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Lovebird Biting (Part 1)
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.
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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. |
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