Lovebirds Blog

Love birds are diminutive parrots but they are quite aggressive. They have eight different kinds of breeds. Seven kinds of those breeds come from Africa and one of them is a native of Madagascar. They measure from five to seven inches in length and weigh as much as one and a half to two and a half ounces. They are tiny but they rather chubby and sturdy. They have short looking beaks that are hooked and their feathers are dull looking. In the wild, love birds like being in groups. The males do take charge of looking for food and then they bring it over to where the females are located. The females will direct them to their location with a chirping sound called the” flocks call.”They can live in solitary confinement but they must always be active and constantly communicating with their owners and other family members. They are playful birds and they will need to do regular exercises every day.  They love the attention that is given to them by their owners.

The Different Kinds Of Love Birds

• Distinguishable Love Birds – These pairs are easily recognizable based on their genders.

The kinds of love birds that are easy to identify are the following:

1. Madagascars – They are the tiniest of all love birds. Their back and wings are colored dark green. They have a grayish white color on their heads and chests. They can be identified by their significant black marked colors on their tails. The color of their feet, legs and beaks are all gray. The males and females may look similar in all ways except the females do not have gray patches on their forehead.
2. Red Faced Love Birds – They have a shiny green color and their breasts are quite pale. They have green colored tail feathers with marks of reddish orange and black. Their wings underneath are colored black. The feathers underneath the female’s wings are colored green. The female’s faces are more reddish than the males which are reddish orange in color; their faces have a lesser amount of the color blue.
3. Abyssinian Love Birds – They are known as Black Winged Love Birds. They are mainly colored green. They have a tinge of sparkling red on their foreheads spreading out around their eyes. Their feathers used for flying are colored black.  They have significant black bars on the under side of their tails. They have gray legs and feet. Their beaks are colored red. With exception to their colored red beaks, gray feet and legs, the females are fully colored green. The females do not have black marks like the males do.

• Indistinguishable Love Birds –These are pairs of love birds that have similar features and they are quite difficult to determine whether they are males or females.

The kinds of lovebirds that are difficult to identify are the following:

1. Peached Faced – They have a wide variation of colors because of the many mutations that have been done since their arrival in the United States of America. Their common binding factors are their peach or rosy colored faces. Their body colors are composed of shiny yellow, blue and green colors.
2. Black Cheeked – They are predominantly color green and have orange patches on their chests. Their heads are color brown and they have colored black faces. Their beaks are colored red and their legs and feet are colored gray.
3. Nyasa Love Birds – These pairs have orange colored heads and beaks. The middle parts of their bodies are colored yellow. Their bottom parts are colored green. They have gray legs and feet.
4. Fischers Love Birds – Their backs, breasts and wings are colored green. Their necks are colored yellow gold and it steadily proceeds to become orange upon reaching their heads and faces. They also have white rings around the vicinities of their eyes. Their heads are marked with olive green patches and their beaks are colored red with gray legs and feet.
5. Masked Love Birds  – They have similarities with the Peach Faced Love Birds because they have so many mutations, therefore they have a lot of varying colors. They have a persistent Black mask on their faces. The bottom of their bellies have gray and blue colorings their beaks are primarily color red but they have found out that at times their beaks can be colored white. They have the regular gray legs and feet.

Eye Rings – These birds can also be classified because of their eye rings; those that don’t have it and those that have.

Those that don’t have it are: The Red Faced Love Birds, The Madagascar Love Birds, The Abyssinian Love Birds and The Peach Faced Love Birds. Those that have it are: The Masked Love Birds, The Nyasa Love Birds, The Black Cheeked Love Birds and The Fischer’s Love Birds.

Love birds are very beautiful creatures. They are the tiniest birds in the parrot family. In the wild they are considered to be aggressive. They needed to be in order to survive. Since they are small birds, they are always being threatened by larger birds.  They love to interact with their owners and other individuals. Love birds can become good pets if they are properly weaned. They are smart and active birds. They love getting the attention of people. Owners must make them know that they are the leaders. These little birds can be taught to follow their owner’s command and wishes. Owners must be patient with their love birds.

