Everything You Need To Know About Keeping Lovebirds As Pets

Lovebirds belong to the Psittacidae family and Agapornis genus.

Lovebirds originated in Africa and Madagascar. There are nine parrot species, out of which only three species are suitable for pet life.

They are Fischer's lovebird, the black-masked love bird and the peach-faced lovebird. The population of Fischer's lovebirds in the wild has been facing a steady decline. Lovebirds are smaller than other parrot species. In captivity, this bird has a lifespan of 10-15 years.

In the wild, they live for around 20 years. A female lovebird can lay four to six eggs. These birds love human interaction when compared to other birds. They can also learn to talk if proper training is given.

Continue reading to know more about the lovebird's health and how they interact with human beings, along with some interesting facts. You should also read our other posts about whether birds eat bees and famous birds.

Do lovebirds make good pets?

Certain features of love birds make them wonderful companions. If you train your lovebirds at an early age, they can be great pets.

Lovebirds originated in a harsh environment and are well suited to captivity. These adorable, tiny creatures are not only friendly but also resilient and easy to care for. Breeding in captivity has high success rates.

Lovebirds are not picky eaters. Their diet consists of a variety of simple items that are readily available. You are not required to go out of your way to purchase or prepare something for them. Even if you feed them grains, they will be content.

Lovebirds are not demanding. The simplest things make them happy. Grooming them does not have to be expensive.

All you need to do is spend a few hours with them every day. Unlike other birds, they do not require a plethora of toys or large cages. There are several pricing levels, so finding a lovebird that fits your budget is always simple. The peach-faced lovebird is the most common pet.

Peach-faced lovebirds have bright plumage and a jovial personality. They love social interaction and are well-liked by most bird owners. Peach-faced lovebirds are some of the best beginner pet birds.

This bird might not be suitable for indoor breeding unless you are an expert.

Are lovebirds good for beginners?

If you are a beginner, you should consider certain things before purchasing a bird. Some birds can be hard to manage or train and are very demanding.

Fortunately, lovebirds are not one among them. One of the factors that deters owners from purchasing love birds is that these birds must be kept in pairs. This is only a myth.

Lovebirds are well known for the bonds they form with their partners. This is not to say that they can't manage on their own or that they don't thrive when kept alone.

The compact size of a love bird makes it the perfect choice for beginners. The initial cost and cage setup are fairly low.

Nobody wants a quiet bird that is gloomy all the time, especially not beginners. High energy birds might also be difficult to care for among beginners.

Lovebirds are the perfect fit, as they are neither too distant nor too clingy. They are gregarious birds who adore their owners. You do not have to care for them in the same way that you do for dogs or cats.

Lovebirds just require two to three hours of interaction every day. If you keep them in pairs, they just require two hours of interaction, one in the morning and one in the evening or at night.

Do lovebirds like to be held?

A lovebird loves being held. Lovebirds are cuddle bugs that do not have a problem with physical contact. Handling these birds has a beneficial influence on them and is essential for training them.

Parrots snuggle by softly pressing their beaks on your skin and preening your hair. They like to snuggle up against your neck or stand on your shoulder. Some lovebirds might be hesitant initially.

After all, this is a new experience for a bird. Over time your pet lovebird will get accustomed to it.

The trick is to invest time in your pet. Handling them too much in the first week is not a great idea and may cause them to be hostile towards you. Before you initiate any physical contact, give your lovebird time to adjust to its surroundings and feel safe.

Handle lovebirds gently and with care. Let them know you are trying to handle them instead of trying to take them out of their cage abruptly. Do not hold your lovebird tightly or squeeze it. If your pet lovebird is not willing to be held, try hand-feeding it. This calms them and helps to develop trust.

You can also train your other pets, like cats and dogs, to behave around lovebirds and parrots.

Are lovebirds noisy pets?

Next to dogs, birds are the noisiest pets. You will definitely be woken up to their noise in the morning at least a few times. This is how they convey messages.

Understanding your pet lovebird is essential to figuring out why they are chirping. Lovebirds use noise to indicate a wide array of emotions, from indicating interest to feeling threatened. All of it is expressed by their noise. One good thing about lovebirds is that they are not always loud, but they can be heard over a long distance.

This is due to their high-pitched voices. This might be a disturbance to your neighbors. The noise is irritating to people who are sensitive to sound.

