe and despite toys, chewable, shredding materials, etc... they don't use them. They were breeders though... and I retired them from that. Slowly, N the plucker, started shredding paper. A and O are destroying block toys in turn, and H just... sits there. She does respond to music.

Lovebirds are supposed to be curious birds?

 

[metalstitcher]

Yes they are and it just depends on the bird. With them being used for breeding they are going to act a little different I would think. Do you let them out on your shoulder when you are doing things around the house or are they kept in their cages?

 

[Phocyn]

I let them out and try to engage them, but they hide in their cages or nest boxes. I have more luck with Night and Oz than I do with Haha or Alice. Oz will sit on me, Night does perch on my fingers, slowly I am getting the other two to climb my clothes.

 

[metalstitcher]

If you want them to more engaging I would get rid of the nest boxes and separate them into different cages but keep them close enough where they can talk to each other.

 

[hrafn]