How to Care for Lovebirds and Lovebird Information

Blue Masked Lovebird

   Lovebirds are some of the most fascinating little parrots!

  Lovebirds are active, cheerful and beautifully decorative. These petite 'pocket' parrots are very intriguing! Lovebirds come from the drier regions of Africa. Because they evolved from a very harsh environment, they are very suited to captivity. Not only do they have a good disposition, these charming, brilliantly colored little pets are very hardy and easy to care for. They can also provide you with a successful breeding experience.
   In the wild lovebirds live in flocks. They will often bond with a mate for life and show fierce loyalty and affection to their family. If you can earn there affections as young birds, you will receive that same fierce loyalty from your little friends. They are very social with both their keepers and their mate.
   The rewards of keeping a single lovebird can be astonishing. The amazingly determined spirit of a pet lovebird can far surpass other small parrots, both in their ability to learn tricks and to show affection. But because of their strong devotion, a lovebird kept singly will require vast amounts of time and affection in return in order to thrive.

What's in the name ? = Agapornis
agapein	means	"to love" in Greek
ornis	means	"bird" in Latin

   Lovebirds also won't easily switch loyalties from one companion to another, whether it is to another bird or to another human. On the other hand, unless they are very attached to their keeper, lovebirds are not going to learn a lot of tricks or necessarily want to have a lot of handling.
   If you simply want to enjoy the antics and chatter of these colorful little birds, get two to keep in an indoor cage. Or you can get more to keep in an aviary. They are very flamboyant, and are wonderful birds to observe and enjoy.

Distribution    Lovebirds belong to the genus Agapornis. There are nine species of lovebirds and they are all native to Africa except one. The exception is the Grey-headed Lovebird which comes from the island of Madagascar. Most lovebirds live close to the equator where they inhabit dry savannah regions. There is one exception, a forest dwelling lovebird, the Black-collared Lovebird.
Description    The lovebird is a small stocky parrot mostly between 5.1-6.7 inches (13-17 cm). They have a large bill and a tail that is either round or square. Their average life span is between 10-12 years with some living even longer. The oldest recorded lovebird lived 17 years, and we have had one person state that their lovebird has lived for 25 years.
   The different species of lovebird are identifiable by their colors and markings. They vary greatly in their coloring, and each species can be viewed for their unique combinations. Younger birds are duller in color and they have black in their beaks. The young birds coloring intensifies as they reach maturity. Regardless of the species, mature lovebirds are gorgeous parrots.
  Three of the nine lovebird species are most commonly available lovebirds for pets. The other six are more rare, and in some cases, absent at least in the United States. The three common species are the Peach-faced Lovebirds, the Masked Lovebirds, and the Fischer's Lovebirds, and all three make wonderful pets. There are a variety of color mutations in lovebirds, developed from these three common species. This is especially true for the Peach-faced Lovebird, which can be bred in hundreds of different combinations of mutations. As a result, there are many new lovebird colors available.
   A wide variety of lovebirds can be found in the pet industry and from breeders. Some lovebirds and lovebird mutations that are commonly available include:

• Abyssinian Lovebird
• Albino Lovebird
• Black Masked Lovebird
• Blue Masked Lovebird
• Dutch Blue Lovebird
• Fischer's Lovebird
• Lutino Lovebird
• Peach-faced Lovebird

Care and feeding    In the wild, lovebirds feed on seeds, berries, fruits, grains, grasses, leaf buds, and agricultural crops of corn, maize and figs. Their food and water dishes are best if earthenware or porcelain as they will get gnawed if plastic.

• Bird Food
    Foods available for Lovebirds include formulated diets, either pelleted or extruded, seed only diets, and small parrot mixes which offer a mixture of both. There are pros and cons to feeding only a formulated diet as well as feeding only a seed diet.
• Formulated Diet:
     A formulated diet provides a good nutritional base so does not require the addition of vitamins. However it does not contain the phytonutrients (antioxidant pigments) that are found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and seeds. Phytonutrients are believed to boost the immune system, help a body to heal itself, and to prevent some diseases. Also, parrots can become bored with formulated diet due to the lack of variety.
• Seed Diet:
   A seed only diet offers much more variety but requires additional vitamin and calcium supplements. Lovebirds need not only nutritional requirements met but also variety for psychological enrichment.

