My new birds don't like other.

[myepicasso]

I got a pair of Blue Black masked lovebirds from seperate owners. They have been living together in the same cage for a month now and they still don't like each. Will they ever love each other? The male follows the female around and she just flys away. Should I find new mates for them? They don't fight, they just avoid each other.

Shelly

[Monica]

Did you put them together in the same cage at first meeting? Was one already living in the cage when you put the new one in the cage? Did you get them at the same time or at different times?

[mayaexquisite]

My suggestion to you is to put them in separate cages. You can place the cages next to each other, a couple of inches apart so there can be no biting of toes. Right now the female flies away to show she's not interested, but if he keeps persisting and she still wants nothing to do with him she may resort to violence. She may start attacking him, plucking his feathers, etc. This is coming from personal experience, and a mistake I won't make again.

With them being in separate cages, they can get to know each other yet have their own space where they are safe. In time they may get along. You'll notice the liking is mutual when they sleep as close to each other as possible in their separate cages, as if they're trying to snuggle next to one another. Also, while they're housed separately, you can give them SUPERVISED outside-the-cage time. Start off with just five minutes outside together. The hen still may not want anything to do with him, but she'll at least get used to him eventually. As time passes, you can increase their supervised time together outside from five minutes to 15, 30, an hour, etc.

It may take a little while longer for the hen to come around, it may take months, it may take a year or more... each bird is different. It took a couple of YEARS for Mika to come around to really liking Kano. Unless you are PLANNING on breeding, I wouldn't get them other mates. It'll be fine that they're just "friends."

Are these two DNA sexed or is it a guess that one is male and one is female?

[myepicasso]

I got the birds about three days apart. The first (male) was put in a cage new to him and three days later I added the second bird(female). About a week ago I moved both of them into a completely different cage new to both of them and their behavior has continued. Now what?

[mayaexquisite]

Please refer to what I suggested above about keeping them in separate cages for now.

[myepicasso]

Thanks for the tips!