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Bite-y Lovebird

Arinkei

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Katie
I tried posting in this in a different thread with no answers, so I wanted to try here.
Things were going pretty well until Tuesday morning when all of a sudden my bird became very aggressive. He won’t hide in the back, so I don’t think it’s fear and he does fluff up into a ball (but doesn’t stay that way). He will dive for my fingers and several have gotten bit hard enough to bleed.
I’m not sure what the trigger was since Monday he was not hand-tame but was willing to get used to me and have my hand in the front of the cage. Now I can’t even open the door.
This is the second week I’ve had him, and he’s my first bird, so I’m very broken hearted about this.

I tried the “let them bite you until they learn you’re not going to do anything” method, but he seemed to think it was some sort of game. I didn’t make any sound until the last one.

Now I’m trying the leave it alone and come back method, but when the bird and I aren’t even that bonded, will it actually do anything?
Does anyone have any advice? I feel so overwhelmed.
 

Zara

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I tried the “let them bite you until they learn you’re not going to do anything” method, but he seemed to think it was some sort of game.
This doesn´t work. The trick is to avoid the bites, not letting the bites land. Trying to predict if your bird will bite and stop it from happening. Bird bites your hand when your hand is in the cage, ok, the no hands in the cage while the bird is in there.
If your bird is showing the behaviour you wish for, then give treats and rward the good behaviour (not biting).
If you do get bitten, ignore your bird. This would usually be out of the cage, because we have alrewady worked out what the bird does and doesn´t want in the cage. So if the bird is perched on you, remove them and ignore. If they are not perched on you, turn around. The ignoring only has to be for a minute or two.

Given this is a new bird, spend time near your caged bird and observe (without directly staring), see what they are and aren´t comfortable with, and look for their signs. They will usually give a warning before biting, maybe they fluff up, maybe their beak is opening slightly, or beak banging or rubbing. My birds sometimes shake and fluff up.

Try coaxing them from the cage by attaching an external perch. interacting outside of the cage is a more neutral space. But don´t force them out.
You want to make each interaction with your bird a positive one. A bird biting you is not positive for you or them, birds don´t want to bite, it is usually driven by fear.

Is this bird DNA sexed?
 

Arinkei

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It is
This doesn´t work. The trick is to avoid the bites, not letting the bites land. Trying to predict if your bird will bite and stop it from happening. Bird bites your hand when your hand is in the cage, ok, the no hands in the cage while the bird is in there.
If your bird is showing the behaviour you wish for, then give treats and rward the good behaviour (not biting).
If you do get bitten, ignore your bird. This would usually be out of the cage, because we have alrewady worked out what the bird does and doesn´t want in the cage. So if the bird is perched on you, remove them and ignore. If they are not perched on you, turn around. The ignoring only has to be for a minute or two.

Given this is a new bird, spend time near your caged bird and observe (without directly staring), see what they are and aren´t comfortable with, and look for their signs. They will usually give a warning before biting, maybe they fluff up, maybe their beak is opening slightly, or beak banging or rubbing. My birds sometimes shake and fluff up.

Try coaxing them from the cage by attaching an external perch. interacting outside of the cage is a more neutral space. But don´t force them out.
You want to make each interaction with your bird a positive one. A bird biting you is not positive for you or them, birds don´t want to bite, it is usually driven by fear.

Is this bird DNA sexed?
It was not DNA sexed by the store, and I know the bird is turning 8months soon, which if I remember correctly is the start of sexual maturity, so it’s one thought I also had, but there’s no mirrors.

I can’t even let him out because at the moment is #1thing is the lock on the cage door. I can’t even touch that without him trying to bite me.
 

Zara

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It is unusual for a male to be like that, but he is still settling in. I would be leaning to think you have a female. They are just more standoffish, though I have one male who is the sweetest of sweet, and I can put my hand in the cage no big deal, all fine, but through the cage bars, he´ll attack, which is interesting.

A big cage is very helpful, I´m not sure what lock you have that you can´t open it without being bitten from the inside of the cage. You might find that once the door is open they don´t want to come out.

