Buying and caring for pet lovebirds

Learn about pet Lovebirds, different things they do, and what to do if you are thinking about buying one.

By William Jackson, Vet   Talk to the Author.

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Buying and caring for pet lovebirds

Lovebirds are the second smallest species of parrots. They weigh anywhere from 42 to 60 grams. Females are usually a little bigger than males. There are nine species and all of them are in the genius Agapornis. They come from Africa and nearby islands. A lot of the species were imported to the United States in large amounts during the late 20th century. The most common of the lovebirds is the Peach-Face.

Peach-Face lovebirds come in many different colors. They are pretty common in pet stores and avaries because they are easy to breed in captivity.

Don't buy a bird based on its color, buy one based on its personality. Birds that were hand-fed make good pets. Parent raised birds can be hard to tame. If you are

thinking about buying a lovebird you need to realize that they have a lot of energy and can be noisy because they chat and screem.

Lovebirds are very playful and fun to watch. Some of the things they do are swinging from toy to toy, and hopping from perch to perch. They also like to perch on

their owners shoulder and playing in their owner's hair. One of their favorite games to play is hiding in your hair or in your pocket.

If a lovebird is smart and loving, they can be taught to wave a foot, give a kiss, and other tricks. Lovebirds can also learn to talk and whistle. They can also respond to a person's voice.

If not raised properly with gentleness, lovebirds can become nippy. Make sure you keep lovebirds away from other pets you may have, because they tend to stand up to

other animals.

Lovebirds will investigate everything so its a good idea to keep an eye on them.

Young lovebirds cost around $50 to $75. The rarer color mutations cost more.

Lovebirds that get proper care can live many years. You must keep in mind that a long term commitment is necessary when buying one of these birds.

Lovebirds are a popular bird for those people who are buying their very first bird. They need a daily amount of fruits, vegetables, pasta, beans, etc. Don't forget they also need pellets and seeds.

Lovebirds need a large clean cage. It should be at least 24 inches wide. That will allow for more activity. You should get the largest cage that you can afford and have

room for. Safety is one of the most important things to consider when buying a cage. The bar spacing in the cage should be every 1/2 inch. If the bars are too close together, they can get their toes or beaks caught between them which in turn will cause injuries. The same goes for bars that are too far apart.

The more toys you have in the cage the better. The toys will keep them busy and it also helps keep their beaks in tip top shape. Lovebirds, beaks are made of keratin. It

grows nonstop like people's finger nails. Chewing and pecking their perches will help them to keep their beaks trim. You might want to put more than one perch in the cage so they can climb from perch to perch.

Lovebirds are good flyers. Make sure you trim their flight feathers whenever they need to be so accidents are less likely to occur. Their nails need to be trimmed around every 6-8 weeks. Make sure you to take them to an annual checkup. Also check your bird's weight on a regular basis and keep track of the weights so you know if their is any loss of weight. Watch for signs of illness. Make sure you talk to your vet at the first sign of illness.

Always clean the cage on a daily basis. Change the paper daily and wash and distinfect the cage on a weekly basis.

One of the biggest misunderstandings when buying a lovebird is that you must buy them in pairs. Lovebirds got their name because two birds will bond together closely

and ignore everyone else. A single lovebird will become close with its owner.

Lovebirds need attention on a regular basis. If they go for a long time without any attention they might become unfriendly. Its also a good idea that you take them out of the cage for a little on a daily basis.

It is a good idea to buy your lovebird from a pet store or breeder that plays with the babies on a regular basis.

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