new lovie

Question
i have just purchased a new peach face lovebird and i think it is about 6 months old. im not familliar with them so could i get some tips on what i should include in their diet? and hes not tame so could give me some help in quietening him down?

Answer
Well you should not feed them a seed-based diet and millet should NOT be left in the cage. Roudybush food is the best you can get (online), Harrison's is good (from your vet), and Zupreem natural (NO COLORED PELLETS!) is the best you can find in the pet stores. Also, don't give it any mirrors! Lovebirds either bond with the image (and will not be able to be tamed) or will fight with it until the beak bleeds or other extreme injuries occur.
Lovebirds can be a little nippy, but they can be very sweet. DO NOT believe any pet stores or people telling you that it needs a mate to be happy.
As for taming, here's a link to some good instructions: http://www.cockatootrainer.com/timidness/
I don't remember if it includes this tip, but lovebirds really respond well to a gentle (don't want to hurt the bird!) pinch of the beak when they are biting. Sometimes it's hard to get a hold of the beak, but you'll get better at it. You just pinch the sides of the beak and it doesn't have to be very hard at ALL. Usually you only have to pinch once or twice and they stop. Pinching is NOT like hitting the bird because it doesn't actually hurt them and is not aggressive. Aggressive behaviors will just encourage the bird to keep "protecting" itself by biting. This pinch is just your "annoying" way of saying "Hey, knock it off!". Remember to say "no biting" in a firm, but calm, voice when you pinch the beak.