“He complains too much” aka Overreacting Lovebird

[Karnkate]

So...I’m not sure if this is just a phase or whether it’s gonna stick forever or not, but the title is what my family has been thinking about Boon-RodRod lately.
Sure! He’s cute. He’s adorable. He’s soft. He also brings luck and fortune (he won another lottery for Grandpa again!). But seems like he’s exploiting his cuteness.

Incident 1: I took Taohu, Yooyi (Taohu’s younger brother), and Boon-Rod out for a millet party. As the budgies are munching on the spray, Boon-Rod did something that seemed to terrify Yooyi, who is easily frightened. Taohu protected his brother and pecked Boon-Rod as a warning. I swore he screamed bloody murder and hurried off from the budgies to me, as if to convince me to take his side like 2 kindergartens fighting each other.

Incident 2: My Grandma tried to hold him in her hand. That’s her way of putting birds back into the cage because some of my birds in the past wouldn’t go back unless she loosely grab them. Boon-Rod made a noise as if Grandma had squeezed the ever loving life out of him. I’ll let you hear the sound. Are you familiar with rubber ducks or squeaky rubber toys? Now imagine yourself squeezing it repeatedly to make that obnoxious squeaky sound. Now change that obnoxious squeaky sound into lovebird voice.

Yeah....that’s how much of a drama queen Boon-Rod is right now...

 

[Zara]

I really need to come borrow Boon Rod

I think it´s best you keep him away from the budgies. Lovebirds aren´t the friendliest with other birds. It´s not worth the risk.

And the squeak, I don´t know. Maybe she had his foot trapped in her fingers or on a ring? I´m not sure. Strange he would make such sound for nothing... maybe he is a drama queen after all....

 

[Karnkate]

I really need to come borrow Boon Rod

I think it´s best you keep him away from the budgies. Lovebirds aren´t the friendliest with other birds. It´s not worth the risk.

And the squeak, I don´t know. Maybe she had his foot trapped in her fingers or on a ring? I´m not sure. Strange he would make such sound for nothing... maybe he is a drama queen after all....

So lovebirds are territorial like parrotlets? Or they just don’t interact well with other species except their own?

 

[Zara]

Most won´t interact positively with other species, some won´t interact positively with their own. There will be a minority that will be happy playing with a budgie etc but from what I gather it is a minority.

Hens can be cage territorial. My males aren´t, but Sydney does not like if anyone puts fingers through his cage bars. He is fine with hands in his cage if they come in a door and not through the bars (weird).

 

[Karnkate]

Most won´t interact positively with other species, some won´t interact positively with their own. There will be a minority that will be happy playing with a budgie etc but from what I gather it is a minority.

Hens can be cage territorial. My males aren´t, but Sydney does not like if anyone puts fingers through his cage bars. He is fine with hands in his cage if they come in a door and not through the bars (weird).

I think it’s because they look like wiggly worms to Sydney?

 

[Zara]

He also doesn´t like getting treats through the bars. Anything through the bars is a no no. So strange.

 

[Gazimon]

Be very careful when budgies and lovies are out in the same room. One of my lovies went for Snowy's toe and bit it bloody and held on till I intervened. Since then Snowy's toenail grows bent upwards. I noticed that my lovies tend to bully my budgies, so no more out of cage time together. Always separated.

I would agree with Zara. Best to keep them separate if you can.

Moony does that too when he's startled, but he recovers quickly from the scare. Its their way of screaming alarm calls if they feel threatened. Being attacked by another bird or being swooped/grabbed by an aerial predator like a bird-of-prey's talons [or gran's hand] are what they respond to in the wild. Parrots are not domesticated so its only natural that they freak out at situations which they think would cause them injury.

Maybe he's also being very indignant about being grabbed. I wouldn't expect them to have 'common sense' like adults, more like toddlers and tantrums are so real. Lovies have personalities far bigger than their tiny bodies LOL.

 

[Zara]

One of my lovies went for Snowy's toe and bit it bloody and held on till I intervened. Since then Snowy's toenail grows bent upwards

Lucky you was there supervising!! It could have turned out a lot worse!

I forgot to mention, Lapis bit Adelies toe just over a week ago. So even between lovebirds the toebiting is rife. Lucky she didn´t seem too badly hurt. Vet says she´s fine. She wasnt bleeding, but it looked like she was. It was weird. It´s healed now.
Same as @Gazimon , Lapis locked on and didn´t let go ´til I intervened, not even a split second but she still bit her.

I actually think I know the sound you mean. My birds that don´t like scritches do it if I try touching their head
Jaime does this if I grab him. (and he´s super tame, he keeps coming back for love, but I need to check on his feathers where he plucks) Anyone listening would think I´m trying to kill the bird.