Lovebird Introduction - Good or Bad?

[Sunny&Mars]

I have a 2 1/2 year old lovebird, Sunny (peach faced) and got a new 3 month old lovebird about 12 days ago, Mars (fishers).

Mars chirps away, but Sunny has been ignoring him. I do bring Sunny up to the cage and try to have them talk to each other, but Sunny ignores him. Well, today Sunny did a few chirps back, but was bobbing his head up and down and gave me a couple of hard nips.... I don't think they were play nips.

I do favor Sunny so he won't get jealous. I had to get back to work so I put Sunny back into his cage and gave him some millet as a little reward for talking to Mars.

Just wondering - is the head bobbing good or bad? It didn't look like he was fluffing up... he did an odd wing stretch which I haven't seen before.

We think Sunny is male and HOPE Mars is male as well. I plan on keeping them in separate cages, if they do get along the only time together will be supervised out of cage time!

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[nu2birds]

It sounds like you have them in separate cages, so that is a good thing. I would have the cages close to each other (after a quarantine period) and just let them see each other and start getting to know one another. You have to do this slow because Lovebirds can be brutal to each other if they don't care for each other. Eventually you can let them out of their cages and supervise their "visit" to make sure nobody gets aggressive. I have two boys, and the head bobbing for my guys is when they are feeding each other and want to be fed by the other. I would think that in your case it could be a good sign.........but don't rush their getting to know each other. I would keep them close in separate cages for quite awhile and just see how they are acting and go from there.

 

[Zara]

Hey how are Sunny and Mars getting on?
There´s a few different head bobs... like Kurt said, theres the before feeding head bob, but i have noticed there´s a different head bob before a bite is dished out. So it is hard to tell without us seeing it.
I´m with Kurt @nu2birds on keeping the cages next to each other. Put perches high up so they can sit and look at each other. Start further away and you can move the perches closer as time ges by. Does that make sense? Let me know, I can send you a picture.

 

[Ripshod]

There's also the 'I want to see you/get closer' head Bob, usually accompanied by a little skip back and forth on the perch.
I'm with the others, move them closer, let them check each other out.

 

[Zara]

There's also the 'I want to see you/get closer' head Bob, usually accompanied by a little skip back and forth on the perch.
I'm with the others, move them closer, let them check each other out.

Good one, mine also do that hehe
I think there is a veeeery long list of possibilities of what head bobs can mean. But usually most look different.

 

[Sunny&Mars]

Sunny still does the head bob and I have been handling Mars while he has been with me (unplanned LOL). Both were good and it was quick.

Mars now likes getting out of his cage, so when he is I leave the room with Sunny to avoid any possible fights (my son deals with Mars). Mars likes to fly to Sunny's and investigate. When we are more comfortable with Mars being out we will make the introductions.

One of the reasons we bought Mars was for someone for Sunny to talk to and maybe help him stop feather picking. I notice a lot more feathers laying around, but it also looks like the bare patches are growing back in? Would this be to early for a molt?

I'll keep everyone posted on both these things!

 

[Zara]

Sounds like Mars is settling in well. I love that he´s happy being with both you and your son.
Have you put the cages side by side now?
Did you say that Mars was clipped when you bought him? Thats good that you take Sunny away no fights can errupt. It´s a good idea to let him keep his flight feathers when they grow back so that if there is a little scuffle, they can get away from each other. I´m sorry, I don´t know how long it will take for them to grow back.
My Sydney and Jaime ¨get on¨, but always with caution. There can be odd bites dished out but most don´t land. They do follow each other arround. Yet Jaime is bonded to anothr bird. All of my birds are flighted so they can always get away.
3 months old could be a molt. Mine all molted arround that time, the blue team lost the grey from their white faces and Sydney used to have a much lighter actual peach coloured face, and it turned darker, more red.
I know there was a time when I had just Sydney and I saw all the feathers and I was like... why is this bird not bald. I was new to birds and it did spook me a little, but it was a molt. Crazy how many feathers can fall! Yet, my Jaime is a plucker, he pulled his feathers out and has lost a lot but I never saw any on the floor. He wove them into his nest...

Can´t wait to hear more updates. Post some pics too

 

[Sunny&Mars]

I haven't put the cages side by side yet. I might wait to do that, if I do it at all. The only spot I could put it is in front of a mirror, plus the one cage would be lower than the other cage.

Mars was clipped when we bought him, but he can get a lot of height, so he is either strong or I don't know what I am talking about! LOL

Sunny (the older bird) is the one losing the feathers. I noticed this morning he had a bit of blood as well (that happens from time to time, when it does I really keep an eye on things). There are a lot of feathers around his cage, but the bald spots look like they are coming in. I am constantly monitoring him for this, so if there is something wrong I will notice it and then take him to the vet.

I am hoping they do get along. I had Sunny on my shoulder yesterday and Mars flew to his cage. My son was busy so I was holding Mars and Sunny didn't go to attack him... I am hoping that is a good sign!

I am trying to stay clear of Mars (handling him). I really want him to bond with my son. Sunny likes my son, but I am his favorite. The funny thing is that when Sunny hears my son he starts chirping.... I don't think he does that with me.

I'll post some pictures soon!