Important Information:

• Measurements – They are at least five and a half to six and a half inches in length and much has to do with what kind of attributes they possess. The quality and the kind of species is a relevant factor also. They will weigh as much as forty five to sixty grams. The measurements of the love birdies are almost the same as their parents. They will increase in weight and in sizes as their growth progresses. This is not a notable factor though.
• Color Variations – Love birds come in a string of beautiful and magnificent colors like: green, yellow, blue, orange, purple and white with different combinations.  They have so many mutations that are quite appealing and can fit into the taste requirements of multiple owners.
• Sound degree. Their sounds are considered to be a lesser or lower level than other parrots. But of course, sound levels may vary from bird to bird and also, one person’s perception of the sound may be different than another’s. What may be too much for one person might be alright for another. These birds have a high pitched tone. This is something that may need to be considered before purchasing a love bird.
• Cages Needs – Cages must have minimum measurements of sixteen by sixteen by twenty four which is just right for their love birds. This will have the right space requirement to fit in two perches, two toys and three dishes to be used for water, food and for pellets/seeds. There will be substantial spaces for birds to flap their wings as they wish. The cage bars must have a spacing of at least ½ inches. When bars are too far apart, it will be difficult for the birds to climb around their cages.
• Supplemental Supplies. They will need a flexible gym that can be used when they are bringing their birds with them for a vacation or for a scheduled visit to the vet’s clinic. These love birds can be trained to stay in the gym and make it their temporary living quarters. Investing in a travel pet carrier will also be useful and advantageous.
• Appropriate Pets – They are charming and pleasing pets. Owners should not only rely on what others tell them but they should also read about love birds before buying them. When they gather all the information, they must think thoroughly and ask themselves if these birds are meant for them.

Love birdies (baby love birds) get irritated after five or six weeks of feeding them formulated food. This is usually done through the use of syringes. They would still like the food but they will hesitate if they are given the same amount of food. They should never be forced to do something against their own will. Owners must change their strategy and supply them a wider array of foods.

Abundance weaning has become a very popular trend nowadays.  Experienced owners and breeders have found it easier and beneficial for their love birdies. In comparison with forced weaning, it is the owners that control everything. They determine the schedule, time and the amount of food given to their birdies. In abundance weaning the love birdies are given different kinds of food, like tinges of veggies and fruits that are always available while continually hand feeding their birdies. The birdies will continually have faith and belief in the people that are handling them. When they have learned to acquire the respect and trust of their owners, both of them will have a long and wonderful long-term relationship together.   At first, abundance weaning is needed for the nutrition of their love birdies but ultimately it will give their love birdies the needed emotional relief and security.

Abundance weaning gives their birdies the chance to determine for themselves when the hand feeding should stop. Their love birdies must never go hungry. Let them have their way to try out the new choices of food on hand.  Weaning their birds in this manner will build their inner confidence to accept varieties of food and they will remain assured in their new environment. It will also give them the necessary intellectual and emotional development that they are in dire need of.  It shows the love birdies that as owners, they are aware of their birdie’s needs.

Many breeders have said that abundance breeding is the best way to wean love birds. This gives them more freedom to do what they want. Love birds like doing things on their own. They will not need the assistance of their owners when rearing up their young. This is in their character, they want to make choices on their own and this is why abundance weaning is a good choice for love birdies.

When their birdies are being properly weaned, owners are assuring them of their constant love, care and strong inner feeling support. Their birds will in turn learn to believe and have confidence in them.

Owners should be watchful during this process because they must make sure that their birdies do not lose much weight. They are not like other birds that eat to their hearts content when they are being weaned. Love birds have this tendency of eating little by little rather than stuffing themselves all at once. It is only during parenting when they will eat heavily.

They would still like the food but they will hesitate if they are given the same amount of food. They should never be forced to do something against their own will. Owners must change their strategy and supply them a wider array of foods.

Abundance weaning has become a very popular trend nowadays.  Experienced owners and breeders have found it easier and beneficial for their love birdies. In comparison with forced weaning, it is the owners that control everything. They determine the schedule, time and the amount of food given to their birdies. In abundance weaning the love birdies are given different kinds of food, like tinges of veggies and fruits that are always available while continually hand feeding their birdies. The birdies will continually have faith and belief in the people that are handling them. When they have learned to acquire the respect and trust of their owners, both of them will have a long and wonderful long-term relationship together.   At first, abundance weaning is needed for the nutrition of their love birdies but ultimately it will give their love birdies the needed emotional relief and security.

