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Love Bird Attacks

Will398

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
8/10/18
Messages
1
Real Name
William Quigley
My girlfriend and I have been dating for about 8 months now and she has had her lovebird for almost a year. She is a female lovebird and for a while really took a liking to me. The first time she bit me it wasn't very hard but it was enough for me to shake her off. Since the day she bit me, she has been very aggressive towards me. She will run towards me and try to hurt me as much as possible, I take precautions not to hurt her when shaking her off me. Today I finally let her back on my shoulder and after a few minutes she bit my ear, it hurt a little but I let her stay. After she bit me she seemed really happy and my girlfriend couldn't believe how happy she was and she thought that maybe her bird liked me again. Within a few seconds she would bite me again, each time harder and harder until I couldn't take it anymore, and every time her bird seemed to be happier and happier. I'm really at a loss on what to do, any advice would be great

We have made it very clear to her that biting me is bad, but it really seems she enjoys seeing me in pain.
 

NirAntae

Walking the driveway
Joined
8/1/18
Messages
290
Location
Gary, IN (Chicagoland)
Real Name
Jennie
My first guess has to do with this:
it wasn't very hard but it was enough for me to shake her off.
That makes biting you fun.

This is probably the biggest thing that people get wrong about birds. You haven't made it clear to her that biting you is bad.

She will run towards me and try to hurt me as much as possible, I take precautions not to hurt her when shaking her off me.
You've turned it into a fun game.


The best way to proceed is let her on you, but the first time she bites, your girlfriend (not you) says 'No bite' or something similar in a firm but calm voice, removes her from you, and puts her back in her cage, preferably partially covered so she can't see either of you, for a little while (five mins or so, not like, hours). Rinse and repeat as necessary. This removes the fun reaction from you, and deprives her of contact with the flock temporarily. It will take a few repetitions, but most birds will figure it out very quickly if this is consistent. Consistency is important. If the reaction isn't consistent, it will only confuse her. (I had this problem with an ex-roomie once. I told him any time my bird at the time bit, she was to go back in the cage. If he had her out, and she bit, he'd yelp... I'd look over and say 'aren't you going to put her in her cage?' (bad enough he'd already yelped and given her a fun reaction...) "Nah, it didn't hurt that bad, I can take it." Uh... that's not how this works... :bash:)
 

Cynthia & Percy

cockatoo mania
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welcome
 

Barbara jasko

Strolling the yard
Joined
7/8/18
Messages
92
Location
ft. lauderdale, fl
Real Name
Barbara
If the bird is bonded to your girlfriend and views her as a "mate", then you are viewed as a competator and the bird wants to chase you off and she does that by biting. Never let a bird on your shoulder that is not proven to be trustworthy. Have the bird on your finger and interact with her that way. Over time, the bird may or maynot come around. I have a female Meyers for 12 years and we interact many times a day but she prefers my husband and I am resigned that will never change.
 
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