I had a pair of love birds. The female hasn't been healthy for a while. We found her dead at the bottom of the cage. He sat by her body the entire time. I felt worse for him than losing a pet. Since she has been unhealthy for a while now, I even took her to a vet that specializes in birds to find out what was wrong with her. He has been in tip top shape the whole time. That still bothers me thinking about that poor little guy staying next to his dead friend until it was found.

He wont quit pacing around that cage. He keeps looking for something to catch his eye. He is watching the gerbil cage next to him. He is watching everything. He is being way too hyper from what he was. I think the bird is very stressed. We have gone to talking to him taking turns so he will shut up. I'm trying to convince him he is a "birdie" so I can say it from across the room and he will know I'm talking to him. He is acting that bad!

This is getting to be a desperate situation with this love bird. He mean as all get out, but smart. He learned he was a "birdie" in one evening. He looks right at you when you say it. He is driving everyone crazy!

I'm already taking total care of our dying lab. She has mobility problems with the back legs. I medicate her twice a day with supplements and analgesic. I'm the only one she trust at all. She waits for me for any and every need of hers.

Out of desperation, I downloaded bird noises for him. He likes them. There has to be some answer to shut this bird up before I get him a no bark collar. Not only does he like the annoying noise of bird sounds, but he sings back with it. Twice the noise!

Is there any bird owner out there that knows what to try for this bird before he drives us all insane? A humane suggestion please

>>>We have gone to talking to him taking turns so he will shut up<<
>>Not only does he like the annoying noise of bird sounds, but he sings back with it. Twice the noise!<<<

Although he enjoys the recorded sounds, he does not receive the physical and emotional interaction he needs. Lovebirds are a very social bird and need a lot of social interaction. They tend to have a strong bond whether they bond with a mate, or a person.

The other bird provided the constant companionship that was needed. His noisy singing is an attempt to rejoin with the now missing companion. The bird knows you, and finds your company comforting. Take this as a compliment from your bird.

Here are a few suggestions, which might help. If you are able to handle the bird with ease, try letting him out of the cage when you are home and can watch him. He may just stay within a couple of feet of you. This idea is that it might provide him with the social interaction he needs and the noisy loud singing may subside. Please note that if you cannot easily pick him up, don’t try this. Chasing a loose bird around the room can be quite stressful for the bird. You don’t want to stress him more than he already is.

The other suggestion is to bring into the home another lovebird, but use caution when you do this. See if you can do this on a trial basis. A strange bird might alleviate the problem or it might cause more stress. Take the new bird to the vet, to rule out any health problems. Do NOT put the new bird in the cage with the already existing bird, a fight could break out and cause injuries. The new bird should have its own cage. You need to put the cage about a foot or two away from the other bird so as not to cause a fight over territory.

And finally, give your bird some time to adjust to the new change; animals and birds don’t always adjust well to changes either in environment or habits of others. This will take patience on your part, and your bird may need more time.

There should be some avian clubs in your area, try contacting one of them. They may have more information than I have provided here.

I replaced a dead lovebird mate once. He had literally died for love, protecting her from a stray cat that entered via our kitty ladder. (Our own cats were OK with the birds.)

The pet store told me to keep the two birds in separate cages but close to each other for months. They seemed to be getting along beautifully after about a month, billing and cooing through the bars, so I tried them together. They were very happy at first, but the female went into her nest box, and he tried to follow her. She apparently was very territorial about the nest. She attacked him, they fought, and $700 dollars later in vet bills she was fully recovered. (Crushed windpipe.)

In the several months after the death of her mate and acquiring the second bird, we gave her the attention she craved. Yes, they're noisy. She became bonded with me particularly. One particular song I sang to her would make her dance along her runway. It was very funny to watch. They're very clever, and have a sense of humor. We let her out to fly every evening, (she chewed everything to pieces, by the way, especially the photos on my cork message board) and when we wanted to put her back in the cage I would spot her location very accurately (perched on a picture frame, e.g.) and switched off the lights. She couldn't see in the dark so I was able to put her back into her cage.
The birds later bonded and got on very well.

So you can replace the mate, but keep them in separate cages for about 6 months. And when you do put them together, make sure neither can 'corner' the other (e.g. in the nest) until they're very comfortable with each other in the same cage.

Thank you both for your advice and suggestions in such a timely manner. These birds were supposed to be my daughter's pets. I never was crazy about the idea. I have had birds before.

You never really had to pay attention to them before. All you had to do was keep them in food and water with a clean cage. They acted like you were invading their space getting in their cage. No one did pay much attention to them. That is until now since the male is demanding so much attention. They happily spent the summer outside. They loved it!

