First bite

[Wally&Eva]

Wally is in a mood today and when I told him no, he looked right at me, and bit the webbing on my hand hard and twisted. It’s the first bite that raised up and got swollen. It’s minor, he’s a lovebird but this is not good. I’m sure he’s hormonal and molting but how do I stop this. I’ve placed him in his cage when I can catch him but he doesn’t seem to care. Eva always has control over her nibbles. And this wasn’t a nibble. He went for a bite. He’s been getting more agitated when I tell him no.

 

[Wardy]

Wally is in a mood today and when I told him no, he looked right at me, and bit the webbing on my hand hard and twisted. It’s the first bite that raised up and got swollen. It’s minor, he’s a lovebird but this is not good. I’m sure he’s hormonal and molting but how do I stop this. I’ve placed him in his cage when I can catch him but he doesn’t seem to care. Eva always has control over her nibbles. And this wasn’t a nibble. He went for a bite. He’s been getting more agitated when I tell him no.

Mojo used to bite and is again of and on, i dont know if this is hormonal but at the monent she is very cranky.

Is Wally on your hand when he bites ? If yes put him down on a bird safe area and ignore him if be flies straight back to you repeat.

If you think hormones increase sleep time reduce warm and soft food.
Are you seeing other hormonal behaviour cavity seeking,nest building etc.

 

[Wally&Eva]

I’m going to try to download a video clip but I just caught him regurgitating to himself. I don’t know if anything came up. But once he is in my hair, that crevice, makes him start to click and start his dance. I’ve noticed him rubbing himself on fabric, infrequently but I’ve seen it. If I put my hair in a bun, he just uses it to mount. I’m going to dye my hair tomorrow so I’ll have to keep them off my head in general, I’ll have to wear a hood. He was on my hand when he bit. It surprised me and i I flicked him off just out of reaction. Usually, he will bite and when I go to get him, he will just hover right above my grasp, and I’m not going to chase him down. He’s got it down pact. He likes to be naughty I think hahah. He’s very possessive so if he’s in my shirt, and I even bring my hand close, he will bite towards me as a warning. In general, he’s is definitely not afraid of hands and overall, a friendly sweet bird. And he’s not always looking to bite. But just like a kid pushing your boundaries, when he gets in those moods, it’s a true battle of the wills

 

[Wardy]

it’s a true battle of the wills

You wont win in this battle of wills this behaviour is hardwired into Wally.
@Zara

 

[Shezbug]

You want to stop letting him hide in your hair and shirt, eliminate all hidey holes and do not let him use you or your hair as you say he has been. Increase of sleep hours and no mushy warm foods is a good idea.

If you are putting him in the cage as punishment (I may have misinterpreted so apologies if I have) then that also needs to stop.

 

[Zara]

He’s very possessive so if he’s in my shirt, and I even bring my hand close, he will bite towards me as a warning.

You want to stop letting him hide in your hair and shirt

Yes for sure. Going in our clothes is a big no no in our house. I have seen other lovebird owners allow it and they say how cute it is, but it´s not something I let my little ones do as it can lead to an increase in hormonal behaviours and cavity seeking.

Be sure Wally is getting plenty of bathing opportunities. Bathing will help reduce itchiness, reducing the stress for him.

@TikiMyn

 

[Wally&Eva]

You want to stop letting him hide in your hair and shirt, eliminate all hidey holes and do not let him use you or your hair as you say he has been. Increase of sleep hours and no mushy warm foods is a good idea.

If you are putting him in the cage as punishment (I may have misinterpreted so apologies if I have) then that also needs to stop.

If he goes on my bun, I will take my hair down, but then he likes to just hide or hang in my hair. The shirt thing just started, well this all just kind of started. He started doing it with Eva a couple of weeks ago, and Eva back to him but he just amped it up this week. I definitely don’t want him in my shirt, he usually is bossy but not possessive but I’ve noticed him acting that way when he wants to be in my shirt. If I try to stop him, he lashes out. Also, it scares me a bit, as he has bitten me in some sensitive places I would like to stop this behavior so I guess I have to wear some turtlenecks for a while lol

When he gets overly excited and nippy, I usually walk him across and put him down on top of the cage over and over but he is so hyped up that he is on me again before I can even take a step back. The cage is always open and they can go in and out. But when he is very obsessive, you can almost see it in his eyes. I place him in the cage and just stand close and whisper talk to him for up to 30 seconds. I don’t want him to have bad associations with the cage like i put him in and disappear so i just stay with him. He hops around in there and swings and calms down a bit, no screaming, you can almost see the eyes go back. Then I let him back into my hands, we make up and he goes about his business. This might happen maybe once a week. He is always crazy, but 90% can be talk down and distracted. I’m aware this isn’t the best way to deal with this. I try to use it less as punishment but more for both of us to take a second to regroup. I’m very open to suggestions on other ways. Wally is just a very spirited bird and we love that about him. I hope to curb the behaviors that I can, while still letting him be the rambunctious little birdie that he is.

