Unusual Pets - Lovebirds

Lovebirds make wonderful pets. Their exquisite colors and animated personalities easily endear them to onlookers. While every bird has its own personality, there are traits common to all lovebirds, which have made them a popular pet and a great choice for a first time bird owner.

APPEARANCE

Lovebirds have perhaps the most varied coloration among the parrot species. Soft pastels or brilliant hues, you can find lovebirds in nearly any color imaginable - blues, yellows, purples, peaches and so on.

Lovebirds are perfectly sized parrots for most people. They are only 5 ½ to 6 ½ inches and about 42-60 grams. Baby lovebirds, when they are available for purchase, will be close in size to an adult.

LIFE SPAN

Like other parrots, lovebirds have a fairly long life span - although not as long as the larger species. They live 15-20 years. Approximately the same life span as a cat. It is important to understand the commitment you have to make before purchasing a lovebird.

ACTIVITY

Lovebirds are very energetic and inquisitive. They will happily fly about, or sit on your shoulder, during daily activities. They love to chew, so watch them closely when they are out of their cage as they will chew on furniture, electrical cords or any other chewable item. They are not nervous about usual activity and can usually integrate with a family of busy, noisy children with great enjoyment. Lovebirds love to play and are comical to watch whether they are playing alone, splashing in their water dish or playing with your hair and sneaking into your collar.

Your best bet is to buy a hand raised lovebird because it will be tamer than a parent raised bird. While lovebirds are quite fearless (so should be supervised closely around other pets) and they do enjoy playing with people. Gentle and consistent handling will help prevent nipping.

Lovebirds, like other birds, are born to live in a flock, so they will challenge authority for the dominant position. Sometimes headstrong, lovebirds need an owner who is patient and firm. However, lovebirds are not overly demanding in most respects and will learn to be well behaved. They are also content to play alone for periods of time as long as they are given proper space and playthings. As mentioned above, lovebirds are great chewers, so be sure that your pet has plenty of chew toys, or your furniture or the bird's perches will be chewed vigorously.

Lovebirds are very intelligent and can even be 'potty' trained to go on a paper or in a trash can instead of around the house. This will make it much easier to allow your lovebird to enjoy supervised freedom outside the cage without the constant clean up required for other uncaged birds.

VOCALIZATIONS

While lovebirds will learn to mimic the sounds around them, including household noises and other birds, they are not known for mimicking human speech as well as other parrot species. One thing you must know about lovebirds is that some of them are very noisy birds. Some will start early in the morning and continue throughout the day.

Despite this, you will find your lovebird to have a strong personality all its own and it will convey its moods and desires quite clearly.

Before buying your lovebird be sure the owner, breeder or pet store can provide training or other assistance in helping you learn the correct procedures for caring for your new pet. If you are a first time owner of a lovebird, you will probably have a lot of questions. So, make sure that the seller will readily provide any answers you need to properly care for your new pet.

Until next time,

Teia