upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Hello everyone,
I've just got a lovebird and I've read a lot about them in a past few days and a matter of concern appeared. I am trying to make my bird eat fruit but there is no chance. She is just ignoring it. Yesterday I tried to give her some grapes but she didn' even notice it. Today the same thing happeded with an apple. Is it normal for lovebirds to behave like that? I repeat, I have it only for few days.
Thanks
best regards

Most lovebirds are not fruit eaters and yours does not seem to be the exception to the rule! Try fresh veggies and you will probably have better success. Shredded carrot, broccoli, sugar snap peas, string beans, and corn are usually favorites. You will probably have to keep offering and let her decide to try them. She does not recognize anything other than her normal diet as edible and it may take a bit for her to get brave enough to sample anything new.

Thanks a lot Linda. Now I feel better.

You can also try birdie bread. I have found making up a batch and including thier normal seeds in it they will search through and try a little of everything. Then when they have come to know the veggies like this you start adding fresh veggies in there. Vola you have a lovie who is eating fresh vegies. Now I have never been able to give mine fruit. The birdie bread has worked for me everythime. Especially if I add the seeds for the newbies. They accidently get that veggies searching for the seeds. Anyway just a idea. If you need a recipe for the birdie bred I can give you one. Let me know.
Josie

My lovies will only really eat fruit if I'm eating it. They'll fly over and grabbed it almost out of my mouth. Also, if my other birds are eating something (whatever it is) the lovies will investigate it. My male breeder follows my caique around, picking up his scraps and even trying to steal food from his foot!

Thank you all for advices. I haven't been here for a while so I've just seen all the answers. Anyway, my litle Pumba started eating carrots, apples and grapes in the meantime. So now I think he is doing just fine. At least I thought so untill few days ago. What happened is that she started loosing feathers. Now, I haven't seen her plocking feathers herself but I have seen them falling off while she's flying around the room. Please tell me that that's normal considering that it's autmn. I'm just very conserned that she's not geting ill somehow, but she looks just fine. She eats normaly, drinks water normaly and yells regulary (means every day for a few hours, especialy if there is some music on - she likes to sing along with me). But I'm still consirned about her. I've been having her for quite a short time - less than a month but I got really and quickly attached to her.
Thank you all again and I need to ask for help once more. Sorry for huge post and typing mistakes
Best regards

Taya,
Lovebirds normally go through two molts a year, the first one at about 5 months of age when thier adult color feathers come in. You will probably feel the new feathers coming in as prickly covered shafts. These new feathers can be kind of sensative and extra bathing may help. Do you know how old your bird is?

Unfortunately, I don't know how old is she. I got her as a present for my birthday and the one who gave me the present asked everything but how old the bird is. I'm assuming that she's pretty young, because her feathers have kind of a light colours (if you understand what I mean). I've seen older lovebirds and they usually have darker feathers and sometimes feathers are damaged at their ends (specially on the tail). Am I right?

Taya,
Lovebirds come in so many different color mutations it's almost like expecting budgies to all be the same color. They're very individual. If the bird is under 5-6 months old, you will see the color of the feathers on the face change. Lovebirds don't have a very defined face color until the adult feathers come in unless the bird is of the pied variety and then the colors may stay more muted. Very young birds will have a dark mark at the top of thier beak that almost looks like a bruise. This fades as they mature. Even lutino birds have this but in light or pied birds, this mark may look tan rather than black or brown. There may also be a leg band with a year date stamped into it but this won't tell you more than what year the bird hatched. These closed bands must be put on the baby when they're about 12-14 days old. Feather damage can happen at any age and is usually a sign of the bird either not being able to bathe or being in a cage that's too small. If a bird is stressed (usually nutritionally), you may see what is called stress bars in the feathering. This looks like a straight darker bar going straight across the feather. These are usually seen in tail feathers.

Thanks a lot Robin. I have a peach face lovebird and I've noticed that feather at her lower neck that were yelow are slowly turning into orange. Her head is red only at the top, above the beak. She also has some darker marks above the beak. But her tail is beautiful, with really vivid colours of green, blue and orange. I really hope that she is still young because I got very attached to her and I want her to be with me for a long long time. Thanks again.

Doesn't sound like PBFD to me. Sounds more like a crop or air sac problem. Try to relax and keep the vet appointment. I think the pet store employee shouldn't be trying to give out medical advice. None of us can diagnose sight unseen.
Please update us after the vet appointment and don't think you're headed for the worst.