At my wits end...

[Babybreau]

I'm really at my wits end with Jellybean and I do not know what to do. She lunges for my hands each and every time I have to put them in the cage for food, water, toys, etc... I can't trust her outside of the cage either. She's not flighted and insists on being on me (even when flighted) and then bites whatever piece of skin she can reach be it ear, cheek, neck, whatever. Tonight I was simply holding my arm inside the cage so Sherbert could walk from my shoulder back into the cage and my husband was talking to me. I had on a long sleeved sweater that covered more than half my hand too but she managed to get my index finger and broke the skin in 2 spots. Of course I reacted and hollered as she surprised me.
I just don't know what to do anymore. I've tried everything to get her to stop biting. It doesn't matter if she's in the cage with the other 2, in a cage by herself, in the cage, out of the cage, nothing works.
She was a last minute addition when I got Kessie and Sherbert and I'm starting to resent her. I don't want to but I'm really at my wits end. She used to be so cuddly and then puberty hit and she's been nothing short of a massive wench ever since.
I've tried different techniques you use on larger birds, t-perches, but unless I resort to gloves to change food and water...

I've even tried finding her a boyfriend but males, especially KNOWN males, are few and far between and I'm having a heck of a time finding one.

Anyone got any suggestions?? I'm getting desperate.

 

[suncoast]

Sweetheart,

I know you don't want to hear this, but the best thing you can do is ignore it.

I went through the same thing with Zamir, my daughters Lovie, and I know how painful it can be for your feeling and your fingers.

Is there anyone in the house she likes? If so that person should help you in changing the food and water. Zamir loves her grandpa so he takes her into a bedroom while I do the cinder sweeping chores.

Here's a link to some information written by Rodney from TLA.

True Love Aviary Forum • View topic - The Secret of Not Getting Bit....

Ginger

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

I have a strong biter as well Rocky but one thing you can do is teach 'station' to get her to station on one perch eating a treat while you work on the cage
believe me it does work because Rocky has not bite in a long time although at one time he use to fly and bite

 

[Billie Faye]

Get a cage where you don't have to put your hands into it?
Some females can be paranas....

 

[Welshanne]

I have our blue fronted Amazon that was simular but now cured.
What I did about him going back into his cage was, he will get in when he is hungry, they are not fools and will not go without their food for anyone. That sorted out the going in as the door was then closed after him.
He came out quickly enough by just opening the door.
To encourage him to go in that bit faster I would dim the lights in the room and he did not like being out after dark!
Ignoring him is good.When he wants your company it will then be on better terms when he wants it and seeks you out and he will given time.
No eye contact and no up close and personal as that will trigger off the attack mode! Good luck. No bird likes being ignored completely by the way, call it reverse psychology,bird fashion.

 

[Beatriz Cazeneuve]

If you are beginning to resent her, she'll be better off in another home, maybe one where she can live in a flock and not in a cage, there are birds that simply will not resign themselves to been caged, she might be one of them.

 

[JLcribber]

I agree with the others. Don't fool araound with her cage while she is in it. I always do cage things once the birds are asleep in their sleep cages in a different area. To do it while they are around and can see me fooling around with "their" stuff would be just asking for an attack and get bitten.

 

[Babybreau]

Is there anyone in the house she likes? If so that person should help you in changing the food and water. Zamir loves her grandpa so he takes her into a bedroom while I do the cinder sweeping chores.

Here's a link to some information written by Rodney from TLA.

True Love Aviary Forum • View topic - The Secret of Not Getting Bit....

Ginger

Ginger - there is no one she likes. Like Billie Faye said, she is a pirahna!! Thanks for the link to TLA's articles, I will read them over again and see if I can try anything different.

I have a strong biter as well Rocky but one thing you can do is teach 'station' to get her to station on one perch eating a treat while you work on the cage
believe me it does work because Rocky has not bite in a long time although at one time he use to fly and bite

Jellybean doesn't seem to want to learn anything. The only thing I've been able to teach her so far is "no" when she tries to come out of the cage at wrong times... I'll keep trying *sigh*

Get a cage where you don't have to put your hands into it?
Some females can be paranas....

The cage Pepper is in right now is a large cockatiel sized cage and the food/water dishes can be removed from the outside. I've been thinking of switching cages around. It's a rainy Sunday and my nieces are due to come over, so it sounds like a good thing to do with their help (cleaning the cages, not handling JB!!)

I have our blue fronted Amazon that was simular but now cured.
What I did about him going back into his cage was, he will get in when he is hungry, they are not fools and will not go without their food for anyone. That sorted out the going in as the door was then closed after him.
He came out quickly enough by just opening the door.
To encourage him to go in that bit faster I would dim the lights in the room and he did not like being out after dark!
Ignoring him is good.When he wants your company it will then be on better terms when he wants it and seeks you out and he will given time.
No eye contact and no up close and personal as that will trigger off the attack mode! Good luck. No bird likes being ignored completely by the way, call it reverse psychology,bird fashion.

