Some Context:
I've got two rainbow lorikeets siblings that were abandoned at the foot of their nest tree when a bad storm blew out the spot they were being raised in. They're an introduced species where I live, so we decided to raise them for as long as we could provide properly for them, and if we couldn't we would give them to a rescue.
They're now almost a year old and I love the little buggers! We feed them a proper lorikeet mix, and they're given about 30 minutes out of their cage minimum each day for me to play and interact with them. Their cage isn't huge but it's big enough for them to play in. and they're very comfortable around people now and love to sit on me and fiddle with fabric.
My main problem is I have no real way with socialising with them. When they started getting comfortable around me I fucked up by ignoring them when they nibbled at the sides of my lip. The problem is they have grown attached to this behaviour, and now when they are on my shoulder they insist on trying to nibble at my mouth or nibble my teeth. This is extremely unsanitary for both of us but when they initially started I ignored it and let it become a habit.
I'm weaning them out of it now by pushing my head way or saying no in a loud clear, non-aggressive tone. They seem to understand this and it's gradually becoming a rarer occurrence. My main problem is that this means that aside from sitting on me they don't have many ways of connecting with me, and I don't have any real ways of showing my affection for them. They're a pair and are dependent on each other's company - I don't think it's any worry that they're lonely. It's more of a thing that I really want to be able to interact with them in a non-passive manner in a way they'd enjoy.
They don't enjoy patting, and while I think that may change I don't want to annoy them. They don't hate it but it brings them no pleasure and if I continue they gently push my fingers away. I think they are okay with their chests being patted but overall it doesn't really seem like it's working. I don't really know how I can interact with them or otherwise stimulate them - I'm worried that while they have each other they may be getting bored.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated, as I really do want to get closer to my birds and make them happy in the process. I love them, and while I'm fine with that not being mutual, it would be nice to have them more comfortable or happy around me :)
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/d6847r/need_a_way_to_socialise_with_my_rainbow_lorikeets/
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