A lovebirds's diet will consist of 1 1/2 to 2 ounces (45-60 grams) of feed daily for a single bird. A diet consisting of a small parrot mix along with a variety of supplements and vitamins is generally regarded as suitable. Also a formulated diet along with greens, fruits, and vegetable supplements but without additional vitamins is also regarded as suitable, and is a more current trend.

• Supplements
     Supplements include fresh vegetables, greens, tree branches for the bark, some fruits, and millet spray. Some of the fruit supplements include berries, apples, grapes, pears, bananas, and kiwi. Some of the greens and vegetable supplements include spinach, endive, watercress, chickweed, radish, parsley, dandelions, carrot tops, corn on the cob, peas, endive, field lettuce, and various garden herbs.
     Additional proteins can be offered such as nuts. Try some unshelled peanuts as well as hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and chestnuts.
    A cuttlebone, or gravel and oyster shell in a separate dish can be offered to provide calcium. Do not feed avocado as it can be toxic to birds!
    Vitamins can be added to the food or drinking water.
• Water
    Lovebirds drink a lot of water, so will need fresh drinking water every day.
• Bird Baths
     Most lovebirds love a bath either in a flat earthenware dish or by spraying them with a light mist of lukewarm water. If you use a bathing dish, you will see the birds perch on the edge and dip their heads and upper bodies in the water and beating their wings. They prefer this kind of bath to getting into the water.
• Bird Grooming
     Lovebirds generally maintain their nails and beaks on their own through climbing and chewing. Another good use they make of their tree branches.

  

Housing     Lovebirds are very active birds. When housing your lovebird, bird cages or an aviary best suited to them must provide a lot of space.

• Bird Cages:    A minimum of 32 x 20 x 20 (81 x 50 x 50 cm) per pair of birds is recommended with about four perches, feed and water dishes and an area for a bath. When you use a small cage, you must let your pet out daily to fly around.
     If you are housing pairs of lovebirds here are a few guidelines: Try to house only one species of lovebird as mixing species can cause serious fights. House either one pair of lovebirds or three pairs, never two pairs or there will be fighting. Each pair needs about 35 cubic feet of space.
• Bird Perch:
     Provide one or two perches about 3/4' in diameter and dishes hanging from the side for feed, water, and grit. Try to place the perches away from dishes so the food and water dish do not become soiled with bird droppings.    Do not use plastic because your bird will chew and break the plastic and it can become hazardous. Tree branches of a similar size make good perches and will help to wear the claws down naturally.
• Bird Hide / Nest Box:
    Lovebirds like special resting places. Nest boxes placed up high, all at the same level and all of the same type work well and help prevent fights.
• Aviary:
    A roomy indoor aviary, a bird room, or an outdoor aviary (depending on your area) are all good choices. The aviary needs plenty of light and fresh air. The outdoor aviary needs to have a protected shelter that can be heated and cooled where necessary. Flights are recommended to be a minimum of 6' x 6' x 3' (183 x 183 x 91 cm) with plenty of perches or branches at least 1 1/2" (15 cm) thick.

Maintenance    It is important For the health of your lovebird, it is important to keep bird houses and accessories clean and in good shape. Basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes. Weekly you should clean and disinfect the cage. Wash and completely dry the perches and toys whenever they become soiled. In the aviary, sand floors should be renewed annually.