My biggest problem with JB is that no matter where she is, she seeks me out! I don't have a special bird room right now and she is clipped, however she will flutter to the floor and run over to me and try to bite my toes, legs, crawl up my pants, etc... She just seems to want to always be attacking me. I've tried so hard with letting her out and on me - wearing sweaters and turtlenecks and keeping my face away from her, but she just always finds somewhere to bite.

If you are beginning to resent her, she'll be better off in another home, maybe one where she can live in a flock and not in a cage, there are birds that simply will not resign themselves to been caged, she might be one of them.

I refuse to rehome her. I adopted her and agreed to be her forever home. I'll suck it up and keep trying, she just really got me at a down moment last night. I've yet to find her a boyfriend and she may be happier if she had a mate. I'm still trying. She is very much like her mother. Her mother lives in a lovebird colony and still is a ferocious biter to this day. She had calmed a bit (not as "seek and destroy") when she got a mate tho.

I agree with the others. Don't fool araound with her cage while she is in it. I always do cage things once the birds are asleep in their sleep cages in a different area. To do it while they are around and can see me fooling around with "their" stuff would be just asking for an attack and get bitten.

If I switch her to another cage, I will be able to feed/water her from outside the cage. Then when I need to replace toys, clean, etc... she can be allowed out onto the top of the cage as there is a bunch of branches up there she likes to play on for a few minutes while I get the necessities done. I just really wanted to keep her in with Sherbert and Kessie as they do get along 98% of the time (the odd squabble but nothing major). I didn't want to isolate her. Perhaps it is for the best tho until I can find her a mate.

Thanks for all your info everyone. I just knew I could count on you all for support! Love you guys!

 

[J*M*L]

I'm sorry this is happening. I wish I could give you advice but my lovie is only 7months old. But I see I have a lot to look forward to!

 

[atvchick95]

I feel your pain SERIOUSLY! Roxy is the same way, Roxy is the one I HAND FED (Was Yours hand fed by chance?) she hit 6 months old and is the DEVIL nothing less then PURE EVIL!

I've done it all including ignoring it...... she will be 2 in December, it is NOT stopping, not even a hope of stopping

I can't even have her with other birds including her own baby! I just tried about 10 mins ago They've been in separate cages for the last few days Her's on top babies on the bottom We let them out to play she kept attacking him then attacking me, and attacked him trying to get to my boyfriend to attack him

When she was young, I did everything in my power so she would not be like this (I did NOT want a Little bill(as in a miniature Billy the Quaker) but that is What I ended up with and that is her nick name Little bill) she was NOT babied, She WAS beyond very well socialized she went to any one and every one NO ONE was a stranger to her, She even went to the cable man! she loved to cuddle with any one and every one, she loved my kids - now they want nothing at all to do with her. They'll talk to her from about 3 feet away from the cage because they're afraid she can bite them if they get any closer to the cage than that.

she lunges through the cage, she's almost knocked down big breeder cages off stands - the cage itself was perfectly stable fit the table perfectly I've bumped the table and never moved the cage! She lunged at me from the back of the cage to the front of the cage and moved the cage so much the front was off the table!

when i go to feed her I have to use a stick or something to keep her away from me and she is super fast and has come around the stick and laid into me , I've ignored it while my blood was spraying my walls

when all the lovebirds were in my room , i let her and Pugsley out to play so i could hang toys back up they managed to knock down, Mind you she was clipped at the time and her and pugsley were on the window sill at the other side of my room, I was sitting on my knees in front of the cage Just got the toy back up and was tighting the nut next thing i knew i was being attacked, my feet got it first while she worked her way up my back , she tore it up along with my neck my head even had bite marks and blood spots To get to My hands in her cage

while her and the baby were out today, the baby climbed in my jacket that hangs off my bed and went to sleep , roxy was climbing over my legs and part of my chair Thought she was going to be nice, So i was taking pics and talking to her Next thing i knew here comes the famous Grumbling/growling and WHAM bit me on my inner thigh FOR NO REASON AT ALL it hurt like a WELL YOU KNOW WHAT, I got out of my chair went to my bathroom and looked and there was a trail of blood running down my leg

she used to always give her warning grumlbing/growl then bite But she has bitten with out the warning and she doesn't bite to bite she bites to kill, draw blood and take skin if she doesn't do any of that she comes back for more

She is the Only hand fed love bird I own. But I am really starting to believe that is why she is like this, All my other adults are parent raise, Skittish of hands but once we have them they melt like butter and we can do what ever we want to them include lay them on their back and rub their bellies and they just lay their loving it and Most go to sleep specially with a nice beak scratch/rub

she is pure evil there is no other word to explain Roxy

I have Given up , i am sick of coming out of it bleeding like a stuffed pig. She is not going to change. she is who she is. she still gets well taken care of, and still gets fed and watered and talked to But the loving roxy I used to have is Long gone and won't ever return I know this to be a fact.

it is SO BAD I have considered finding some one with an Aviary for her to go live. I can't live in fear of a tiny bird. But we (me and my b/f) discuss it.. I just can't bring my self to do it, I raised her from 2 weeks old! She is my BABY, but being a demon isn't helping her at all she only gets along with Pugsley WHEN SHE WANTS SOMETHING. she has plucked him bald and now he lives on his own because my lovebirds dont get along with each other ONLY their chosen mates

 

[Babybreau]

I'm sorry this is happening. I wish I could give you advice but my lovie is only 7months old. But I see I have a lot to look forward to!

