What to do when there are 2 lovies?

[MaurI]

Hello!

Well recently I found a green peach (very nice) so I bought him and brought home to be a friend for my lutino peach. But now it is impossible to comunicate with my lutino - he doesn't listen to me anymore. They just keep calling each other - even if I place a cage with little green one in the other room. I tried an experiment and put those cages together - it seems that they are not very interested in each other only lutino was interested in green's legs - when there was a chance he tried to get those legs (I don't think he was going to hurt little one but....). Other thing is that they participate in contest "Who is the loudest?!" so it makes me think that they defend their territory or somethin like that.

So what does this leg thing mean? What to do with their loud voices (during 2 months I was able to achieve a result that my lutino was quiet and that he let me sleep till 10:00 am and other interesting things) How to train them - becaus now when there is second bird am not important? What should I do with the other guy(green)? Oh I can't think of any other specific questions so please comment on this situation that I have now - what is your experience and what do you think would be the best in this case?

Thank you very much!

[gumoore]

Oh, I would LOVE to hear any theories about legs...my little ones are doing the same thing.

[kimsbirds]

Biting legs and toes is a dominance thing. "I was here first", or "keep away" are the general ideas about biting. It can be as gentle as a nibble, or severe enough to rip off a toe! Until you are more familiar with your lovebirds' personalities, I wouldn't let them intermingle too much right now. They need to get used to each other from afar ie: seperate cages.
Since the first bird was never bonded to you, it will ignore you in the presence of another lovebird. Now it's going to be twice the work to tame these two down.
I do hope you adhered to a minimum of 30 day quarantine period and a well-bird checkup for the newcomer...Best of Luck

Kim

[MaurI]

Well thanks - both birdies are in seperate cages but I put those cages close to each other (70 cm between them or so) So birds can see each other and talk. Things are a bit calmer than in the first day but the new birdy seems weird - it often screems like it was frighten or angry (I can't understand what really it is) and also he alters (I don't know if this is the right word to describe it) his head like it is watching what's happening around him in all directions. Also new bird sleeps very interesting - he sleeps on a highest perch and his body is horisontal and head is down (below the perch). Is this normal? During the day new lovie behaves quite normally - he isn't very active but I guess that is because he hasn't used to the new home - at the pet shop he was kept in a tiny cage (20cm*20cm*30cm or even smaller - usually rats are kept in such cages) in darkness so I guess this is new to him.
About lutino bird - he is "back" - he shows his funny tricks again and talks and listens to me so I think that things will go on.

What could I do to calm the new lovie?

Thanks!

[lovebird_lover101]

I just got a new lovie also but my new one seems really calm and I can vouch for the leg and toe bitting. My yellow one must have had that happen while still at the breeders. On the "bitten" foot there are no nails at all but 3 toes seem to have nails coming back in and with the other toe I dont think that a nail will come back. As for training I train my birds one right after the other and they both seem to be kinda bonding to me and to each other. They arent in the same cage together yet(still under quarentinee) but are talking to each other almost nonstop. My birds unlike yours are calmer so I really cant help you with that. The new one could be under alittle stress but I dont really know my new lovie was really quiet for the first couple of days and hasnt really screamed or anything. I hope somethings I wrote help.