Hello

Well, when she gets clipped, I wouldn't go in the room, talk to her, let her see you, etc. That way she doesn't associate you with the clipping. I do bird groomings (been doing it for... 5 years now?) and, often times, they run back to the person they know like you're saving them from the 'bad people' :lol:

For her diet, I would remove sunflower seed completely, if possible. Sunflower is high in fat and recent studies have linked it to aggression, stress, and plucking - it's like birdie caffeine. Try supplementing her diet with lots of fresh goodies, but go light on the fruit - that also has been linked to higher aggression levels. Egg is great for them, rinse the shell and hard boil it, then chop it up fine (shell included) and sprinkle it on her food - it gives her a good source of protein and calcium all in one!

If you can get her eating pellets, that's fantastic, but as an older bird, she may not take to it well, it may take time and persistence. I've had a lot of success with little birds putting them on small sized, natural pellets - my guess is it looks a lot like seed! :lol: You can try Roudybush Nibbles, Harrison's Super Fine, or Exact Naturals for Cockatiels/Parakeets. I think ZuPreem Parakeet is about the same size too! :thumbsup:

Thanks Jenny tomorrow I will try the hard boiled egg thing tomorrow. Today was an okay day, this morning i woke her up gave her fresh food and water, left some music on for her and went to work. When i got home i rinsed out her bowl did the same thing got her out of the cage talked with her for a while had her on my shoulder ... and then she bit me right on my neck, ouch ! I didnt yell scream or anything but it was pretty painful. I gave her to my husband and she was okay for about an half and hour then it was time for dinner for us. Everytime we sit down for dinner she consitantly chews her cage and bobs her head up and down.. do you know whats up with that behavior? She is in the dinning room across from the living room, that's the best place i have for her that is not by a vent or window... she can see us no matter where we are either kitchen, living room or dining room... Also just yesterday and today she has started to try to bite me when i give her food in her bowls, do you know what that is all about...? Thanks jenny for your food suggestions everything is appreciated.

Welcome to the forum. It is wonderful that Holly has a new home with you.

I'm certainly no expert regarding lovebirds, or any birds, but these are just a couple of suggestions my bird mentors have given me.

1) Try putting a towel over your hands instead of gloves, or even over the top of the gloves. It may not work at all, but I've been told birds are less afraid of towels than gloves. The theory as to why this might be is that the towels don't look like hands, but the gloves do.

2) Maybe providing her with a hand-held perch with which to come out of her cage instead of your fingers might also be safer for your fingers.

3) Changing things around in the cage is supposed to be a very good way to help lessen cage aggression, but perhaps she is too new to your home to do that now. If you think it will stress her too much now, wait a couple of weeks, but do start doing this regularly whenever you think she is ready. It seems you take her out daily, so someone could be changing the things around in the cage while another person is interacting with the bird. I have heard it said that even something as simple as chaning the orientation of the entire cage or the location of the entire cage within your home can also work the way chaging around items inside the cage works.

4) Lastly, some people just let birds with cage aggression come out of the cage on their own terms and pick the birds up from the outside of the cage. However, this won't help you if she is biting you when you try to feed her. Maybe you will just have to do that for a while when she is out of the cage, too.

The other suggestion I would make is not to put any bird who might tend to be difficult to handle onto your shoulder. For me, there is so much more mischief they can get into there, and so may ways to avoid your hands if you need to get hold of them.

I agree with Jenny that your lovebird will probably consider you her rescuer after the grooming. Comforting her will be a good opportunity for you to bond with her. The wing clipping will also settle her down quite a bit.

Again, congratulations! I am happy Holly has a home with someone who seems as concerned about her as you do.