 

[Zara]

Even if one cage is higher or lower, is there not a point where you could put 2 perches eg:
(Sydney does have rope perches and coils, they´re outside drying)
Or put one cage on top of a table or something?

I hear other lovebird owners say that even with clipped wings their birds still fly a fair bit. I don't really know anything about that, I've never had a bird with clipped wings.

Glad your aware of the blood, birds can bleed out quick. Check all his blood feathers, maybe there is a broken one.

It sounds like a good start! I'm hope your birds like you both. Mine all like me and my boyfriend so it's nice. He is the wild hens fave, I am all the others fave haha I suppose that's normal because I raised them all from babies.
Don't stop handling Mars 100%, you don't want him to not like u at all. I'm sure if your son is opening the cage, playing with him and giving him treats every day, he'll love him.

Can't wait for the pics! I love lovebirds so much, they're so beautiful.
The noise can be brain splitting but they're sooooooo cute!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zara]

Maybe this is a clearer eg. I know they're in the same cage with a divider but it's more or less the same thing. They can sit and look at each other.

 

[Sunny&Mars]

Well.....Sunny was in his cage and my son had Mars out. Of course Mars flew to Sunny's cage. My son was seeing how things were going, luckily he was paying attention and he pulled Mars away before Sunny had a chance to nip him! He said Sunny had his head back then sort of lunged at him. I should have been paying attention - I am hoping that the reason Sunny did this is because it is his territory. If it was on neutral grounds things may have one better?

Do you think I should still move the cages together?

 

[Ripshod]

New introductions really should be done on neutral ground, where the guys will not feel their territory is being infringed upon.
Definitely still move their cages closer.
Sometimes what we interpret as an impending attack is just the aggressor warning the other (gesturing) . It's the same with any parrot. Move them closer but leave the introductions for now.

 

[Zara]

Mine do that too. It´s their space. I don´t let the birds go in each others cages either. They´re very territorial.
Still put the cages close together. Try not to let them land on each others cages while they´re out.
It´s a process and each bird is different. Some hit it off quick, others take a lot of time. I´m still working with Sydney to get him/her to get on better with the other birds.
I like to get the birds together and start a game that includes everyone. I like playing with the little cat balls, they look like cage balls and have bells inside. I got a pack of 6 so I have plenty to make sure there´s no fighting over one toy. I sit on the floor and we play with them together, my birds love them

Storytime;
When I only had Sydney and Jaime, I used 1 ball (the one you see in sydneys cage) I thought we could play together. It kind of worked but eventually one of the birds would sit on the ball and try to own it causing a squabble. I went and bought another, but in the end, Sydney had a ¨thing¨with it and would regurgitate on it and snuggle with it so I took those balls away. I gave it him back a year later when he had forgotten about it. Lapis and Nube have the other.

 

[Sunny&Mars]

If it was me, I would have taken him off. Then again I'm the adult, so I should have been paying more attention.

 

[Sunny&Mars]

Mine do that too. It´s their space. I don´t let the birds go in each others cages either. They´re very territorial.
Still put the cages close together. Try not to let them land on each others cages while they´re out.
It´s a process and each bird is different. Some hit it off quick, others take a lot of time. I´m still working with Sydney to get him/her to get on better with the other birds.
I like to get the birds together and start a game that includes everyone. I like playing with the little cat balls, they look like cage balls and have bells inside. I got a pack of 6 so I have plenty to make sure there´s no fighting over one toy. I sit on the floor and we play with them together, my birds love them

Storytime;
When I only had Sydney and Jaime, I used 1 ball (the one you see in sydneys cage) I thought we could play together. It kind of worked but eventually one of the birds would sit on the ball and try to own it causing a squabble. I went and bought another, but in the end, Sydney had a ¨thing¨with it and would regurgitate on it and snuggle with it so I took those balls away. I gave it him back a year later when he had forgotten about it. Lapis and Nube have the other.

LOL - This really made me laugh! I've had Sunny on my shoulder doing my "chores". I think I will now get Mars.

I'll move the cages together on the weekend while we are around to monitor. If I go out should I move them back, or as long as they are fine for a few hours do you think there will be any incidents?

 

[Zara]

Leave the cages together, when you place them, make sure theres a good couple of cm between the cages so they can´t get each other. I had Sydney and Jaime like that for a year til I found Aldora.

Yea, I´m sure if you told your son, he will remember next time He´s learning something new too.

I remember once, Sydney walked right into Aldoras cage, I swear my heart stopped!! I sometimes refer to Aldora as El Tiburon (the shark) for obvious reasons, I can´t put my hand in her cage, and those birds hate each other. Luckily I managed to call Sydney out.

 

[Sunny&Mars]

I'll make the move on the weekend!

I just had Mars out of his cage. I then put some food in my hand and he was eating from my hand! Sunny was in his cage chirping away, so I had to do the bird switch and get Sunny so no jealousy sets in!

 

[Zara]

Such a beautiful bird
I´m glad you´re making progress

 

[Sunny&Mars]

My wife and kids things I'm nuts to put their cages next to each other LOL! So I guess everyone's experience is good doing this? They won't lose their bond with us or go crazy because they can't get into each others cages? Mars is like a little kid, when he is out of his cage and is hungry he tries to get to his food bowl from outside the cage! LOL