Think I am down sizing

[Mummieeva]

Well after alot of hard thought I think I might be finding Baggy a new home. She stopped biting for 1 month and now is back to it. It is hard for me to even touch WHisper without being attacked. I love her to death and hate even thinking this. But nothing I have tried works. She has drew blood twice and even tried to get my eye. I am not 100% sure because I do not wnat to cause trauma to either one of them. I have rearanged her cage and she does not seem to be nesty so I am at a lose what to do. I thought about getting her a mate but at this time no money for a mate or a new cage...Plus quarintine would kill me..lol. Well that is enough of my ranting for now.lol.


Steph

[mjm8321]

Steph,

Believe me, I know what it's like to deal with a biter and the frustration caused by it. I am certainly not a bird behaviorist but am currently dealing with one and might be able to pas on a bit of info as well as support. Obviously, you know she will bite and I'm sure you know the posture leading up to a bite. Is she biting you when you are near her and Whisper? Is it near the cage? Have you tried taking her into another room away from Whisper to interact with her? I know, lots of questions! Also, does she show aggression towards Whisper or is it just aimed at you?

[BarbieH]

Hi Steph;

I also know how you're feeling. But consider that it might just be a temporary thing with Baggy, a hormonal thing, and the best thing you can do is wait it out and try to prevent biting triggers (like the things MJ suggested). What exactly is leading up to the bites?

Best wishes,

[Mummieeva]

She is not giving any signs most of time. She does not like hands and i respect that. She does not attack or hurt Whisper at all. She bites with and without Whisper near. But seems very mad if I am holding Whisper and she is not next to me. I have taken them to another room seprate and she still does this. I am starting to wonder if she remembers i was one who took her mate away when I buried him and if she is worried I will do it again. Kiowa passed in May and they were very close. The one time she seems to bite most is on my shoulder. I go to get her down and she bites hands hard. i tried a dowel and she flys away. I tried earthquake method and she waits stil stopped and does it again :rolleyes:


Steph

[LoveBugs]

I'm curious...how long have you had her?

[linda040899]

Gee, Steph
Sounds like you have either Cookie or Syrena's twin sister living with you!!! You may even have a relative of Georgia in a smaller package! :lol

Seriously, though. As hard/bad as those 3 could/can bite, there's no way I could rehome any of them. I accepted them into my home as part of my flock and that was an unconditional acceptance, no matter what. Cookie adored Peaches and he was her companion. Syrena is devoted to Darrien. No way I could separate them. (A breeder offered me $250.00, cash, for Darrien and if that didn't do it, a bit of biting sure won't!) Georgia and Dao are joined at the hip, and there's no way I could sell her and keep him. All Baggy has now, in terms of a birdie companion, is Whisper. Biting is not pleasant, but perhaps finding ways to avoid the bite is the way to go. Give this some serious thought. Baggy was a rescue, if my memory serves me correctly.....

[mjm8321]

So what happens when she bites you? Do you say "owww" and/or make a bit of a deal about it? ( And if you do I'm not judging, just asking) Do you put her back in her cage when she bites? I've recently read that a bird that bites and is put back in their cage right away will continue to bite, because it knows the minute they bite, they get to where they wanted to. Have you thought that Baggy might be very attached to you and biting because she wants your attention? You were the one that took care of her and her baby when her mate was gone. They are such amazing, bright little things...I wish I could read their minds.
I've stopped making any reaction to being bit, unless of course, it's a surprise attack to the neck from the rear (which has happened with a much bigger beak than that of a lovie :eek: ). When one attaches themselves to my finger, I either walk away, with them still attached via beak, to new scenery and it works like magic and they loosen up the grip and focus on something else.
Some lovie hens and the shoulder are a volatile combination. Don't let her on your shoulder anymore; or until the biting stops. Are her wings clipped? Yeah, I know, if she already is biting you, she'll be pleased with a wing clip. :mad: Seriously, it may very well help to get her to step up on you or a dowel.

