LoveBird Actions/Body Language

[colnago]

Hi, new to the forum have been going thru past posts for great information. I do have a question about my Lovebird Fischer and his/her body language. Age is 6 months. Lately he has been flipping his wings up once and chirping at me will pushing his head toward the air. Also, he started to drag his beak across multiple bar going across like he is plucking guitar strings. Then he looks at me and chirps again. Does anybody know what this could mean? (doesn't like cage, wants to come out, to cramped inside, doesn't like placement of toys).

Thanks,
Mario Papa

 

[Lovie]

Hello, and welcome.
By "flipping his wings", does that mean it's almost like it's trying to fly? If it keeps its feet down, but it's flapping its wings and chirping, that probably means it wants your attention. Birds with clipped wings do this especially, though fully-flighted ones do it as well. I know my bird does this to get more attention from me.

About the beak dragging, it definitely wants to come outside. It likes being with you, and while its cage may be entertaining (or maybe not), it will always prefer being outside.

If you're worried about whether it likes its cage, could you post a picture? (If you aren't worried, you can ignore this.)

 

[colnago]

Hi Lovie, thanks for posting. The bird definitely is not trying to fly. It flips it's wings up without spreading or extending them then it chirps at me while pocking his head at me at the same time. I will post cage pictures let me know what you think, to small,cramped,etc.

Thanks.

 

[colnago]

Here are the cage pictures.

 

[Lovie]

It looks like a pretty good cage. The only things I could think of would be:
1. Don't forget to secure the doors.
Doors (especially the ones that shift up and down) can be secured except for the main one. Lovebirds tend to lift up the doors, and it's a danger since the doors might come down.
2. You could probably move the food and water bowls.
Birds tend to make "soup" where they take some of their food and dump it into their water. It happens less often when the food and water bowls are farther apart. I have my bird's food and water bowls on opposite sides of the cage. You could also put them higher to keep droppings out of the bowls.

 

[MikeyTN]

Are you talking about flopping of the wings and sometimes like fly scoot towards you or side ways down a perch while raising their head and loud screeching??? It's something that they do. And sometimes to get your attention or fight off another bird.

 

[colnago]

I know what you mean Lovie. It will pick up and drop the food doors making a loud racket until you pay attention to him. I try to ignore it but after 20 minutes I have to go up to cage which I know is reinforcing that behavior.
MiketTN , the bird doesn't scoot downwards perch but I know what you mean. like you said probably to get attention.
Right know I am trying to get it to stop biting my neck. It likes to climb my shirt and go to the collar and nibble on that but then he pinches my neck which really hurts. I tried to put him in the cage when he bites my neck tying to tech him you bite neck you get put away in cage but he still does it. Now I just grab an envelope and put it between my neck and the shirt causing him to climb down to my lap then you quessed it he climbs back up when I put the envelope down. I must say the bite/pinch really hurts on the neck.

 

[Lovie]

Instead of using an envelope, could you just put it onto a nearby object (like a table) for a little while as a time-out? That could teach it that you are in charge, and you don't like the biting. Some people even lightly--but firmly--tap their bird's beak when it bites. It's all about trying different methods to figure out what works with your bird.