I have reservations about a new bird. I did this with a finch. I kept them side by side like you are supposed to. They seemed to get along until I found my original bird that was alone dead on the bottom of the cage from an attack from his new friend. I don't want that to happen to another bird. A love bird is a lot more agressive than a finch. He is so used to his friend, I'm not sure he would let anything near his cage.

The bird books say lovebirds are highly agressive. I believe it! These birds wont let you touch them, much less handle them. Given that, I never ever tried to handle one of these birds. The bird books said not too. They were agressive unlike others of the parrot family that are well know pets.

Tonight I played the bird sounds I downloaded for him. He loved it. He stayed at the bars looking different dirrections and cheerfully sang back. He tired out and was quiet as a mouse since. He is asleep now.

Maybe I should call the Love Bird Society and ask if they want a bird. I would give him to someone that would keep him in an avairy type thing where there is enough space and he can be with other birds. If someone can't give him a better home than I can, forget it. I'm stuck with birdie singing mp3's and taking to him for a while.

Will he ever calm down?

Yes, he will calm down. He's just grieving. I sometimes think a sneaky way to find out if you should marry your lover and have children is to get a lovebird. If lover starts complaining about the noise and how much attention the bird demands and so on, then perhaps...

Lovebirds are as demanding as children!

But if you give it lots of attention and things to chew up, you will begin to 'get' its endearing qualities, and thoroughly enjoy your friendship. I cried when one of my little male lovebirds died (chewed his way through the insulation on an electric lamp cord, believe it or not, and electrocuted himself). He was so sweet and affectionate!

Thing is, they're hyper. That's just their nature. So they love and hate passionately.

Thanks for everyone's quick advice. I don't know a whole lot about birds but feed the and keep their cage clean. I have yet to find one that is sweet and affectionate.

My mom had a pair when I was a kid. The male died. She was a ball of fire after that. She had a passion for attacking things like your finger at the bars. She would hunt you down like a cat and would hurt you if you weren't careful. Sweet and affectionate wasn't her thing, but play biting was great fun to her. She is long gone now, but we all enjoyed her. Everyone that came into the house like that meanie.

These birds are very smart. I don't think people give them and other animals enough credit. He would prefer us people to get away from his cage, but it does distract him and he shows little fear, just reservation. He has always had his mate and didn't care for people at all. Now things have changed drastically.

Those bird mp3's are really doing the trick. He likes them a lot. We still go up to his cage and talk to him. I have the gerbil and bird lined up on the radiator by the window so they can stay warm. I checked, it isn't too hot at all. They both like sleeping on the bottom of the cage to keep warm.

Now he is interested in his neighbor, the gerbil. The gerbil is a total sweet heart. He played with my cat when she had claws still. She never hurt him. She falls asleep on this condo I have for him waiting for him to come out. When he does, he scratches at her tail to get her up. The cat has a huge fluffy tail, easy target. Although the gerbil is a smart little guy too and loves attention whether from people or other animals, he isn't taking to the birds interest yet. He will!

Thankfully, I'm finding ways to make this transition a little easier on him. There is always someone here for them to watch. They can look outside and still stay warm for the winter.

If anyone has any suggetions with love birds and their care, I would greatly appreciate it. I lost my female from malnutrition, not starvation. The bird vet said females have a higher nutritional need than a male. She wasn't getting proper nutrients from poor quality seed. It really did a number on her and caused permanent damage. These birds require very high nutrients compaired to other birds of the same family I found out the hard way. You have to be really picky about their foods and nothing by Hartz.

Whew, I got my bird probem off my chest!

Remember, suggestions with love birds welcome!!!

Bab, I can sympathize with the cord accident. These aren't stupid birds. They get what they want whether good or bad for them. Although we didn't pay a lot of attention to the birds because they are so agressive, we were so sad to see her at the bottom of that cage with him standing by her side the whole time. Kind of a bird heart breaker! The remaining bird sufferes and you can see it. It is exactly like a death of a person (of our perception) to them. That bird will never be replaced to him. It's sad. The whole burial argument with frozen dirt wasn't much fun either.

thats the same with me i really need help because well he aint eating since she died ( yesturday) i dont know what to do i need help

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,

I have a lovebird chloe, that when she gets bored she doesn't shut up either, I guess I am just use to it. Get a small gift bag (make sure to cut the handle off) and put it in her cage,My chloe spends hrs playing with this, or I put a bunch of papertowels in her cage, and she hides in them alot. she's rotten.