Love bird terrorizes the toy poodle!

[kiwismom]

My peachfaced love bird Kiwi stalks and bites my toy poodle Teddy everytime I let him out of his cage until I pick up the dog and hold him in my lap. Kiwi then sits on my arm or shoulder and tries to bite him when I am not looking. When he starts I say no and he stops. My dog is 11 years old and blind but a real sweet heart. Why he hasn't killed the bird is anyone's guess. I would have! Just kidding lol. Kiwi is very nippy but is getting better. I bought him from a pet shop and have been working with him every day but it is very slow going.

[dodoboid]

It's just my opinion, but I would not obtain a pet bird from any pet store.

I'd either adopt from a breeder, or better yet, rescue an unwanted pet.

Lovebirds, despite their small stature, can be extremely territorial and aggressive. We had a singly-kept male peachface who we adopted as a hand-fed baby, and he showed these traits. I've heard that female lovies can be more aggressive when they become hormonal.

Why do you allow the lovie near the dog?

If I was in your situation, I'd put the lovie in a 'no-bite' hold and tell him to cool it; or
better yet

Don't allow any interaction between the lovie and your dog.

Single peachface lovebirds tend to bond to one person, and for quite a while, our Mott was bonded to me and didn't care much for Mr. Dodo. He'd try to bite him at any opportunity.

Oddly, Mott The Hoople always loved our budgies.

I hope to God that you don't have a cat...do you?

When I was a kid I had a pair of budgies, and our female budgie would love to antagonize our dog, Nikko. She was smart and she was fast, and she didn't like Nikko.

Nikko would be curled up in a patch of sunlight that streamed through the window, his favourite area being underneath our dining room table -- surprise! He'd roll over in his sleep, and end up on his back, with his wiry white short belly fur exposed, and Candy would swoop down. No word of a lie. Candy would alight directly beside him on the floor, suss out the exposed belly to ensure that she had the most tender part of his anatomy in mind, she'd zoom in and then she'd chomp with all of her might.

Nikko would wake up yelping and hurt. That budgie! Had anyone in the house seen what was going to happen, there would have been trouble...our poor doggie.

Of course, Candy liked the odd nip of red wine, too. It was around Christmas time when she attacked our dog, and no doubt that my mother was enjoying some red wine while preparing human food.

We certainly do not allow our birds to drink, nor did we allow Candy to drink. She landed on the edge of my mother's wine glass and helped herself before we could stop her, the cagey bird.

Her formerly white head was pink for a good week, too.

[zazanomore]

A single bite from your poodle can potentially kill your lovebird.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Well, I will say "welcome" while others are jumping in with criticism. Yes, an accident could happen, but should we not say "Hello" before we start lecturing?

*I* have three cats. Oh horrors.

And a Happy Hut.

That probably makes me the most irresponsible bird owner on the forum, but I'll say hello anyway.

[zazanomore]

Sorry, didn't mean too come off as rude...

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I was cranky yesterday as you may have guessed. However... I do think the welcome section of the forum is a place to channel the southern belle and pretend that you are at a party meeting someone for the first time. I might hypothetically be a vegetarian and they might be nibbling on the satay, but I wouldn't think it the best time and place to try to convert them...

I doubt this OP will be back, I don't think I would be in their shoes. And we don't know who or what we might have missed.

[kiwismom]

I wish I had known more about love birds being that aggressive when I got her but from now on I will put the dog in the bedroom when I let Kiwi out.