Lovebirds as Pets

Lovebirds as pets are a wonderful choice, especially for novices. They are usually very friendly little birds who are fun to watch and very sociable.

It is a general belief that lovebirds are healthier if kept in pairs, however, if you only want one lovebird you must be prepared to provide the social interactions it will not be getting from another bird. Lovebirds are extremely loyal to either its mate or owner.

Lovebirds whilst very social with other lovebirds can be very aggressive towards a different breed of bird, it is therefore not advisable to put them in the cages with other species.

Lovebirds can easily be scared by sudden loud noises and will hide in their nest box if startled. They will also hide in their nest box if they get cold or it is windy and they feel a draft from an open window.

To tame lovebirds it is preferable to buy one that has been hand-raised by the breeder, but these are often hard to come by. Your lovebird will have to learn to trust and respect you, which means spending a lot of time every day with your lovebird.

Lovebirds love to fly, so should only be bought as a pet if you are prepared to let it come out of its cage and fly around the room and explore. The room must be safe and secure for them, with no open windows or doors. Make sure any house plants are not toxic and that there are no hot surfaces, for example cookers/stoves, on which he might land. Most injuries occur during flying so every care must be taken.

Lovebirds are noisy creatures, they wake at dawn and begin to sing and chirp once they’ve had a drink and something to eat. By mid morning they will begin to quiet and resume their chattering late afternoon.

Try being inventive and provide a variety of toys for your lovebird, they love bells, ladders and most other toys, be careful to check them daily as their beaks are strong and can easily snap off pieces. Check toys made from cloth/material to ensure they don’t have any lose threads hanging. Soft toys need to have eyes, noses etc. that cannot easily become detached.

Once tamed lovebirds as pets can be most rewarding as they will sit on your shoulder and play with your hair. However, constant contact and attention by you is needed to keep them happy and healthy.

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