Abundance weaning gives their birdies the chance to determine for themselves when the hand feeding should stop. Their love birdies must never go hungry. Let them have their way to try out the new choices of food on hand.  Weaning their birds in this manner will build their inner confidence to accept varieties of food and they will remain assured in their new environment. It will also give them the necessary intellectual and emotional development that they are in dire need of.  It shows the love birdies that as owners, they are aware of their birdie’s needs.

Many breeders have said that abundance breeding is the best way to wean love birds. This gives them more freedom to do what they want. Love birds like doing things on their own. They will not need the assistance of their owners when rearing up their young. This is in their character, they want to make choices on their own and this is why abundance weaning is a good choice for love birdies.

When their birdies are being properly weaned, owners are assuring them of their constant love, care and strong inner feeling support. Their birds will in turn learn to believe and have confidence in them.

Owners should be watchful during this process because they must make sure that their birdies do not lose much weight. They are not like other birds that eat to their hearts content when they are being weaned. Love birds have this tendency of eating little by little rather than stuffing themselves all at once. It is only during parenting when they will eat heavily.

There are a lot of things that prospective owners must do and know before buying their love birds. They must examine the history of these birds and find out more facts about them. They should be aware that these birds will need a lot of their time and attention. They will have to find out for themselves if they have the time and patience to take care of these birds. Remember, owning birds is not just merely buying and feeding them. They must know how to take care of these creatures and how to deal with their different characteristics. These birds must be fed with the proper food and given the necessary nutrition.

Owners should be sure of what they are buying.  These birds are quite difficult to distinguish when it comes to identifying their gender.  The only sure way of determining their gender is through DNA testing. This is done by clipping their toe nails a little bit higher than the usual normal manner in order to get a sample of their blood. They must make sure that they have the container of styptic powder beside them when doing this. This will be used to stop the bleeding right away. Owners themselves can do this and they can buy the kit from any reputable pet store near them. Another method of DNA testing involves the use of feathers.

There are some visible signs that can help determine whether the love birds are males or females. The females are normally larger than the males and their pelvic bones are also bigger than the males. They can touch the pelvic area with their index fingers very gently. The pelvic bones of the females will move a bit when touched. This makes it easier for the eggs to pass through. Both males and females will shred the nesting materials for their nests but the females are more adept at handling these materials. They will put it under their wings and bring it to the nesting boxes. The males will try to do the same thing but will constantly fumble and later give up.

Other things To Consider:

1. Maintenance – They must make sure that they must have adequate cash on hand to properly care for the love birds. Owners will need to buy food for their birds, cages that are the right size and shape, and cage accessories like perches, water and food containers. Prices can differ, depending on the stores that are selling them. Owners should have an emergency love bird fund on hand in case there are emergencies.
2. Assertive – Love birds must not be mixed with other species of birds – they can become hostile and kill them or be killed. These are small birds and in the wild other big birds would pick on them. These birds are quite offensive. Any bird near them is considered a threat and they will definitely launch an attack. In the wild they are considered as survivors and they will do anything to protect themselves.
3. Uproars – Their uproars are at a lesser volume than other parrots and this makes them perfect pets.  Owners must be able to tolerate the noise level of their birds and they should never get irritated with the typical and normal bird sounds that the love birds will make.
4. Small Birds –Love birds are the smallest in the parrot family. They can stay with their owners in apartments or small houses. They can buy a pair of love birds or just solitary ones will do. This has never been an issue with them but they need to communicate regularly with people – Love birds are very social and if left completely alone they will just fade away and die.

Owners of Love birds should know what to do when the eggs of their pet birds begin hatching. They must control themselves and let their love birds take control of the situation. They should see to it that the young ones are given food by their parents but they do not have to keep on inspecting the babies too often. This could be nerve racking for the birds. The job of the owners is to make things easier and comfortable for the parental love birds. They must reduce the stress level of the parents. The males will eat their food and then it will cast up the partially digested food. The females will pick it up and do the same thing all over again and then give it to their young ones. This will certainly drain their power and they might notice that their male love birds are losing a little bit of their weight.  After awhile the males will do this feeding by themselves and will refuse assistance from their female counterparts.

