how do i stop my lovebird from biting?

[Chantilly]

I spent 15 mins with them and the millet spray. They took it from my hands. I think it went well. Hopefully they will start coming towards me when I go towards their cage after a few millet sessions

This is great! Congratulations vikkirikki! Great job!

[Wolf]

That is wonderful, let me know when they start coming over to see you before they see any treats for them and we will be ready for the next step.

[vikkirikki]

I did both the fruit and veg time with them this morning and the millet spray time this afternoon. Both birds stayed out with me the whole millet spray time this time. Yesterday the one I call girl went in the nest box after awhile

[Wolf]

I take it that you have not named them. If not, you really should name them as it is important to them. Pic either a unisex type name or one that you can easily modify for either sex without changing the general sound of it. Parrot parents name all of their babies and then use their name for the rest of their lives just like we do. So parrot identify with their name just like you and I do.

[vikkirikki]

I always talk to them using boy and girl. I say in a certain way like boi and gew. I named them Vikki and rikki but I have never really used their real names when I talk to them. So I thought I would keep using boy and girl in the special way I say it I because that would be the 'names' they are used to.

I did the fruit and veg time again this morning and I have been using the chopstick 'target training' with the millet spray. The birds came closer to me today when I talked to them but maybe because they want to bite me? They followed the chopstick better around the cage this afternoon.

[Wolf]

I don't actually have love birds, I have parrotlets, which are much more aggressive than love birds, maybe because they are even smaller, but otherwise very similar in nature. Parrots are not by nature vicious creatures and biting for them is actually a last resort to try to remain alive so they only bite in defense of their nesting area and offspring or when they feel threatened or afraid. They also use it among themselves as a means of disciplining each other and this is where their biting us comes in. They may try to discipline us but that is because we tricked them into imprinting on us so that they will accept us as a part of their flock, but we are very poor birds, any other biting is in self defense or from fear.

I know that you are in a hurry for results in getting these birds to trust you and although I would have suggested some target training, it would not have been at this point as you have not even gained their trust yet. I have seen so many times that the bird owner pushes the training and spoil the birds trust and they must start over again to win the birds trust and that is what hand taming is all about... winning the birds trust so that it can begin the bonding process. I worry that this is what you are doing and each time you are unsuccessful in gaining their trust it will get harder and take longer until they finally have had enough and will simply not trust you. Training can be a great benefit in building trust, but it can not create the trust you have to earn that first.

[Pajarita]

Please ask your parents to have them DNA'd so you know whether you have two girls or one boy and one girl. This is much more important than training them.

[Wolf]

Pajarita is correct as far as I am aware of. Female love birds are not known for getting along with each other, they are known for fighting with each other and in a cage where there is no escape this could easily mean severe injury or death for one or both of the birds. If they are both females then they are living on borrowed time as their current relationship could change in no time at all and if you are not there to break it up and separate them right then it will be a bad story.

[vikkirikki]

I am only getting them to follow a chopstick? and then giving them sunflower seeds like someone else said in a different thread. As well as talking to them and giving the millet spray like you said. I don't see how doing both those things are stopping them from trusting me? That is all I am doing.

I don't actually have love birds, I have parrotlets, which are much more aggressive than love birds, maybe because they are even smaller, but otherwise very similar in nature. Parrots are not by nature vicious creatures and biting for them is actually a last resort to try to remain alive so they only bite in defense of their nesting area and offspring or when they feel threatened or afraid. They also use it among themselves as a means of disciplining each other and this is where their biting us comes in. They may try to discipline us but that is because we tricked them into imprinting on us so that they will accept us as a part of their flock, but we are very poor birds, any other biting is in self defense or from fear.

I know that you are in a hurry for results in getting these birds to trust you and although I would have suggested some target training, it would not have been at this point as you have not even gained their trust yet. I have seen so many times that the bird owner pushes the training and spoil the birds trust and they must start over again to win the birds trust and that is what hand taming is all about... winning the birds trust so that it can begin the bonding process. I worry that this is what you are doing and each time you are unsuccessful in gaining their trust it will get harder and take longer until they finally have had enough and will simply not trust you. Training can be a great benefit in building trust, but it can not create the trust you have to earn that first.

[vikkirikki]

my birds love each other. They only do mating / loving type biting with each other. My love birds are like best friends. It costs $240 to get both birds sex tested. They do a blood test at the avian vet here. And we don't have money for this test. That is way more than my mum paid to buy the birds with their cage. My lovebirds live very happily together.

Pajarita is correct as far as I am aware of. Female love birds are not known for getting along with each other, they are known for fighting with each other and in a cage where there is no escape this could easily mean severe injury or death for one or both of the birds. If they are both females then they are living on borrowed time as their current relationship could change in no time at all and if you are not there to break it up and separate them right then it will be a bad story.