Love birds tend to be more vocal when they see their owners or other birds. Some owners even say that they make such noises to grab their attention. A lovebird will make loud, monotonous noises when it is feeling bored.

When a lovebird gets bored, it will make loud, repetitious sounds. Anyone would do the same if they were trapped in a corner for hours with no one to talk to. Their lonely sounds may fade in the presence of another lovebird.

A Healthy Lovebird Diet

Parrot species are vegetarian. You don't always have to give your pet lovebird the same food. Like previously said, there is a wide variety of options in a lovebird diet.

This might come as a shock to some of you, but lovebirds can eat flowers. Chamomile, dandelions, honeysuckle and so many more flowers are edible for these pets. Be wary of the poisonous ones and double-check before giving your lovebird any kind of flower.

The most important part of a healthy diet is greens. No one should skip greens, and that applies to your adorable lovebirds too. Seaweed is a great source of energy and is highly nutritious for lovebirds. Cabbage leaves, kelp and mustard can be included to give them a boost. Tofu and legumes are protein-rich foods.

Feeding your pet alfalfa beans, moong beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans and sunflower seeds will keep lovebirds healthy. Sesame seed, canary seed and millets can also be added.

Lovebirds might refuse a few of these foods, but don't give up! Since these birds are small and eat less, it is vital to include all healthy foods in their diet.

General Lovebird Personality and Temperament

Lovebirds are generally great pets who have different characteristics.

Lovebirds are adventurous and inquisitive birds. A lovebird tends to have a strong personality.

Lovebirds will fight larger birds without hesitation. Nothing frightens them. A lovebird is highly adventurous and will want to try new things.

If you own a lovebird, you know how difficult it is for this bird to stay in one area. They connect with individuals they know by playing with toys, fidgeting with objects, and frequently interacting with them.

Because of their intelligence, these birds are always interested in everything. Lovebirds are constantly working to better understand their owners and their habits.

Lovebirds consider themselves to be leaders. Sometimes, these cuties forget that their owners are in charge of the household.

Lovebirds are active, inquisitive, feisty, and adventurous. They are extremely social birds that form a close bond with their owners and may become cuddly. Lovebirds must be trained.

They are prone to growing violent and jealous if they are not trained at a young age. They may be territorial at times. Their regular chirps and squawks aren't extremely loud.

Lovebirds enjoy a good conversation. They are not recognized for their ability to mimic speech or noises in general; however, there are always outliers. According to some scientists, females are more likely to mimic noises or words than males.

Do lovebirds need a partner?

It is widely believed that lovebirds need to be kept in pairs to be happy. They are birds that form a deep bond with their mates. A lovebird will definitely bond with its partner. They build a bond for life and remain devoted to their mate until one of the pair dies.

They may function successfully without their mates as well. As a result, you can maintain lovebirds as bonded pairs or as solo birds.

It can be difficult to manage pairings. Handling pairings is nearly impossible since they will fight any effort to take them from their cage. A single lovebird, on the other hand, maybe handled often.

A single lovebird rapidly bonds family and friends, whereas couples are more interested in each other and strive to avoid others. It is critical to handle love birds since they might become violent if not handled properly. It's crucial to remember that, as these birds reach maturity, they can become possessive of their cages.

Biting is a common habit when they are young. They also become territorial.

Biting, pinching, and pecking at each other's feet and beaks is a common way for lovebirds to fight. Lovebirds typically fight over food and territory.

They are mostly hostile to another bird of the same gender. Keeping lovebirds out of each other's hair is not as simple as you may believe. For these reasons, purchasing a single lovebird is preferable.

Caring For Your Lovebird

Taking care of lovebirds is not very hard for people who have them as their first pet.

Providing nutritious food to your pet bird is imperative. Lovebirds are energetic and will over-exert themselves at times. Make sure to check their daily nutrition intake.

Adult lovebirds are not easy to tame. Tame them when they are young. Patience can take you a long way when you tame them. Always be polite to your pet bird. Lovebirds are used to staying in pairs and groups. They can feel depressed and anxious when left alone for several hours.

This bird requires occasional grooming. Trimming the nails and beaks of your pet lovebird can keep them happy and healthy. Clipping their wings and washing them is also important.

Be very careful when you trim your lovebird's feathers. Over trimming can cause severe pain and other health issues. Your lovebirds can take a bath once a week in winter and daily in summer.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'Lovebirds as pets', then why not take a look at 'Pirate bird' or 'Lovebird facts'?