Ways to reduce their love bird’s stress:

1. Supply The Parental Birds With Food – The parent birds should be given vast varieties of food that can be digested without much difficulty. Food that is given must be tender so that it is easy to munch on and it must not be left in their cages for more than an hour after it has been consumed. If the owners have to go to work, they must give the birds fresh food in the morning. The leftovers should be replaced with millets, pellets, veggies like sunflower sprouts or broccoli flowers that must be cut up into small pieces.  These birds must also be given quality seed mixes. New food must be given to them when their owners get back from their offices.
2. Supply Them With Cuttlebone – It will be good for them plus a lot of water, at least two bowls. They will make their own soup and will leave the other bowl of water untouched for a couple of hours. The other bowl of water must be placed away from their food bowls so that any sort of bacterial infections can be prevented. Any of these love birds will drop pellets into the water bowl and they will now produce instant soup.  If the parents are doing this, make sure that the bowls are changed within an hour or two. This is to prevent bacteria from creeping into the system of their birds.
3. Supply Them Constantly With Clean Water – Always make sure that the water bowls have clean water throughout the day and night time because these birds are extremely active and being a parent on top of that can tire them out quickly. They will need water to refresh themselves from this kind of ordeal.
4. Know How To Feed Their Birdies – Usually the parents feed them from their back.  Owners must also know how to feed the young babes. This is because a parent love bird may get irritated and starts to attack the young ones. It is best to consult an experienced breeder or hand feeder for this purpose. This should be done before the eggs hatch. This will be handy in case any emergency happens.  Owners should be prepared to be patient and caring because they will have to do this every fifteen to thirty minutes throughout the whole day. This is the usual procedure done to a day old birdie.

Here are some suggestions that new owners of love birds must do to keep their new birds and their other pet love birds safe in a proper manner.

1. They must keep their birds away from other love birds for at least a month. They must be given their own rooms to stay in. It is important that their other love birds are kept clean, fed and cared for properly.  This will ensure that there will be no spreading of contaminating sicknesses and since these are new birds they must be checked by an avian vet to see if they have any diseases.
2. The birds must have time to rest. They need a quiet atmosphere, free from the noises of other pets. They must be left to themselves for some time so that they can get used to their new environment. Don’t be in a hurry to start taming and training them. Owners should wait for their love birds to feel at ease with their housing cages or room aviaries. The birds must feel very relaxed with their new found flock consisting of their owners and families.
3. If their owners are love bird enthusiasts, they must change their clothes and have them washed before and after visiting their new love birds, especially if they are in aviaries. This will help to contain the spread of diseases.
4. Never use round cages for the housing of their love birds, because it can make their love birds feel so frantic. Their cages must be considerably huge in size and it must be at least three feet and a half inches by three feet and two inches by two feet. The perches must be properly placed so that the disturbances caused by their trail feathers can be prevented. Cages must be placed at eye level in a corner of the room. This makes the love birds feel secured.
5. Temperatures must be stable and should be at least close to twenty seven degrees centigrade for the first twenty five to thirty days of their stay in their new premises. Heat lamps or infrared lamps are good for these purposes. They can lower the heat to room temperature after a month but they must do it slowly and over a time of fifteen to twenty days.

Things That They must Not Do:

1. Never change the birds’ diets suddenly. It must be changed a bit slowly and it must be over a time frame of two to three weeks. When diets are changed suddenly, this can cause problems in their digestive tracts and their lives can be placed in peril.
2. Never place love birds in areas where they can be hit by wind drafts. You can use box type of cages that are impenetrable by strong winds. These are made of thin metal or wood. They must make sure that these box cages have good ventilation.
3. The birds should not be given grit for at least ten to fifteen days. They might develop mental or physical tension and they could express this through over eating. This can cause severe health concerns.
4. Never leave their wings unclipped.  Love birds are prone to flapping their wings and if their wings are not clipped, they can be injured seriously.
5. Never leave love birds total darkness.  They must be supplied with proper lighting at night. A seven watt night light will be sufficient for their needs. They need to go to their perches, drink or feed themselves. They must have ten to twelve hours of rest and they must be given fresh food and water to drink.
6. Never have any type of chemicals near the birds. Don’t leave windows open. Never expose them to too much sunlight. Remove all moldy grains and don’t feed the birds unwashed veggies and fruits. Also be sure that the water is always clean and fresh. Spring water is the best for them.

