Are you someone who loves the bold personality of an Amazon parrot but never sure whether or not you can deal with such a big bird? If answered yes, you may choose to have a pet lovebird provided you’re willing to learn how to take care of them. It is true that lovebirds make challenging yet intriguing pets.
What are lovebirds? They are little parrots with fun personalities and colorful feathers. As pets, these small birds are playful and loyal with their owners. With proper attention and care, a lovebird can live between 8 and 12 years or sometimes even more than that.
There is a common myth about lovebirds that they have to be kept in pairs. If they’re not, they may die or suffer. However, the breeders don’t always agree to this myth. They believe in keeping lovebirds as single pets where the owner plays the role of the lovebird’s partner.
Table of Contents
Lovebirds as pets – Do they make great pets?
Lovebirds tend to be slightly different from most other pet birds. Hence, it is vital for you to understand their personality before you decide on the appropriate species.
Lovebird’s temperament and personality
Yes, lovebirds can definitely make great pets but they are also more aggressive than a cockatiel or a parakeet. They have different shades to their personality and are immensely affectionate with their owners. Lovebirds can throw tantrums at times and hence it is better for someone to keep a lovebird, who has had enough experience with petting birds.
Taming a lovebird
Lovebirds are never born tame and you can’t tame them unless you spend time handling them everyday. It is best to start off with a hand-fed baby bird that is entirely weaned. You have to spend some time talking to it, holding it and gently stroking its feathers. When love birds are tamed, they need more attention but in case you are not able to make out time for them, they can soon get nippy. They can, all of a sudden, refuse to let you handle them.
Lovebirds in pairs or singles
The conventional idea about lovebirds is that they usually live in pairs. This is because two lovebirds share a great bond and they sit and constantly preen each other. Nevertheless, even a single lovebird can be happy on its own, particularly when it gets a chance to bond with its owner. If you want a lovebird that bonds with you, keep it as a single pet.
Lovebirds can sometimes get aggressive
There are times when few lovebirds can become aggressive. Hence, they should never be kept with other bird species as they might attack them. Before you cage in two birds, it is best to let them get accustomed with each other. Don’t try to bring them and cage them together as that can evoke their aggressive nature.
Male lovebirds are better to pet
Although there are exceptions always, it has been seen that males are tamer than females. Female lovebirds are more aggressive among the two and they usually become nippy as soon as they reach their age of sexual maturity.
Housing a Lovebird
Watch out for a cage that is sufficient for your pet
Lovebirds are active birds and hence they have to be caged along with its perches and toys so that they can remain busy. The bigger is the cage of a lovebird, the happier it will be. The cage needs to have horizontal bars on both sides and there should be enough space in between the bars to prevent injury.
Use perches of different diameters, width and texture
You have to make sure that the cage should have at least 2-3 perches of different shapes, sizes and textures to help the bird’s feet strong and healthy. The perches need to be thick for the bird to stand and never lose balance. Even the smallest perch should be around ½” in diameter. Perches made of natural wood or wooden dowels or concrete are always better.
A bird’s cage should be on the floor
The cage of the bird should be kept in a place that is away from doorways or air vents. There are some lovebirds that might catch cold whenever it is exposed to an air vent or soon after they are bathed. Lovebirds are usually sensitive to strong doors, smoke and loud noise. In case you’re a smoker, never smoke in the room where your lovebird is placed.
Place the cage in a room that is well-lit
A dark room can cause a lovebird behavioral and health issues. That doesn’t mean that you have to place the cage in front of a window so that the sunrays touch the cage of the lovebird. Instead, it is better to place the cage in a room that is well-lit. Too much heat during the hot months of summer can cause heat stroke for the little bird.
Ensure giving 10-12 hours of uninterrupted sleep to your lovebird
Just as for other creatures, sleep is vital for lovebirds too. In case you keep your lovebird in an indoor cage, you may have to cover the cage so that you can let your bird sleep at night. If you don’t have enough space for a bigger cage, you can get a smaller cage for your bird. When you use a sleep cage, this will guarantee your lovebird a safe sleep for at least 10-12 hours at night. Make it a habit to put your lovebird to sleep at the same time every night and to wake her and bring her out of the cage at the same time every morning.
No matter how your lovebird behaves, make sure you fix an appointment with the vet at regular intervals. There are several things about a lovebird that you may not understand and that the vet knows it better than you. Hence, even though there are no such strong symptoms of potential illness, it is still better to take her to a vet in order to check if things are fine.