I would add a treat cup (an empty bow in the cage). Then add treats into it through the cage bars. Let your bird see that good things happen when you are near. Do it a few times a day, daily. Speand time near the cage, talking softly to your bird. Try offering some millet through the cage bars - tip; start with a long piece so your fingers are well away. Press the millet spray up against the cage, and hold still, being patient and not moving the millet.

Do you have a photograph of the set up?
 

Arinkei

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It is unusual for a male to be like that, but he is still settling in. I would be leaning to think you have a female. They are just more standoffish, though I have one male who is the sweetest of sweet, and I can put my hand in the cage no big deal, all fine, but through the cage bars, he´ll attack, which is interesting.

A big cage is very helpful, I´m not sure what lock you have that you can´t open it without being bitten from the inside of the cage. You might find that once the door is open they don´t want to come out.

I would add a treat cup (an empty bow in the cage). Then add treats into it through the cage bars. Let your bird see that good things happen when you are near. Do it a few times a day, daily. Speand time near the cage, talking softly to your bird. Try offering some millet through the cage bars - tip; start with a long piece so your fingers are well away. Press the millet spray up against the cage, and hold still, being patient and not moving the millet.

Do you have a photograph of the set up?
I know it’s too small. I’m saving up for a larger cage. Since the same store sells babies, I thought it wouldn’t take this long to get him/her comfortable enough to come out of the cage. I want to have him/her be with me as much as possible.
The water is only dirty in this picture because his veggies fell in during the day. I change it once a day.
 

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Zara

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Yes, when you can, a larger cage should help you. Also there´s a clip open, the one holding the swing. Best to close it well so their beak doesn´t get trapped.

So if you could get a bowl, a D cup or SS bowl on a loop and attach it up on the right hand side and keep it empty, but use it to drop treats in, you should be able to push the treat through before your bird can hop over. Maybe one sunfloer seed, small piece of bird bread, small chunk of a smashed almond, millet cluster, small piece of walnut, mix it up and keep it interesting.
 

Arinkei

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Yes, when you can, a larger cage should help you. Also there´s a clip open, the one holding the swing. Best to close it well so their beak doesn´t get trapped.

So if you could get a bowl, a D cup or SS bowl on a loop and attach it up on the right hand side and keep it empty, but use it to drop treats in, you should be able to push the treat through before your bird can hop over. Maybe one sunfloer seed, small piece of bird bread, small chunk of a smashed almond, millet cluster, small piece of walnut, mix it up and keep it interesting.
Thank you so much!
Also noticed a part of the problem might be the cage rattling when I open and shut the cage due to the mechanics of the door. He seems to hate it. I noticed it when I was working with the food door that always gets stuck. (I think I fixed that though.
 

sunnysmom

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Zara is the lovebird expert. :) So all her advice is fantastic. I also wanted to add that it's common for birds, especially lovies, to be cage territorial. As he is settling in, he may be starting to see the cage as his and wanting no hands in it. I try to keep hands in the cage to a minimum and respect their space as much as I can. I haven't tried it but a trainer I know suggests stationing with cage aggressive birds- teaching them to go to a certain spot when your hands are in the cage.
 

Arinkei

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Zara is the lovebird expert. :) So all her advice is fantastic. I also wanted to add that it's common for birds, especially lovies, to be cage territorial. As he is settling in, he may be starting to see the cage as his and wanting no hands in it. I try to keep hands in the cage to a minimum and respect their space as much as I can. I haven't tried it but a trainer I know suggests stationing with cage aggressive birds- teaching them to go to a certain spot when your hands are in the cage.
Once I get his trust a little more, I’ll give that a shot! Thank you!
 

Arinkei

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Taking a look at him today, I saw him really scratching his beak hard. I’m also beginning to wonder if all of this is from molting. The rainy season just started here.
 

Arinkei

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Taking a look at him today, I saw him really scratching his beak hard. I’m also beginning to wonder if all of this is from molting. The rainy season just started here.
Thinking about it now, he’ll even dive bomb the millet.
He has been losing feathers, but not at the rate I had in my head during a molt, just a few a day it seems like. (I have this image of all the feathers poking out of his body and falling almost all at once)
He has been grooming his chest area a lot.
Also, he seems to chatter to “himself” and grunt even when not playing or even if there’s no other sounds. Is this his equivalent of “this itches! Make it stop!”?
 
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