Social Behaviors    Lovebirds as pets, as well as in the wild, are very social birds. Generally and in most situations, it is thought to be essential for their good health and happiness that they be kept in pairs, not singly. If keeping a single lovebird, you must provide the necessary social interaction that it is missing from another bird. These birds develop fierce loyalties to their keeper or their mate.
   Aside from their social nature toward you or their mate, lovebirds can be extremely aggressive towards other birds. You must be certain that all pairs get along together, and that they are true "pairs", not mismatched. Bonded pairs constantly groom each other and will feed each other from the crop during breeding season and all year round.
   These little birds will chatter all day long. They will hide in their nest box if they are startled by a sudden noise, if they spot a potential predator, or if it gets cold and windy.
Handling/Training    Lovebird training is best accomplished with a young bird. To have a tame lovebird, its also best to work with a single bird. Young birds have an amazing ability to learn tricks and be affectionate. Adults on the other hand, are very difficult to tame and generally won't learn a lot of tricks or imitate behaviors. Hand-raised youngsters are easiest to work with. They are already quite socialized and tame, but unfortunately they are not always available.
   Taming involves acceptance and trust between you and your bird. It means spending a lot of time with your bird daily. Start with talking softly and making slow movements. Once your bird is comfortable with you, then you can begin hand-taming. Use a dowel and push it gently against the birds chest while offering a treat to coax it up onto the dowel. This may take many tries. Once it is comfortable with stepping up onto a dowel, substitute your finger for the dowel.
   Lovebirds are not considered one of the best talkers, and only some may learn a few words.
Activities    Lovebirds awaken with the dawn, get a drink, eat, and then immediately begin to chirp. They will generally quiet down by mid-morning and resume their chirping in the late afternoon.
   These birds are very active, flying and climbing about, gnawing on wood or chew toys, and grooming themselves many times all day. They love toys of all kinds such as seed bells, swings, ladders, mirrors, shiny objects, and wooden gnaws. A lovebird outside of it's cage will not stay on it's playpen, they like to explore. Be sure this room is safe with no open doors or windows, no toxic plants, no open water containers, and no hot stove.
Breeding/Reproduction    One of the pleasures of lovebirds is that they are easy to breed. For breeding lovebirds, each pair of birds will need 2 nest boxes for sleeping and nesting. These boxes need to be of the same type and size, and placed at the same height on the same wall.

Bird Care

 Pet birds for various qualities, including their relatively basic requirements. However, bird ownership does carry responsibility. When kept healthy, smaller birds will live for 10 years, while many parrots will see their 60th birthday, so it is important for owners to understand it is a lifetime commitment.
Birds can be fairly hardy animals, but owners should take them to a veterinarian for routine care and annual checkups. It is also a good idea to find an avian specialist in case of an emergency.

Cages

Since the majority of pet birds spend most of their lives in a cage, they need enough room to spread their wings out, at the very least. For finches and other small species, there needs to be enough room to fly from one perch to another, but not enough space between the bars to escape.
The cage should be kept above the floor on a counter or hanging from a secure hook. Wind and drafts can cause serious harm to birds, so the cage must not be near any open windows.
Many birdcages come with perches but, as the bird may gnaw at them, it is a good idea to replace them with natural, pesticide-free, non-cedar tree branches. Safe toys are also important to keep birds stimulated.

Food and drink

Birds need constant access to fresh water. The sipper bottle or bowl must be cleaned regularly, as birds tend to be very messy when drinking.
piece of cuttlefish bone, available in most pet stores, provides an important source of calcium. For other nutrients, there are many formulated pellet diets and seed mixes. These diets are usually provided alongside a variety of whole grains, seeds and fresh vegetables. An avian veterinarian can suggest a healthy combination for the specific type of bird.

Preventative care

With their fast metabolism and short intestines, birds create a lot of droppings. It is important to clean out the bottom of the cage daily to prevent bacterial infection. Many cages come with removable bottoms, so cleaning is just a matter of sliding out the tray and replacing the soiled newspaper.
Daily cleanings give owners the chance to check on their pets’ health by counting droppings. Finding less than 30 in a day may suggest a metabolic problem and the need to visit a veterinarian.

Weight loss, skin problems and other illnesses can be hidden by feathers, but symptoms to look for include:

• Loss of appetite.
• Fluffing up.’
• Depression.
• Discharge from the nostrils and eyes.

Also, changes in behavior should prompt owners to seek medical attention.
A common cause of distress for birds is lack of rest. Some species need 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. Many owners cover the cage with a sheet at night. It is best to ask a veterinarian about the optimal sleeping pattern for the species.

