Lovebird Question

[Beebeebeezy]

Hi there!
So I had just gotten a lovebird about a month ago; I also own a parakeet and hand taming him went pretty smoothly. Not once did my parakeet EVER bite me, but on the other hand, I honestly can’t say that for my lovebird because she is either afraid or aggressive towards my hand (they also are in separate cages just FYI). I know she was hand fed as a baby, so getting her to eat out of my hand and occasionally she will hop onto it is not a problem. Sometimes though, she will bite me before she starts eating and or during, pretty hard, but not to the point where it’ll draw blood but it does hurt, and I know pulling away immediately will not help. I also know normally you should discourage this behavior, but I feel like she’s more annoyed that she has to eat out of my hand, if that’s a thing? I know it’s very early on, and building trust takes time and patience, but the problem is if I don’t have any food in my hand, and either my hand is just placed outside of the cage, she will lunge for it, trying to bite me. I’ve tried getting her to step up onto my finger multiple times while placing a treat just beyond her perch reach, once she cant get it, she refuses to step up onto my finger and just ends up biting me pretty badly. My question is how do I stop this aggression? I feel as if maybe I’m doing something wrong and encouraging this behavior. I am honestly so terrified to train her to step up, because she has gotten me pretty badly a couple times once I’ve tried. Thanks!

 

[noodles123]

I have never had a love-bird specifically,
BUT, If you are getting bitten, it is likely because you are not reading her signals. One month is very fast for a new bird. I say this all of the time, but my adult cockatoo (hand-raised) who knew how to step up when I got her would not step up for 3 months (excluding day 1 when everything else was more terrifying than my hand)- she was a re-home. She also bit for the first 2 months or so but it was because I was rushing things and not respecting her boundaries...I knew that she knew all of the things I wanted to do (step-up etc), but I neglected to consider the fact that I was a COMPLETE STRANGER in a totally new environment etc etc. We have an excellent relationship now..I haven't been bitten in many many months...maybe even a year at this point. The last time I was bitten, it was because she was mad at me for leaving her for 3 days with my parents lol. All birds (even the most bonded) bite occasionally, but it shouldn't be a day-to-day issue if you pay attention and build trust.

Slow down and build trust by doing familiar things near the cage...read to her...go about your business...allow her to see you placing preferred treats in the cage. If she will easily eat from your hand, do that, but if she hesitates, just put the food in the bowl. You don't want to be a source of stress.

If you are bitten by a fearful or territorial bird you put yourself in a rough situation, because you give them more practice biting (putting your hand into the cage is kind of an invasion of their space when you lack a solid bond). Sometimes, new birds will also bite just to see how you react. Whatever the case may be....If you persist after a bite, you damage trust, get bitten more and provide biting practice (bad). If you back off, you show that biting is a way to make people leave you alone when scared/annoyed (also bad).
That is why it is so important not to rush things. You don't want to put yourself in a situation where you cant win.
If you do your best to slow down and read cues and are bitten anyway, the best thing I can say is to not react at all if you do not know the exact cause of the bite....Reactions include facial expressions, hand motions, exclamations, sudden change in proximity etc.
More importantly though, you need to really tune in and slow down, because if you rush into things, you will be bitten and that will just make the whole process more difficult for both of you.

I allowed my bird to enter and exit her open cage whenever I was home (even though I couldn't touch her). This worked for us, but she doesn't really like flying (even though she has never been clipped--to my knowledge)...So, safety first, but that is something to consider...Not all flighted birds can be out of their cages initially without endangering their own safety...If you have a bird that cannot be out of the cage safely, some people get wings clipped (but it is essential that this is done by someone who knows what they are doing---it shouldn't be so severe that they cannot fly (you don't want them falling like a rock if they try)--it should be done on both wings and it should be (ideally) done by a Certified Avian Vet). It is semi-controversial among bird owners, but in my opinion, out of cage time is important...as is the bird's safety. Keep in mind that some birds react poorly to this---it absolutely needs to be done by someone who is a verified, trustworthy source (not just some random parrot breeder or exotics vet- unless they understand your concerns---one-winged clips are a big no-no, but many old-school bird shop people still do it this way). I am not a huge fan of wing clipping in all situations, but when done properly, it can be beneficial (and it is not a lifetime commitment, as the feathers will grow back, as long as it is done by someone who really knows what they are doing).