Pairing my lovebird

[D.Chu]

Hi Avians!

I have a female lovebird that i took in since 1 month old. It is now almost 2 years old. Ever since young it has a coconut in the cage where it sleeps and laze around.

I recently got another male lovebird and i am trying to pair it. But here is the problem, my female lovebird refuses to be friends with the male lovebird and will attempt to attack him. I think its due to the fact that it already has a coconut house, i think its being super teritorial.

On the other hand, the female lovebird has never come in contact with another lovebird for the past two years. I was thinking that it doesnt know how to be around the other lovebird.

I tried taking away the female lovebird coconut so that it does not get too teritorial and in hopes that it would bond with the male lovebird but to no avail. When i remove the coconut, the female lovebird cries the whole night because i think it is sad that i took away its home. Being a softy, i put back her coconut the next day.

I am lost on what i should do. I cannot bring the bird back to the shop as they don't take it back. But i am not discourage from trying to bond it.

Should i try remove the coconut for a few more days? To see if it will bond? Any advice is really appreciated <3

Thank you

 

[April]

@Zara @TikiMyn @Emma&pico do yall have any advice?

 

[Shezbug]

It may not matter how many changes you make, sometimes birds just do not get along.

Think of how you might react if someone bought home a stranger for you to live with, love and have children with- you may not like them no matter how long you are forced to live together which would mean you would likely bicker fight and generally be unhappy, but, there is a teeny weeny little chance you both might like each other and have similar interests in which case you will get along. There is no way to make you like/love someone you just do not like/love, the same thing goes for our birds (and other animals)- just because we decide we want a particular bird as a friend for our other bird does not guarantee it will be a perfect match for the pre existing bird.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Can you put the new bird in a separate cage next to the female and see if they might warm up to each other? Then if they did, you could look at housing them together again.

 

[Emma&pico]

Are they in same cage her cage ?
because you shouldn’t really just put them together especially not in a cage that’s already one lovebirds
they need to get use to each other separate cages start further away but so they can see each call to each other then slowly move cages together
I always added new toys new climbing things to birds room when I introduced a new bird that way the older ones had something new to play with entertaining them while new bird got use to room

I got indie for pico to have a friend no got mango no apple pie no mango and apple pie are bonded
pico and indie never really got on they tolerated each other well pico did indie wanted to be friends now pico feeds her from time to time and she’s only one pico really allows around him as in sit on a perch with him eat millet with him indie wants to live with him though is always in his cage when cages are open and they are out

I don’t know if you have but if you have put new bird in old birds cage that’s all her territory not just the coconut it’s her food water her favourite toy her favourite perch as @Shezbug said you have just put a stranger in her house

you need a separate cage and to start off introducing them out side of cages and see how they get on hopefully they get use to each other but they may always have to be in separate cages but enjoy being out together

 

[D.Chu]

Can you put the new bird in a separate cage next to the female and see if they might warm up to each other? Then if they did, you could look at housing them together again.

They are in seperate cages, but everytime they get close, the female bird wants to bite the other bird. The feather fluffs up in defensive mode and try to attack the new bird

 

[D.Chu]

Are they in same cage her cage ?
because you shouldn’t really just put them together especially not in a cage that’s already one lovebirds
they need to get use to each other separate cages start further away but so they can see each call to each other then slowly move cages together
I always added new toys new climbing things to birds room when I introduced a new bird that way the older ones had something new to play with entertaining them while new bird got use to room

I got indie for pico to have a friend no got mango no apple pie no mango and apple pie are bonded
pico and indie never really got on they tolerated each other well pico did indie wanted to be friends now pico feeds her from time to time and she’s only one pico really allows around him as in sit on a perch with him eat millet with him indie wants to live with him though is always in his cage when cages are open and they are out

I don’t know if you have but if you have put new bird in old birds cage that’s all her territory not just the coconut it’s her food water her favourite toy her favourite perch as @Shezbug said you have just put a stranger in her house

you need a separate cage and to start off introducing them out side of cages and see how they get on hopefully they get use to each other but they may always have to be in separate cages but enjoy being out together

They are in seperate cages but beside each other. I am just wondering if removing the coconut would be good for the female bird. Im just scared that the female bird gets depression when i remove the coconut.

