Thank you everyone for the advice I got here last time regarding my lovebirds. I am in need once again. I have since become near positive that i have two female siblings, who were once friends, but now seem to fight often. The one is dominant over the food, and it was suggested that I seperate them. Although we spend as much time as we can with them, I do not think our schedule allows enough, as in, I fear for their loneliness if they are seperated, and fear for their safety if I keep them together. They groom each other, and "pretend" to crop feed each other, but still, the older one is jealous if we try to pay attention to the younger, and won't let him/her eat - this does not happen every single time, but it does happen every day. I'm in such a dilema, if I seperate them, won't they be sad, seeing each other in their own cages, but not being able to snuggle with each other? Has anyone had any experience or situation like mine, and would like to share the outcome? Thanks.

Well, I am not an expert on Lovebirds, and my experience with them is relativley limited. My first thought however is saftey first. If you truly fear for their saftey and think they will harm eacother, then serparate them ASAP. If you house them in separate cages right next to eahother, I dont think lonliness should be an issue.

I wonder if the older one isnt jealous that you are spending time with the younger one, but angry at you and trying to warn the younger one that there is danger. If they are bonded and preen and for the most part spend are ok together, then maybe this is just a phase? Maybe a larger cage with more food bowls so they each have more room to claim....

Again, this is just my first thoughts, I hope someone with experience with lovies comes along soon. Good Luck!

I don't have too much lovebird experience, it is too many years since I last had any. You need 2 dishes of everything so far apart that one bird can't guard them both. Probably as they appear bonded sometimes the fighting is jealousy related to you, a bigger cage is probably needed. On the other side lovies have killed each other after being together for a long time. I don't have anything useful to add. Only you know if the fight is real or just a little sqwabble and a bit of beaking.

Thanks guys! I followed the guidelines for the cage, it's even a bit bigger than most I've seen for a pair of lovebirds, and I put a dish of food at each opposite end of the cage, along with two water bowls, two of everything actually! haha!! I was thinking about what you said - about it being about me/us. When they are out of the cage, they never leave each other, and if they find themselves on opposite sides of the room, they constantly talk to each other. The fights have only come recently, I've heard that if they are females, they can hurt each other, and become food aggressive. What do you think about this? I was told by the gal I "rescued" them from, that she doesn't give her birds a nesting box because she doesn't want them to breed, but she hangs a bandana (tri-fold) in the corner for them to sleep in at night. So I did that, and they do in fact sleep in there at night - but I saw the one bird try to push the other one out of there during the day - like she's getting mad and wants it for herself. Should I put 2 bandanas in the cage, at opposite ends? Or...should I take it out all together? If I took it out, maybe (if they are girls) they won't be...nesting or whatever. But where will they sleep and keep warm? Let me know if you have an opinion on this. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!

The bandana is a difficult choice to make. I have been searching for wild lovebird behavior in this regard, I did not find anything. Basically if the bird sleeps in a nest year round, it needs a nest in the cage. If a bird does not sleep in a nest year round, no nest must be given in the cage. If you can search for how wild birds sleep at night you will have a better idea of the needs of your pet. If in the wild a bird uses a tree hole or nest then, the bandana is just a sleeping place not a baby raising nest. Birds are wild creatures and very hard wired with the way they live their lives.

A nest will encourage broody aggressive behavior in any species that does not use nest year round in the wild.

Two of everything really means, two of everything. This means 2 food dishes, 2 water dishes, 2 perches, 2 bandana, 2 swings etc, I don't know what is in the cage or how much space there is.

I would recommend putting them in separate cages next to each other- if they can see and hear each other, they will not be lonely. You can even let them out for supervised play/snuggle time together.
It just isn't worth the risk to keep them together; female lovebirds are very aggressive and have been known to kill each other.

Thanks everyone who took the time to respond to my need for help. I think I will take Maximum411's advice, and get another cage. I'm nervous every time I leave the house for fear of what I'll find when I get home. We'll try it and see how it goes. I do have 2 of everything in the cage at this time, it's almost comical (but sad) to see the green one go up to eat out of one bowl, and the gray one runs over and boots her, then she goes to the other food bowl, and the gray one runs over and boots her. So, the green one will go play with something, so the gray one will want it, and then runs up and eats while she's busy with the toy. Oh Brother. BTW, their names are Hansel and Gretel...but now that they might both be girls??? They are just over a year old now, and I'm afraid it will just get worse from here on out. ??? It might be little fits of rage now, but what if I wasn't here when it happens, and it escalates to something worse? I usually find them sound asleep when I get home, but that doesn't mean that's all they did while I was gone. Oh...wish me luck. Thanks again so much, I'm very glad to have found this place to ask for help, as I don't know much about what I'm doing...hehe. Take care everyone. Jodee

your best bet is to seperate them when you are not home,for their saftey,when you are home and can monitor them then you can have them together,let them have play/cuddle time. make sure they both get the same amount of attention,maybe when you are playing with one have someone else playing with the other,lovebirds can be very aggressive.but yet can get very lonely if alone.they will bicker that is normal and do some beaking at each other,as long as they are not casuing physical harm to one another,then let them have their time together.

Thank you Chance. Hm...that's pretty sound advice. It sort of takes care of all my worries.

I really don't want them to be lonely, and certainly don't want them to hurt each other. Have you (or anyone else out there) ever heard of two girls/siblings (lovebirds) living happily together for long periods of time? Do you happen to have an opinion on the bandana thing? One? Two? None? J

I will need to try to dig up a article that was published written by me on lovebirds,it has alot of great information.
But anyway, yes siblings or same sex can live together happy,I have 30 lovebirds right now at the shelter,they are all flying free and its interesting to watch who the buddy up with,I have alot that pair up male/female and a couple boys that are bonded.I even have one who is bonded to a parrotlet.
you should have two of everything in their cage for them,that way there is no fighting ,they are like kids and you never want to buy just one of anything LOL.
but like I said just watch to make sure they do not cause any physical harm to each other ,like kids they will bicker. they are called lovebirds for a reason : )