BrokenWing Chronicles
Love Birds

One lovebird or two lovebirds (The myth)

Many first time lovebird owners feel that it is necessary to buy two lovebirds because they have heard that with out a mate a single lovebird will wither away and die of loneliness.
Who started saying that was either lying or misinformed as lovebirds do just as good as a single bird as they do in pairs.

Although lovebirds do not need another lovebird to share it's cage with it still needs a human to share its colorful life with or else it will wither up and die.
If you buy two birds they will bond with each other and look so cute snuggled up to each other but since they have each other they might not bond to you.

If you buy only one lovebird then you will have to give her just as much attention as another lovebird would give her but that doesn't mean spending 24 hours a day 7 days a week tending to your pet.
Having one lovebird means you will have to let her out of the cage and play with her to keep her entertained.
You will find that your lovebird will want to cuddle and chirp at you because she loves you as you are her mate.
Lovebirds - FAQs

Q - How can I tell the sex of my lovebirds?
Keywords: What sex is my lovebird, telling if lovebirds are male or female, how to tell if it is a boy or girl, sexing, gender

A - You cannot 100% accuratly define the sex of a lovebird just by looking or feeling it, you need to get your lovebird DNA sexed since that is the only 100% accurate way.
You can find more information out by going to Lovebirds - females vs males or by going to Avian Services Center: DNA sexing and disease testing for all species of birds. to get your lovebirds DNA sexed.

Q - How old do lovebirds live to be?
Keywords: age of lovebirds, lovebird ages how long do lovebirds live, life expectancy

A - Lovebirds can live to be anywhere from 15 to 20 years allthough some may live to be 30 years old.
The length of time your lovebird lives for is dependable on its surroundings; so if you give it fresh clean water each day and fresh food plus lots of love and attention then your lovebird should live quite some time.
Lovebirds - FAQs

Sexing Your Lovebirds

Lovebirds are not sexually dimorphic, which means that you cannot visually tell if a lovebird is a male or a female. However, there are some subtle differences between males and females, but they are only SLIGHT differences and do not constitute a definite method of sexing lovebirds.

* Hens often have wider pelvises (as they have to pass eggs) and are usually a little broader than males and often perch with their legs a little further apart than cocks. Experienced breeders can quite often sex lovebirds by feeling their pelvic bones (under the tail). The male pelvic bones are closer together, feel pointier, less "flexible" than female pelvic bones. With some birds you can feel a distinct difference, others are "iffy" to say the best. Quite similarly to us humans, where some females are more "rounded" than others. It is not a definite method, but breeders are using it regularly -- understanding full well that it is not a sure method of sexing.


* Don't Trust Natural Pairings: Lovebirds don't always pair up male and female, but sometimes pair up with a same-sex lovebird. Breeders will find out about such pairing when both birds start laying eggs (10 or more eggs in a nesting box), or no eggs are laid at all. Of course, eggs laid by two paired females will be infertile.


* DNA Sexing: If you want to make sure that the lovebirds are the correct sex, you could use a DNA service to test it. There are feather and blood DNA sexing services available. You send in samples and get the results in days -- at a much lower cost than having your local vet do it.
Breeding Lovebirds

About Lovebirds
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Agapornis
All about Lovebirds, at Animal World

So how do you know which are male and female lovebirds? Well obviously if one of a pair lays an egg it's a girl. If a baby hatches from that egg then the other is a boy. But you could have a female that never lays eggs, or a male that can't fertilize those eggs. Or maybe the pair has just not bonded to each other and need to be with new mates. And in lovebirds you need to wait until the birds are sexually mature before encouraging them to breed. Females can lay eggs starting at 10 or 12 months of age.
Sexing Lovebirds

General rules for determining the sex of a lovebird( not as absolutes)

* Hens tend to be sturdier and heavier in build.

* Males often have more intense coloring.

* The female will sit on a perch with her legs spread
further apart than the male.

* Females bite harder.

* Nest building activity is stronger in the female.

* Males feed the female.

* Tail feathers flare differently when birds meet. Females show
the tail feathers to be of the same length (straight across),
males hold the feathers slightly nipped (rounded).

* Males sit outside nest box during the day

* Females sit inside nest box during the day.

* Females more aggressive protecting their territory.

* Females are usually dominate.

* Males sometimes abuse chicks.

The most reliable way is: females lay eggs.
All About Sexing Lovebirds

Cage Requirements
Parrot Bird Cage The minimum cage requirements for a Lovebird is 18x18x18 inches, with the bar spacing no larger than 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch. In my opinion, a bigger cage is better because you can provide more toys without it being crowded.

You might give some thought to how you are going to retrieve the bird from the cage when necessary. Some cages have little doors and tall roofs that are impossible to get to the top of, especially when filled with perches and toys.
Lovebird...Get Facts, See Pictures And Read What Owners Of Lovebirds Say.

Lovebird Problems

Screaming

Lovebirds can scream and make loud obnoxious noises for many reasons. The most important thing to do is ignore screaming, that means eye contact too. Yelling at the bird only reinforces this negative trait, so take caution how you deal with the situation.

* Walk out of the room: If your bird is handfed and is screaming to get your attention, walk out of the room and wait until it has stopped. Once the bird is quiet, walk into the room and praise him for being quiet. This works wonders and you will be surprised at how quickly they start to minimize screaming. This takes patience and time.



* Cover the cage: Another way to address this issue is by putting a cover over the cage when the bird begins to scream continually. Birds do not like being separated from everything. Covering them calms them down for the moment.

*Remember, this is a great technique just don’t abuse it. Keeping your bird covered all day long is unhealthy for him and can cause further issues. Only apply this technique if absolutely necessary and make sure you do not keep them covered for too long, it is mentally unhealthy for the bird to be covered all day long. A way to apply this is to cover them for up to 5 minutes no more than 4 times a day. That way the bird gets the idea that he is being covered because his behavior is not favorable, not because it’s nap time.
ParrotFeather.com - Lovebird Problems

How to Identify Sick Lovebirds?
Absolutely Adorable Lovebirds: How to Identify Sick Lovebirds?

What to Feed Lovebirds
Lovebirds do not always accept new foods into their diets readily,
sometimes it may take up to 2 weeks or more for them to try a
new food.
Lovebirds love green foods and most fruits.
All About Feeding Lovebirds

About 5-10% of a Lovebird's diet should be bite-sized fruits and
veggies like apples, grapes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach,
dandelion, mustard greens and shredded carrots. Offer daily or
every 2-3 days. Petey & Petunia love fresh kale.
Keep a cuttle bone or mineral block in a Lovebird's cage at all times.
( I do not support the use of cuttle bone as the product may splinter and harm your bird, BrokenWing)
All About Lovebirds & Keeping Lovebirds as Pet Birds

As always, it is up to you (the reader) to determine if the information is right or wrong or if it can help you.
I pray you have a very rewarding relationship with your bird.

Take Care
BrokenWing

__________________

When all is done that is asked from me and I can fly no higher, I pray this day his hand extends to welcome home a flyer.
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Great article


There are 3 species of sexually dimorphic lovebirds. The three species are the Abyssinian lovebird (Agapornis taranta), the Madagascar lovebird (A. cana) and the redfaced lovebird (A. pullaria). To be fair, none of those three are common in the pet trade.

The three most common species of lovebirds found in the pet trade, the peachfaced (A. roseicollis), the masked lovebird (A. personata) and the Fischer’s lovebird (A. fischeri) are not sexually dimorphic. These are the species that most folks are familiar with.

For more information, folks might want to check out the African Lovebird Society webpage (African Love Bird Society lovebirds agapornis).