Flight

Psittacine birds—including parrots, cockatiels and budgerigars—should not be kept in the cage at all times, as their high intelligence benefits from exercise and freedom. Parrots, for example, have strong spatial memory, so they can negotiate closed flight areas and find their cage again much more easily than a canary could.
Meanwhile, trying to catch a free-flying finch is almost impossible, unless the owner tires it out to the point of exhaustion, which could be harmful to it. So, flight freedom depends on species.
When a bird is flying outside its cage, windows should be not only closed, but also covered, as birds can seriously injure themselves flying into clear glass.
Wings can be clipped temporarily to prevent flight until the next moult. Properly clipped wings will allow the bird to soar down from a perch, but prevent mid-air collisions or easy escapes. Again, the appropriateness of this measure varies by species, so it is best to first consult a veterinarian.

How to protect your Cockatiel parrots from Illnesses

Cockatiels are one of the most lovable pets in the world. They are a valuable treasure to the owner. Cockatiels, just like humans, need a lot of attention and care. Parrots as pets are delightful but they can become extremely moody and temperamental. This may also depend on its health and diet.
Good cockatiel care involves not only regulation of diet but also of hygiene and cleanliness. Cockatiels, like most of its cousins in the parrot kingdom, are prone to some typical illnesses. Unfortunately, many are fatal and result in death even before the malady is diagnosed. As a result, cockatiels should always be kept under close supervision.
A wise owner of cockatiels is one who is aware of common cockatiel illnesses so that he/she can at least try and help. Many maladies are airborne and they set in even before you realize. It is advisable to seek professional advice whenever you suspect a crisis.
Some of the common illnesses are:
Pacheco’s Virus - It is easy to diagnose your cockatiel if Pacheco’s Virus infects it. The bird needs to be administered a strong oral dose of Zovirax medication. Vaccines are easily available for this disease, but they can bring about tumors and carriers. Evidence shows that parrots are likely to die shortly after inoculation.
Polyomavirus - Polyomavirus largely attacks the young ones. This virus is again air-borne and complicated to control. Look for clinical warning signs like depression, delayed crop emptying, anorexia, diarrhea, regurgitation and weight loss in parrots.
Beak and Feather Syndrome - Spread by feather dust and dried feces, parrots infected with PBFDS show abnormal growth of new feathers. The new-fanged shafts look as if swollen and gnarled. Another type of PBFDS symptom that is quite prevalent is growth abnormality of the beak. There is currently no known cure for this disease.
Wasting Disease - A highly contagious disease Wasting Disease is not as fast in opening out as Pacheco’s. Wasting Diseases are hard to reckon since they lie dormant for years, until hosts are on a move. Studies on parrot show Wasting Diseases have a severe effect on nervous systems extended to all of the major organs, triggering seizures, paralysis, and tremors, and also heart attacks. There is no known medication available for Wasting Disease, but changing the food patterns of the parrots by including easily digestible diet supplements may prolong the life of a victim.
Papilloma - Appearing primarily in the throat or vent areas, papilloma is caused by a virus infection similar to warts. It grows large enough to block the vent, making it difficult or even impossible for the host to defecate. Parrots diagnosed of Papilloma can be cured after successful laser surgery.
Psittacosis - Psittacosis is another most dreaded bacterial infection that commonly occurs in the cockatiels and is transmitted via feather dust and dried feces.
E-coli - This bacterium is not so lethal if it is acknowledged and treated at initial stages. In fact, when cockatiels are diagnosed of having Ecoli their droppings usually have the appearance of diarrhea, giving out strong odor.
Gout - Calcification of the kidneys among the parrots is common especially among the babies who are aged 4-8 weeks. In such cases, victims rarely survive. Initially they show regurgitating and slight dehydration after feedings. In addition, babies who appear slightly smaller than their regular sizes, with protruding neck bone have the largest possibility of incurring Gout.
Runny Nose or Nasal Discharge - The most common of all nasal discharge is laxity of Vitamin-A in cockatiels. This deficiency can be corrected by increasing the food quantities that are rich in vitamins and mineral contents especially.

Do You Know The Things About Parrots

 
 by: Daci Georgieva

 

1. Parrots need daily contact with their owners. – Some kinds need more care and attention than others. Cockatoo, Lorry and Jacob need special care every day. Amazons, Budgie, Conures small Africans parrots need also (though not that much) their owners’ daily attention for keeping up their spiritual tone and socializing.