[LoveBugs]

I asked how long you had her, because it took me 7 months to stop getting bitten by PP. My fingers used to be forever pockmarked and bloody and I tried almost everything suggested to me.

I always shrugged it off as me being cursed with a mean birdie...Because 'lil Lily, out of the 6 months I have had her, has almost NEVER bitten me at all.

However, now it is very rare for me to get bitten by PP at all, because I think it's a combination of 1. her growing up 2. me finally being able to read her body language to avoid being bitten.

Now the only time she'll "nip" me is usually when she's jealous when I'm handing Lily a treat and she wants it.

[LauraO]

Steph: Since others are giving you great advice and assistance I just want to ask that you PLEASE not give Baggy up just cause she bites. She has been through soooooooo much in the last six months alone and what she needs most now is stability and understanding. I gave up a bitey lovie once because my husband couldn't deal with it and to this day I feel sadness and utter regret. We now have our rescue Meyer's Cookie who is a biter with a big beak. He has not gotten me good yet, but he will at some point, but I refuse to give him up for that. He, like Baggy, has been rehomed several times and in the scope of all the years I plan to have him I'm sure we'll learn how to deal with his "issues"

Good Luck and everyone's here for as long as you and Baggy need

[Janie]

Steph, all that I can say is DITTO to what Laura just said. I would not consider giving any of my three away. I hope my new ones will be friendly, loving little birds but I knew before I bought them that they might not be. I also know that they'll got through stages as they grow and that biting might be one of those stages. I hope not but I am in this for the long haul. Unless it is a medical emergency, I think re-homing birds is a very, very sad thing to do.

[Mummieeva]

Thank you for the words. I guess I am just feeling helpless. I will give her story since many new ones are here. Might get long

I got Baggy and her mate Kiowa for a lady. She rescued them becasue owner died. They were a very close pair and laid eggs but none hatched ever. I rescued them in late April. The lady who gave them to me had no bird experience really as she rescued dogs. She said Baggy was tame and never bit and Kiowa the male was wild though. I brought them home and got them use to us. Well they came with a nest box and before I could remove it and get them use to me Baggy started laying eggs. She never bite me and allowed me to touch eggs and move them never a trouble. i was even able to move nest box and clean. Whisper hatched Mid May and was only egg that made it to hatch. A few weeks after Whisper was born I found Kiowa at bottom of the cage and dead. Well he was not dead and I took him to cloestes ER vet. They knew nothing about birds at all so I took him home to call a avian vet next morning. I had a vist set and heard Baggy chirping loudly. Kiowa was acting weird again. I tok him out of cage nad he did nothing to stop me. Very unlike him. he died in my hands moments later. I kept an eye on Baggy to be sure she fed baby and she did. Stuffed Whisper full as can be and did til Whisper weaned. Baggy did not bite me ever til Whisper was about 5wks. It passed after a few days. I love her very much and I guess part of me worries I am not giving her best care. I go in there often and talk to them and just sit with them. When she bites i say no calmly. Only time I really made a reaction was when she bite my ear cause she clamped on(i had a bird earring). I do tend to put her back to cage if she bites over and over. Normaly I put her on top of cage and tell her no biting. I will try the hints you all gave me. I do not want to give up really..Maybe it is just the hot weather makes me crazy :rolleyes:
Ty for reading my novel..lol

Steph

[BarbieH]

Dear Steph;

You've all been through quite a lot. It's very possible that Baggy remembers what happened. If taking Whisper away from her gets her upset, try not to do it. Of course, she always sees that you put him back again, and this is important information for her to learn.

I remember when we first got Gracie, how frustrated I would get -- even to the point where I wondered if we could keep her. She was that nasty towards me. But we brought her home, she had been through a lot too. We had to give her some leeway.

Give Baggy some allowances. :) If the problem is hormonal, she'll settle down some in about a week. If you want to take Whisper out, bring Baggy out of the cage first. Don't take Whisper out and leave her there.

I think you'll all work it out okay. I'm sure you don't really want to get rid of Baggy.

Best wishes,