Question by star_flack1: How do you tame the lovebirds and y and how to stop them from biting you?
How do you tamme the love birds(let you hold them).Also They keep bitting and i don’t noe how to stop them.I have two lovebirds,one is green and the other is yellow.Their both Peach face lovebirds.I bought them like 2 months ago.The green lovebirds keeps aimming for your fingure and its getting more evil.The yellow is ok but it sometimes want to bit you.
Best answer:
Answer by Cheryl H
I started out many years ago with a “wild caught”, “just out of quarantine” Orange Wing Amazon parrot with an even bigger beak and stronger bite!! Every time we walked within a few feet of the cage, he would give loud warning squawks. We were able to tame him down to where I could cuddle him, get him on my hand, etc.
There are several things I can think of that worked for me with Amazons (Lovebirds might be different), but I hope some of them work for you. If these birds were not handraised it will be difficult, but possible. I would recommend temporarily putting them in separate cages because if one is a male and one a female, the male will bite you to protect his female. the second cage can be a less expensive and smaller cage. I think they will get acquainted with you better if they each depends on you and don’t have each other there to “protect” them. I have a pair of Amazon parrots who are very bonded to me, but I can never reach into their large cage to get the female on my hand without the male trying to bite me and stop me from taking his “lady” away! I always have to get the female onto a dowel and do it quickly. The male will never get onto a dowel if the female is still in the cage. That is just the way it is and unless I separate them, I don’t think it will change.
Move slowly near their cage and talk to them or even sing to them. Find out what are good snacks for them (I am not familiar with a Lovebird’s diet) but probaby a small piece of apple (no seeds!), a piece of greens that was well washed (romaine lettuce, swiss chard, arugula, etc.), a small and thin slice of carrot, a small piece of green/red/orange pepper, a small piece of sweet potato, etc. and start by putting it in a treat bowl attached inside their cage. Try offering the snack to them through the cage bars or opening still while talking or singing or whistling softlyy to them and maybe they will get it from your hand through the cage bars/opening. Recommend you get some wooden dowels with a comfortable dimension for the size of their feet. You can get them at places like Home Depot and ask them to cut you two or more maybe 24″ in length. Try sticking it gradually and slowly through the cage bars for a day or two, being careful not to “spook” or scare the birds. Maybe even leave it through the bars so they can get used to it and realize it won’t hurt them. Talk softly to the birds while doing this trying to reassure them it is okay. Gradually get the wooden dowel closer and closer to them…moving very slowly and gradually…until you can put it gently under their chest and lift them gradually so they have to step on it because otherwise they would lose their balance…and hold the dowel still if they will continue standing on it for a few minutes. When they are comfortable with that, open the cage door very slowly and gradually slide the dowel in and try to get one of them to step on it. When they step on the dowel, slowly bring it outside of the cage..
If that doesn’t work, try getting them one at a time out of the cage gently by covering the bird with a small towel (you can use gloves, but they scared my first Amazon so badly, I swore I would never use them again) and releasing the bird on the floor of a room that is small and where it cannot get under furniture where you cannot get to it. The bathroom might work. Or try setting it from the towel onto a raised perch on the floor or a table and see if it will stay there. Try handing it a toy.
It takes a lot of patience and time and if they know their biting is working to keep you away, they will continue until trained otherwise. There are various books you can read and can probably borrow from the library or purchased through Amazon.com or other places.
Wishing you well in getting those lovebirds to the cuddly stage!
What do you think? Answer below!
Tags:biting, from, Lovebirds, stop, tame, them
