Naughty Naughty Naughty biter!

[babydoll]

Ok, Hi everyone, its me Jaime again...and thanks to all who helped me before with birdie not loving cage...now I know she loves her cage, she does fancy acrobatic stunts to show off...ect and if I take her out and put her on top of the cage, she will go inside it by herself so thats good....

EXCEPT FOR NOW WE BITE, AND BITE, AND BITE!!!

I will think that shes hungry, so I will feed her, that doesnt work, when I go to cover her up at night she wants to take a hunk of my finger off!!! Is she mad at me for some reason???

Well I appreciate any help!
Thanks again,
Jaime, Fiona's mommy

[babydoll]

[Zeina]

I dont have any experience with love birds , but maybe she is starting a molt?? I know all birds get cranky during molts.
She's a beauty :)

[4HAND]

It might help if we had more details like whats going on when she bites?inside the cage or outside the cage?time of day?is she bitting everyone or just one person?getting enough sleep?
Tena

[savagem13]

Very pretty bird! Since you named her Fiona, am I correct in assuming that you got the test results re her gender? I've heard that female lovies can be much nippier than males, but have no first-hand experience with that. If she's only 3 months old she seems a bit young for hormonal grumpiness, though. So she is either biting because she is "teething" and she is accidentally putting too much pressure behind her beak, or because she is just a tough little cookie and she is testing her limits with you. In either case you should tell her "no bite", and if she persists put her back in her cage. Since it seems like she likes attention that would probably be the best "punishment" for her.

At this age it can be tough to determine the difference between exploration biting and testing limits biting. Is she doing it when you're not giving her what she wants, or is she doing it as part of just hanging out with you and checking things out? If she's testing you she needs firmer consequences than if she is just innocently putting too much pressure on during exploration.

[birdlady49]

Female lovies in general tend to be nippier. But those rules can be thrown out the window when you're talking about masked lovebirds. (Yours is an absolute beauty!) The masked are quite docile.

So, as everyone has suggested, we need more information as to what is leading up to the bites. What can you tell us?

[savagem13]

Really, the masked tend to be more docile than the peachfaced? I didn't know that. That's good to know. I have a feeling that our new little blackmasked lovie is a girl. We'll know for sure in a week or so.

[CrazyBirdLady]

It could be for one of several reasons however my biggest question is how old is Fiona? Lovebirds, masked included, go through an adolescent stage around the age of 4-7 months where they seem to bite more, want their independence and generally be a bit ornery. The first big moult also seems to coincide with this "teenage" attitude.
Patience and accepting the fact that this will most probably go away in a few months is what I can offer. Lots of distration, new toys and plenty of time away from the cage (which is afterall, HER territory) might help as well.

In general, Masks are more timid than Peachface lovebirds, but it's not always the rule.

Looking at Fiona's eye shape, I'd say fiona is a boy! LOL

[babydoll]

Hi again,

ok, here are some updates...Fiona will be 4 months old around the 24th of this month, she had a 'nippy' stage for about a day or 2 but then she quit, now it started up again, so I do the first thing I think of, give her something else to 'chew' on, a toy, a treat, ect~ and for the most part, it is the worst IN THE CAGE, like if I am reaching in to get her to come on my finger, she takes a hunk. If I am 'covering' her up at night, she puts her beak through the top as if she'd like to eat my finger off. I am the primary handler of her since my husband and daughter are afraid of the mighty beak, so they dont handle her much now that she wants to chomp. I do notice that she is more 'friendly' outside of the cage, but she was just on my shoulder and chewed on my ear (the first time she has ever done that!) and I said NO BITE and off to the cage you go...( I put her on top, in fear that she will think her cage is a punishment) anyway, who knows what is going on! I have no idea what molting means, I just wish shed stop chomping!!! Thats funny about her possibly being a boy! lol 'His' name is Fiona... :) I did take the mirrors out of her cage, a gal at the pet store said that sometimes they get crazy with the mirrors...I think I may completely clean her cage out today, rotate some toys and see how that goes, maybe she needs a little birdie bath!! And, by the way, thank you for all the comments, compliments and advice! I will definately use it because I am a dog person, and we just went out on a whim with this bird buying idea, and of course, MOM takes care of all!! grrrr :) So, yeah definately the biting is MORE when I (or any human) is close to the cage, or putting our hands into the cage. Once she is out she is pretty good. maybe just protecting her territory??? thanks to all who will see this and help!!
~Jaime~

[babydoll]

Oh, one more thing, its all times of the day and I dont know about sleeping because I have never seen her sleep! I assume once I cover her up at night she is is birdie dreamland...but who knows? maybe she has sleep insomnia!!??

Oh, and also, no we did not have her gender checked :) We are just being optimistic :)