 

[Wally&Eva]

Going in our clothes is a big no no in our house.

I’m also an anxious person so what I can’t see makes me a bit on edge. And when he is always trying to dig in my shirt or hiding under my neck and nibbling, it makes me nervous to be honest. I would love for them to play near us and with us and not on us all the time. That’s the goal

 

[Wally&Eva]

Be sure Wally is getting plenty of bathing opportunities. Bathing will help reduce itchiness, reducing the stress for him.

The little guy won’t submerge like he used to, going to try a different bowl, see if he likes that, I can’t imagine a jumpy guy like him liking a spray but that will be plan B.

 

[Zara]

The little guy won’t submerge like he used to, going to try a different bowl, see if he likes that, I can’t imagine a jumpy guy like him liking a spray but that will be plan B.

If he doesn´t likethe bowl, go to the kitchen when you´re not cooking, and put the tap on slowly over the draining board. That´s my birds fave Sometimes I put a shallow plate under there the water falls to catch some and make a small pool.

 

[Emma&pico]

Have you tired sitting on floor and playing with them with a cat bell ball or wooden sticks paper straws with seeds hidden in them bells (mine love chasing bells and balls about when I roll them on floor)or any toys mine love it running around floor jumping on me back to toys chewing sticks etc plus I am still part of fun he could be doing his all out of frustration at least sitting on floor with toys might give him something to do other than just hang off you (pico would happily sit on my shoulder with me all day if I let him) but I like to redirect some energy and this seems to work for us

I have a bowl of water on floor too and play with my fingers in it that normally get them bathing but as @Zara said my birds favourite is tap on with sink but getting all three down and back up is hard work so been using the bowl

Pico likes my bun dirty man haha but I never have it in a bun anymore around him he also likes hiding in my top but I don’t let him as he got bossy with it And I soon figured it hasn’t any good

Mine also like doing tricks they do to perch where I trained them and pico will wave when he wants treats (millet) indie flips around rope perch saying what sounds very much like tone flip mango does there and turns around as only trick mango seems to want to learn (which is fine) I don’t push training but added it for 5/10mins of their out of cage time

Indie bites sometimes for nothing just decides to take a good chuck out my finger hand and I don’t know how to stop it tried most things and I know what u mean by the look it’s like take that I do t trust her which I am pretty sure she picks up on which might cause the biting more but it hurts so much

they love flying around from spare bedroom where there cages are to bathroom and my room while I do my make up (indie and mango do back and forth pico normally sits on my make up box chatting away or watching me I don’t let him on me while I do my make up and he’s learnt that or it’s back to his room and I shut door )
but most of there time is spent playing on floor after we have changed food water cleaned cages put toys back together etc
We have a good hour playing on floor bathing etc normally go back to their cages while I have dinner and come back out in afternoon or me and iris go in after school etc they know rountie normally fill their foraging toys up so they happily play in cages or put finger wraps in with millet stuffed in or hide wooden sticks around cage for indie which is her favourite

not saying mine are perfect cause their aren’t but just few things I have found massive helps some unwanted behaviours

 

[Wally&Eva]

Have you tired sitting on floor and playing with them with a cat bell ball or wooden sticks paper straws with seeds hidden in them bells

I have carpeting upstairs so I don’t play with them on the floor but the have a space in my room. I make little origami triangles stuffed with crushed nutriberries and they go nuts for it.

Pico likes my bun dirty man haha but I never have it in a bun anymore around him he also likes hiding in my top but I don’t let him as he got bossy with it And I soon figured it hasn’t any good

Same. Also they love a good hair tie so the bun/hair tie is making less and less appearances. And Wally goes in my top but same, he started getting possessive and it’s like heyyyy this is MY shirt. Obviously cavity seeking isn’t good. Also, he just gets too excited and that makes me a bit nervous.

They do commands and do enjoy training but it’s my bad, I just haven’t been doing it as much. Mostly because they can just do it for a long time and it’s hard for me to not try to double task everything. I should spend more time playing with them but instead they spend all their time doing what I’m doing. I think focused time on them would help, I’ve done it before but then they kind of look at me like, ok, what are we doing for the day? They enjoy being nosy little nuggets and they think it’s a part of their routine. I may just have to start over and only take them out when I have the ability to give them my whole attention.

and I know what u mean by the look it’s like take that I do t trust her which I am pretty sure she picks up on which might cause the biting more but it hurts so much

It’s funny, but the look intimidates me haha. I honestly don’t know how you guys deal with the bigger beaks!!! Props to you!! I’m very comfortable with them but if I know it’s Eva on me, I don’t have to worry about triggering her. If it’s Wally, even though I trust him, I’m always on the lookout.

not saying mine are perfect cause their aren’t but just few things I have found massive helps some unwanted behaviours

Thanks, I appreciate listening to just experiences as well cus what works for one may not work for others. No harm in gathering as much info as possible!