PLEASE do not think all lovies are like this!! They aren't! A lot depends on sex (females are more territorial). Sherbert is her brother from the same clutch and he is a sweet heart! Not as cuddly as I'd like, but he comes out, flies around, will land on my shoulder no matter where he is. He will also open his beak as if to bite, but it's only to taste...lol Even the one time he hipped me, there was NO WHERE NEAR the pressure JB uses! She uses everything in her and chomps down like only the jaws of life will separate her from me! but Sherbert is so sweet you'd never ever guess they came from the same parents and were brother and sister!

I feel your pain SERIOUSLY! Roxy is the same way, Roxy is the one I HAND FED (Was Yours hand fed by chance?) she hit 6 months old and is the DEVIL nothing less then PURE EVIL!

I wonderedif it was your Roxy that gave you so much grief! Yes Jellybean was handfed, as was Sherbert and Kessie (and S&J's sibling Brat and K's sibling Kronk) The 5 of them were all raised together as if from the same clutch as they all hatched around the same time and were kept in the same incubator.

I've done it all including ignoring it...... she will be 2 in December, it is NOT stopping, not even a hope of stopping

tried it and failed - the ignoring part....

I can't even have her with other birds including her own baby! I just tried about 10 mins ago They've been in separate cages for the last few days Her's on top babies on the bottom We let them out to play she kept attacking him then attacking me, and attacked him trying to get to my boyfriend to attack him

When she was young, I did everything in my power so she would not be like this

as did I - she was handfed by a great breeder and I made sure to give her lots of out of cage time and cuddles... only to result in my very own air-breathing pirahna.

(I did NOT want a Little bill(as in a miniature Billy the Quaker) but that is What I ended up with and that is her nick name Little bill) she was NOT babied, She WAS beyond very well socialized she went to any one and every one NO ONE was a stranger to her, She even went to the cable man! she loved to cuddle with any one and every one, she loved my kids

I've got a picture of JB on my nieces should and my youngest niece (1.5yrs at the time) giving her a kiss...

she lunges through the cage

Exactly what JB will do whether my hands are IN the cage or OUT

she was clipped at the time and her and pugsley were on the window sill at the other side of my room, I was sitting on my knees in front of the cage Just got the toy back up and was tighting the nut next thing i knew i was being attacked, my feet got it first while she worked her way up my back , she tore it up along with my neck my head even had bite marks and blood spots To get to My hands in her cage

Been there done that... once she gets bored playing on the branches, she flutters to the floor to seek me out...

she used to always give her warning grumlbing/growl then bite But she has bitten with out the warning and she doesn't bite to bite she bites to kill, draw blood and take skin if she doesn't do any of that she comes back for more

I don't get growling/grumbling but the open beak and swaying... sometimes not even that!

She is the Only hand fed love bird I own. But I am really starting to believe that is why she is like this,

I don't know... how do you explain TLA's success?

she is pure evil there is no other word to explain Roxy

Yup, JB also

I have Given up , i am sick of coming out of it bleeding like a stuffed pig. She is not going to change. she is who she is. she still gets well taken care of, and still gets fed and watered and talked to But the loving roxy I used to have is Long gone and won't ever return I know this to be a fact.

I hear ya. I will miss that about JB too. But she will always have a home, hopefully a boyfriend soon, and be well taken care of.

she only gets along with Pugsley WHEN SHE WANTS SOMETHING. she has plucked him bald and now he lives on his own because my lovebirds dont get along with each other ONLY their chosen mates

I hope that doesn't happen with JB. When her mom got a mate she became a bit calmer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[ilikebirds]

Birds have so much personality, maybe she just doesnt care about doing the things the other lovies do. Maybe she just wants to do her own thing right now, for some reason that involves bitting you, but you cant really ask her why. I KNOW it hurts, not just your finger,, but your feelings. We hae 4 lovies...one is Lutino, Eva la Matadora is her name. Because she is what you might describe as highly aggressive, territorial, she will charge whatever. She fears nothing and kills everything. But she is an individual, and thats how she wants it. Weve resigned to be patient, besides not like she can lop off a finger. It sucks when she chomps, but its only pain, and it will go away. We hope by persistance we may wear her down one day. Who knows. Just try and have no expectations so you dont get your feelings hurt. That is worse than any bite I think. Dont take the bite personal...I bet if they understood what it does when they bite us, to our feelings, maybe they wouldnt do it. I dont think they mean to be mean. Thats just how they are. Eva must be removed with a dowel, ANYTHING in her cage besides what she wants is to be destroyed. If she is not in eyeshot of her cage or earshot of the other lovies, though she hates them, she is a new bird. But it took time, much patience, a lot of pain, and acceptance of her way of doing things, which makes absolutly no sence to us, to makes sence to her. Try and hang in there, even when she is hanging from your finger