Problem with biting

[shadylady20]

Leeloo has become a big time biter! I can't touch him at all, and even when I give him foods that he likes he tries to bite. He's so tempermental, lol. The only time he doesn't bite is when he wants to get somewhere and needs my hand to be the elevator, hehe (his wings are clipped) I thought he just hated me, but he does follow me around, and now for the past few days, comes to hang out on the couch with me, or on my laptop (he thinks he owns this laptop, I swear) I can't even put him on my shoulder or he'll bite my ears!!! What a little pooper!

He's a mutation of a peach faced, he's 13 weeks (just a baby) and I'm not sure if he's actually a he or a she (I'm starting to think it's a girl with all that biting, hehe) Also he/she wasn't hand fed. I had a masked lovebird who wasn't tamed at all and he didn't even bite =P

I'm not sure what to do?

[bugster23]

i dont have any lovibirds.. but i do know they have some what of a reputation for being nippy...

he/she is still a baby so you should be able to get it out of his/her system..

do you over react everytime you get bitten.. like a big "ouch" or any sound at all that might make it seem exciting and fun for the bird to actually bite you..

i would try reinforcing him when he doesn bite.. you know.. praise him when he lets go of your hand with a treat.. treat him everytime hes just being nice to you.. you could also try target stick training.. it will be a little hard but it will teach your lovie what he can bite.. and what he can beak..

for example.. you put a stick infront of him.. he bites it.. you dont react.. if he lets go and just rubs his beak against it you say "good boy!!!".. and treat him.. he will learn that it is more appriciated to just touch with the beak than to bite..

that would be my appraoch anyway.. hope someone else who actaully knows lovies will give you better advice :).. good luck..

[shadylady20]

I try to make no noise when he bites because I don't want to upset him even more (he doesn't think it's fun, he actually gets mad, lol) I can't touch him at all unless he needs a 'ride'. As I'm typing this, he runs to my hands and tries to bite me, lol, he's awul!! When I scoop him with my hands, it's a 50/50 chance that he'll bite. I can't give him kisses either, which is a real bummer =( He's so cute though, can't help but love him =P Today is the first time he actually climbs all over me but he always ends up at my hands, biting them, lol. I think that maybe he's just not used to them (he wasn't hand fed). I always say Leeloo, no! it seems to help a *little*. But he'll also bite my ears, and he'll try at my lips if he's close to my face.

Thanks for the advice =) The more advice the better!!

[bugster23]

nippy little bugger aint he hehe..

i must admit they are pretty cute when the go into a biting frenzy.. even though it hurts..

i hope he breaks out of it once hes used to your hands or tired of using them as a chew toy..

does he have alot of wood toys and things to mess up to release all his energy and "aggression" :).. ?

if he does.. i guess he is just one of those birds that like to nibble on fingers.. it is spring.. could be a hormonal surge... especially if he is infact a she.. it would explain the nippy ness for this time of year.. or is he all around nippy..

i couldnt ever get a pair of lovebirds.. the ones they give around here have a baaaaad atittude problem lol.. so i just watch them from the outside as they scream cause im to close to the cage hehe. .

[chapala]

First, if he's biting when on your shoulder, don't let him up there until he's learned not to bite. That's just asking for trouble. When he does bite your hand or anywhere else, immediately put him back in the cage for a 5 minute time out. Have a small dish towel ready if you need to pick him up so he can't bite your hands.

Sounds like you may need to go back a little bit on the amount of handling you're doing. The bird may not be ready for it, and biting is the reaction. You want to hand feed while the bird is in the cage, not picking him up for awhile, just getting him used to being rewarded for taking the food gently. If he bites, no reward, and leave. Step by step, he can learn that biting is not acceptable, and rewards come from not biting. Consistency is very important! Good luck with him!

[shadylady20]

I actually don't handle him. I open the cage and he comes out on his own. He hops around on the floor and recently he's been jumping on the couch to come see me or hang out on my laptop. The only time I handle him, is when he wants to get back in his cage. His wings are clipped so he needs my assistance to get back in his cage, so he'll gladly step in my hand without biting.

[chapala]

You might also try stick training him, using treats as rewards to make it positive. Then, you can pick him up without fear of getting a bite!

[shadylady20]

Thanks, I'll have to try!

I just had to put him in time out because he bit my lip! Ouch! Nothing serious (I don't have a mark on my lip. He crawled into my shirt and when he poked his head out, I looked down at him and he got my lip, lol. He's awful!

[2tweets]

Hi Shadylady20: My new approx. 1yr old Peachface "Rainbow" is the same way. He gets out of his cage but scrambles on the floor and ends up hopping/flying back up to his cage and sits up on top. I''ve tried the hand treat and he goes to the farthest corner and screeches. I got him at a small pet Shoppe about a mo ago. I'm his first and only owner. I've found he is mimicking my whistles. Wolf Call, call the dog.. and then he does this little quick chirp thing that resembles my laughing at him. He's alot of fun. He is my 2nd Lovie my first one Dude of 13 yrs. is gone and I couldn't handle the empty cage. I do also have a Parakeet Julie and they are getting along really well. They preen each other. Play they are both sleepin now so it's quiet. I can't show any pixes because I my computer isn't capable of that . I love all the pixes of the peoples birds. Good luck with Leelo. I'm gonna try the stick thing.

[proviewsg]

Lovebirds are really nippy. The situation described was what I faced when I used to have Kiki years ago. Although it doesn't tear the skin with what amazon did, but a lovebird nip does make cry out of pain!

Usually if i handle jer i always had one of his fav toy in my pocket or a target stick with me. Whenever she start to nip hard on my hand and fingers, i will put out the toy so the bite will be diverted on to toy. That's one method that I used to free myself instantly from her bite.

The other way that I used was with the target stick. If your bird is target trained with a stick like Kiki, you can it. Whenever she start biting hard on my finger i will use to the target stick to lead him to other location, so to free myself from the bite. Kiki is well target-trained with the stick, whenever the stick is showed in front of him and point to other location he will follow. With this technique, it's one great way to divert the bite away without forcefully pull him out of the bite.