Advice on Lovebirds
LOVEBIRDS are miniature-sized parrots with big personalities.
Despite the misconception, love birds can be kept as pets as single birds. If you choose to purchase only one, be prepared to give it a lot of attention or it will become bored, mischievous and quite troublesome. If you don’t have the time to spend with your love bird, then buy it a mate keeping in mind that the affection that would have been for you will now be focused on the partner.
There are numerous types of Lovebirds, some very rare and others quite common. The easiest type of love bird to keep as a pet is the Peachfaced Love Bird.
Lovebirds are not talking parrots though they can be quite vocal. They are also not that cuddly though this varies from bird to bird as love birds are one species with very strong individual personalities. They can become very attached to their humans, especially when they are kept as single birds. There is some evidence that males are less jealous and territorial than females, so this too must be kept in mind when purchasing your Lovebird.
When looking for a bird, be sure that you choose a hand raised bird that is very comfortable with human contact. Lovebirds not constantly handled easily become skittish and nippy. Even a hand raised bird that is later left alone in its cage can revert back and be very difficult to re-train.
Lovebirds live for up to 20 years so in most cases they will be your pet for life. They cannot be housed with any other species of bird as they can be aggressive and even kill other birds.
LOVEBIRD HOUSING
Lovebirds need a cage which has at least two places to perch, with room to fly from one to the other. A cage with a horizontal measurement of 24 inches to 30 inches is appropriate. Anything less than 18 inches would be too small and restrictive. Perches need to be a size which is comfortable for the birds feet, not too small or too large.
It is convenient to have two sets of food and water dishes so that they can be alternated and washed each day. Water must be changed and the dish washed every day. Food dishes can stay longer, with food added each day if preferred, but food dishes do need to be completely emptied, washed, and refilled at least once a week. Caution – food dishes sometimes look full, but only have seed hulls and waste in them, with no good food for the bird, check regularly.
Lovebirds need activity in the cage to stay healthy. Swings, ladders, and interlocked bamboo rings are favorites. The 6 inch cockatiel swings are the best size for lovebirds. Pet departments or stores have many choices in toys for pet birds. Avoid small toys designed for parakeets and budgies. Lovebirds have very strong beaks for chewing and can break these items. Toys designed for cockatiels and small parrots are the right size for lovebirds.
FOOD
Lovebirds need the same size food as cockatiels and other small parrots. If you plan to feed your birds a seed mix, choose one which contains nutritional supplements to assure a “total diet” to keep birds healthy. Other less expensive seed mixes, or seeds sold for wild birds will not have all the nutrients your bird needs, although they can also be used if you provide lots of fresh foods. Note —pellet diets like Kaytee Exact or Pretty Bird are nutritionally complete and very good for birds, though some birds will be slow to accept them. Birds that are used to seeds will need to be given adequate time to adjust and learn to eat a pellet-only diet.
Try to give fresh foods at least 3 or 4 times a week. Our birds love apples, broccoli, cabbage, kale, carrots, parsley, and spinach. You can try other vegetables and fruits, too. Lettuce is okay, but it doesn’t have much nutritional value. In the summer we sometimes give dandelion and clover (flowers and greens) from the yard. Make sure to wash off any pesticides or chemicals which could hurt the bird. Our birds also like corn tortillas (not salted tortilla chips) and whole grain breads. Don’t feed anything with high fat, salt, or sugar content, like donuts, cake, or cookies. Caution — remember to remove any uneaten fresh food from the cage before it spoils.
Try to keep cuttlebone in the cage all the time to provide calcium for the bird. Millet sprays, sometimes called “seed trees” are a good treat.
OTHER NOTES
Lovebirds are very hardy and do not need to be kept particularly warm all the time, but should not be exposed to freezing conditions.
Lovebirds like to bathe frequently. The will bathe in their water dishes if the dishes are large enough. If not you can sit a shallow dish of water in the cage occasionally for their use. They also like to be sprayed with water mist once in a while. This helps keep their feathers in good condition.
Check out our wide selection of Bird Cages that are great for your pet Lovebirds.