 

[Emma&pico]

They are in seperate cages but beside each other. I am just wondering if removing the coconut would be good for the female bird. Im just scared that the female bird gets depression when i remove the coconut.

Is this only time she’s being aggressive to him when near coconut ?

 

[D.Chu]

Is this only time she’s being aggressive to him when near coconut ?

Its whenever she is near him. She gets nippy when she is outside the cage, but she gets extra extra angry if he goed near her cage or coconut, until the point that she attacks and try to bite his face off if he goes near the coconut.

 

[Emma&pico]

I don’t know none of mine have been like that pico can get funny with his girlfriend cat bell ball but others have learnt not to go near it
Hopefully @Zara can help

 

[Zara]

A lot has already been said. Sometimes a bond won´t happen.

Do you have a photo of your cages?
When you remove the coconut, you should put a nice platform perch or natural branch there for her to enjoy, get a really nice perch for her to sleep on. And when doing this, rearrange the cage, move all the other perches around, move the toys, the food and water. If you can rotate or move the cage too, that would be good. Then put the males cage next to hers.
Have perches level with each other in the two cages , have them in a ¨row¨ instead of two perches parallel. Birds sit side by side, not in front of each other.

All you can do is give them time.

Time to get used to the other bird from their own cages. When they are out of the cages, try having a nice station where there´s room, and feed them both millet spray together, give them a bathing opportunity together (be sure it´s a nice large rimmed plate or large sink area).

I ended up with many birds while looking for a friend for my first. When I had bird number 6 about to be living with us permanently, deep down I really wanted her to bond with my first bird, who was still alone at that point. So I had their cages side by side, they got time out together, treats together, bath time together. Eventually they did bond, the youngster was interested in my older bird first, he took many months to convince (he was an only birds for years too). When they were getting along, I let them spend time in her cage during the day with the door open, then over time, I would let them have afternoon naps etc in her cage when I had to open the doors to let air in, but I would return him to his cage for bedtime. Eventually they moved in together. I think the process took about 6 months if I remember correctly.

All you an do is stick at it, and be patient. Even if they don´t bond, hopefully they will be able to be friends and spend out of cage time together.

 

[Emma&pico]

A lot has already been said. Sometimes a bond won´t happen.

Do you have a photo of your cages?
When you remove the coconut, you should put a nice platform perch or natural branch there for her to enjoy, get a really nice perch for her to sleep on. And when doing this, rearrange the cage, move all the other perches around, move the toys, the food and water. If you can rotate or move the cage too, that would be good. Then put the males cage next to hers.
Have perches level with each other in the two cages , have them in a ¨row¨ instead of two perches parallel. Birds sit side by side, not in front of each other.

All you can do is give them time.

Time to get used to the other bird from their own cages. When they are out of the cages, try having a nice station where there´s room, and feed them both millet spray together, give them a bathing opportunity together (be sure it´s a nice large rimmed plate or large sink area).

I ended up with many birds while looking for a friend for my first. When I had bird number 6 about to be living with us permanently, deep down I really wanted her to bond with my first bird, who was still alone at that point. So I had their cages side by side, they got time out together, treats together, bath time together. Eventually they did bond, the youngster was interested in my older bird first, he took many months to convince (he was an only birds for years too). When they were getting along, I let them spend time in her cage during the day with the door open, then over time, I would let them have afternoon naps etc in her cage when I had to open the doors to let air in, but I would return him to his cage for bedtime. Eventually they moved in together. I think the process took about 6 months if I remember correctly.

All you an do is stick at it, and be patient. Even if they don´t bond, hopefully they will be able to be friends and spend out of cage time together.

Brilliant information I forgot about bath I put a bowl on floor and splash my fingers in it they all come down and bath together is a really good bonding too

I put toys on floor too love chewing up sticks balls to play with found that helps too and loads of toys around their cages