The scientific surname of Love Birds is Psittacidae and their group is called Psittaculini, belonging to the Agapomis class. They are composed of nine species, with eight of them found in Africa. They have a lot of prominence because of several articles written about them through the years by European bird enthusiasts and writers who have gone to Africa. They are well liked by bird lovers, by breeders and birds enthusiasts.

They are very good looking birds and because they are small they have an added appeal for many. They do not need large areas to live in. They are easy to get along with though they are birds that crave for attention. If they are given proper attention, they will be their owner’s good companion for a long time. These birds can be taught a lot of things and when they are properly trained they will be perfect companions and pets.

They have wonderful characteristics because of their inclination to investigate things around them. These birds are fun to be with because they can give performances like dancing around and are very playful. Love birds are nice to have around because they are perky and life with them is never a dull moment.  They have short sturdy bodies but they can do a lot of tricks. They are not boring.

There are nine species of love birds: The Madagascar, The Red faced, The Abyssinian, The Black Colored Los, The Peach Faced, The Nyasa, The Black Cheeked, The Fischer’s and The Masked Love Birds. The most common Love Birds that can be found as pet bids are the following: Fischer’s Love birds, Masked Love birds and the Peach Faced Lovebirds These birds are easy to get along with and with proper training they will make excellent pet birds and companions.

It is a common fact that love birds are one of the easier pet birds to take care of, especially when owners pay attention to their needs these are tiny parrots but they are as smart as the larger birds and they have the same capabilities of larger parrots.  One thing owners must know is that these birds must not be cross–bred because this can result in their love birds being infertile.

They must keep their blood lines pure because tainting will tarnish the genes of these birds. Another explanation for this is that these love birds cannot be imported anymore.  When purchasing love birds it is best to expect that you will have to work with the birds to create the pet of your dreams. The birds have to feel that they are well accepted by their owners.

Love birds have a life span of only fifteen to twenty years. When owners decide to purchase these they must make sure that they will devote time to care and they must give them the necessary attention. Love birds enjoy receiving attention.  One thing nice about these birds is that they can be trained to live satisfactorily with their owners. Owners must in turn offer their love sincere love and affection. If you provide love and care your love birds will adore you.

Love birds are loveable creatures. They are very good companions and they like to communicate with human beings. These birds do have some traits that must be polished so that they will have better relationships with their owners.

Training their love birds will make them understand what the owners expect from them. They will learn to follow rules. Owners cannot be with their love birds all the time. Their love birds must know this and learn to accept this. Love birds must get the proper amount of attention needed or else they may become hot heads.

Training your love birds is the only solution to minimize behavioral problems of the birds. It tells them what their owners will permit to happen and what they don’t like to occur. Training starts with the owners making a pledge and commitment to their pets. They must be sincere in doing this, because everyone will benefit from this. It is a time wherein owners and love birds can come together and understand each other. It is a time for them to bond.

Love birds may start screeching because they might be hurt emotionally, because their owners must have disregarded them and not given them enough attention. Owners must give them attention but they should not overdo this or else they will spoil their birds. If they are demanding too much attention, they must leave them alone and go back when they are not noisy. They can refuse giving them treats for awhile. They must acknowledge that their owners are the leaders of the flock.

Love birds do bite. It may not be as painful as the bigger parrots. When they do this, it might be because they want to tell their owners something. They might want to play with their owner. These birds cannot utter words and so they will do this through their actions. If the birds are biting their owners because they don’t want to go back to their cages or taken out of their perches, their owners must remind their birds that they are the leaders and the love birds must follow their command. Owners must not react to their bites but must remain calm and composed. If they do this, it will make their love birds aware of things that they do. It will remind them that they will not get everything that they desire.

Feather plucking may indicate that the love birds might have an illness and a visit to the vet might be proper thing for owners to do.  It can be the result of emotional problems that their love birds are encountering. They may not be getting the right amount of interaction with their owners. Start playing and training the love birds and their problems might be resolved.

Training is the easiest method that can be used to refine the love bird’s behavior. It teaches the birds what kinds of behaviors are acceptable and it creates sincerity and trust between love birds and owners.