2. Breeding a parrot could be a very expensive pleasure. – The issue expenses include buying a bird, a big enough bird cages and a first check-up by qualified vet. Subsequently the other required expenses are for food, MANY bird toys, a routine check up, whetting up of the wings (it’s required, not obligatory), nails and beak and sometimes help from a vet in case of emergency. Birds medicine is a very specialized field. Normally, the tests and procedures in the birds treatment cost a lot. Furthermore, it’s typical for birds to express symptoms of some kind of illness when the illness is in an advanced phase (in case when it passes sharply). Because of that fact to start a treatment in this phase is something we often call “emergency help” and as a result it’s more expensive.

3. The parrots are loud. – They live in nocks and make big groups. In the wild they keep contact one another, by the sounds they make when there is no visual contact between them. The bird has the ability to accept you as a member of its flock and that is why the sounds it makes can be interpreted as “keeping in touch” with you. Early in the morning, at sunrise, parrots call the nock to start the new day. At sunset they call the nock again to gather it and execute alighting in order to prepare themselves for their night sleep. These sounds are normal for the parrots and their owners should not get angry and harm them using mean words and to restrain them in those moments.

4. Not all parrots speak. - Although almost all parrots have the ability to learn to speak the human language, not all of them have the desire to start to speak. Some of the most chatty parrot species are the Jacob, Budgie, Yellow-forehead Amazon and double yellow-forehead Amazon, but even for these ones there is no guarantee they shall do it.

5. Birds love to make a mess all around them. – They have their very important place in the wild world because their main function is to “afforest” the wood. Regarding to that, the bird takes a piece of its food and the rest throws on the ground. So be ready to spend a lot of your time cleaning after your parrot. You must feed your bird only seeds. Variety makes birds healthy. Consider just for a moment: how long do you think you shall remain in good health if your food includes only seeds and water? That goes for the parrots, too. Actually, there is a good rule regarding the birds which says: “If something is good for me, it’s good for my parrot as well”. You should try the system with the three bowls: Fresh water, Fresh fruits and vegetables, packed food, nuts and seeds.

6. Parrots need to take bath regularly. – The origin of most of them coming from the rainforests where they take a shower app. 3 times a week, no matter if they want it or not. The clean water they use is very important for their feathers. Some of them prefer taking a bath under the shower with us, others – to be splashed with water (for example with sprinkler for bedewing flowers) or to be placed under the stream of water in the sink. Often they also prefer taking a bath in a bowl filled with water. You should try each of these methods until you find the preferred way of your parrot for taking a bath.

7. Parrots like to destroy things. – In their natural environment they spend 90% of their day searching for and consuming food. Living in our homes they receive their food without making any effort which results in some need inside them to “rediscover” and fulfil their time, which normally they spend in searching for food. If you don’t provide them regularly with different bird toys they could start to use your furniture for that purpose. Parrot toys are made specially to be ruined. If the toy cannot be destroyed in that point, there is possibility the bird might not be interested in it. It’s recommended to replace the toy with a different one periodically, to avoid the parrot to get bored.

8. The parrots bite. – Sometimes they bite the hand that feeds them and the people they are familiarized with. This is not like a dog’s bite. It’s true, they bite in some cases because of aggression but more often it is a result of fear or anger. Sometimes as a part of their daily communication, they “bite” each other and expect their natural behaviour to be tolerated by us. Biting is one of their means of communication which makes many people feel themselves hurt and ignored by their pets. To state that simply: birds have an ability to communicate perfectly. By biting they say simply: “I don’t like that” and this way of their expression is so effective. People often are not that honest and convicting and tend to be resentful, when someone else or even a bird is more honest in its attitude than us.

9. The parrots are not appropriate pets for kids. – They are not good choice for kid’s pets because of their incredible intellect. They live long and require daily attention and contact with their “human flock”. A kid goes through a lot of changes and phases of his/her style of living (school, marriage, building a family, moving etc.) which makes it almost impossible to keep a life-long relationship with such an intelligent creature as a pet.