Lovebird Biting (Part 2)
Fearful Biting
Lovebirds sometimes bite out of fear. A cornered lovebird will easily
inflict a painful bite to any hand that willingly grabs them. If the
lovebird needs to be picked up, gently and calmly use a small towel to
do the job. Do not give the bird more stress by making fast movements.
Wait for it to calm down then slowly move the towel towards the bird
until you pick him up. Never let someone who is fearful of the lovebird
handle him. Not knowing how to handle the bird can be both dangerous and
harmful to the bird and handler.
Never let children handle birds when adults are not around. Generally, children do not understand if they are being too rough or forceful with the bird. If the bird feels like it is being overpowered, it will naturally bite. Any animal getting cornered or scared will do this. If you are bitten by the lovebird, never make fast motions. Calmly move the bird’s beak away. To avoid more biting, the best approach is through distraction. Distract the bird by offering toys to keep the beak occupied, or by lightly blowing on the bird’s face.
Territorial Biting
A tame lovebird may become territorial of their cage, especially a
breeding female. Territorial lovebirds guard their cages and nesting
boxes fearlessly. Some owners cannot place their hands inside their
bird’s cage, nor do basic chores such as cleaning, feeding, or picking
the bird up. The bird will lunge and bite the owner. This problem can be
addressed in several ways. Firstly, a hormonal hen requires someone who
is confident enough to handle her because she may bite. Use one hand to
distract her and the other to make her step-up. If she refuses, take a
small cloth and gently wrap it around her. Pick her up and praise her.
This should be done as a last resort if she does not listen. If she
again starts lunging in an aggressive way or manner, give her the option
of the cloth or your finger. You will be amazed at how quickly she
changes her attitude. Remember that this technique can take a while. A
pet owner should not expect results overnight.
If a nesting box is present, remove it from the cage. This can encourage
more biting. Another tactic that can drastically change her behavior is
moving her toys and cage around. This breaks her need to guard one place
or object, which in her eyes is too difficult, eventually she will
mellow out. Constantly changing the bird’s setup is important and vital
in removing their natural ability to want to protect everything. Giving
lovebirds a variety of toys and moving the toys around helps to minimize
territorial behavior.
Be firm with your lovebird and set ground rules from the beginning. Do
not encourage gentle nibbling because it often leads to serious biting.
Let the lovebird interact with all family members. Never let up on the
ground rules you have implemented. It is important to remember they are
animals. Be continuous because lovebirds understand consistent behavior.
Hormones
As your baby lovebird reaches adulthood, things will start to change.
The bird might become moody. He may need space and require less
attention. Allowing your bird its space will produce a healthy confident
lovebird that will have less biting problems. So do not take it personal
when the bird chooses to bite, he is just figuring things out and
getting to know his boundaries. Be prepared and patient because the
biting behavior will pass.
Don’t let this stage detour you from spending time with your lovebird,
as this is one of the most important stages of a lovebird’s life. During
this period be consistent with promoting acceptable behavior.
Lack of Sleep
Birds get tired too! Your bird should be in bed no later than 7:00 –
8:00PM. In the wild, birds go to sleep much sooner and get up earlier.
Generally speaking, when the sun comes up they wake up, and when the sun
goes down they go to sleep.
If a bird is up late he can get cranky. Remember, these birds have
mentalities of young children and need plenty of sleep to function
normally. Imagine how you feel when you are deprived of sleep. We become
cranky and moody and it is no different for our birds.
A good way to help the bird rest is by covering the cage at night. This
eliminates drafts and disturbances that keep the bird from sleeping
properly. A good cage cover is generally a sheet, nothing too thick or
heavy that can smother the bird.
Never use plastic, it can suffocate the bird. Bird covers are sold in
most pet stores and are very affordable.
We have covered the major reasons why lovebirds may bite. Remember that consistency and patience is the key, never aggression. It may seem that biting will never stop–in most cases it does, or significant changes are seen.