It’s just like preparing for a new baby to come into the home. Everything must be ready for the arrival of the lovebirds. Before a purchase it is important to do research and ask opinions from people that know and understand birds. This helped owners prepare for the arrival of their new birds and they are confident about the type of love birds they want. Of course, there are certain things that the owners must make sure to have ready in order to make their bird’s stay with them quite happy.

Things Needed:

1. Bird Cages – They must make sure that they have the right size cages for their birds and it must be placed in the right area.  They must assemble the cages in the proper way. If they are going to buy cages, they must make sure that the measurements are right.  House members need to understand how to behave around the birds. This helps the birds adjust to their new environment and makes the transition easier for everyone.
2. Cage Accessories – The right toys should be supplied and the toys have to be the right size. It’s important that the toys are sturdy, safe and not easily breakable. The love birds’ beaks are quite powerful. All of the accessories must be well placed in their cages before their arrival. Appropriately sized perches should be included. Water and food should be placed in the right areas of the cages; a liner can be placed underneath the cage trays. This is useful for monitoring the bird droppings. These are necessities so that when the birds step into their cages everything is ready for them.
3. Food, Special Treats, Plus Vitamins And Supplements Must Be Prepared – When the first days of feeding their birds starts, owners will need to find the right solution on how to feed their new birds and monitor how they adapt to the food, vitamins and other supplements.  Some love birds can be quite choosy when eating their meals. Their vets may also require them to take vitamins and other supplements. Its important for the owners to ensure that they have all of these supplies on hand before the love birds are settles in their new homes.
4. Find a good vet – owners must have a good vet beforehand and then make an appointment with them so that they can examine their love birds and see if they are in healthy condition. They can proceed to ask their vets questions on how they should take care of their Love birds. They can give the owners valuable information on this matter.
5. Get a First Aid Kit – Anything can happen to the love birds. Love birds are very active and they can get into accidents. Because of this all new owners of love birds must be well prepared.

By preparing ahead of time, the changes will be easier on the owner, other household members, and the love birds. The first days spent with their love birds will be significant. Their love birds will regard them as new members of their group. Being prepared ahead of time will help ensure that everything will turn out well.

Having love birds as pets can be very demanding. These birds need to be well taken cared. Just like Human beings, they have their own quirks that their owners must deal with. They are quite temperamental when they are not properly attended to. How much attention the owner gives to their pet birds will depend on the kind of relationships they will have. Love birds are very active and they love to socialize a lot.

These birds cannot take care of their owners, but they can give them happiness, companionship and satisfaction. These birds can enlighten their daily lives with antics, tricks and their playfulness. Love birds that have been paired will stay together for a long time and only death can set them apart. Some bird enthusiasts believe that love birds that have been paired will not be as close to their owners that other love birds that are not paired. This belief does not have substantial findings to make it a fact. What is known is that Love birds are good companions.

Owners must do the following things so that their love birds will be closer to them:
1. Bond with them – These birds, once they get attached to their owners will treat them as one of their flock members. In this way, owners must make the time to connect with them every day. This must be at the same time every day. During this time, they must see to it that they will have time to play with their birds. Their love birds must be able to exercise by flying around in a room. Owners can even converse with their love birds and their love birds will listen intently to them
2. Be devoted to your love birds – They must treat them like new born babies and they must be there for them and make sure that their daily needs are met.
3. Take care of them – You must make sure that they have the proper cages and materials inside their cages. They must be given the right foods and nutrition so that they can maintain good health. Feeding must be done at the right time. All of their materials in their cages must be non toxic. Owners must make sure that their cages are clean and that their food must not be spoiled. They must make sure that the empty trays of water and food are taken out immediately. Never raise their voices when they are near them. They must talk in a modulated volume. These birds are easily frightened and they can become nervous.
4. Give them protection – Owners must keep their Love birds safe from anything that will harm them. Protection can be done by training them so that they won’t do bad habits like plucking their feathers. They must make sure and keep an eye on them when they are out of their cage. . They must not just leave them anywhere. These birds can be stepped on or sat on, because they are very small birds
5. Show them affection – They must be cuddled and caressed in a very gentle manner. This will show them that they are well appreciated and well liked. Give them special treats as rewards for the good deeds that they have done.