If you love an Amazon parrot 's bold personality but aren't sure you can handle a bigger bird, consider a pet lovebird. If you're willing to learn how to take care of them and don't mind an occasional nip to remind you who's really in charge, lovebirds make interesting, albeit difficult, pets.
Lovebirds are different from most pet birds, so before you decide if they're the right species for you, it's important to know their typical personality.
Personality and Temperament of General Lovebird
Lovebirds can create great pets, but they appear to be more feisty / aggressive than a cockatiel or a parakeet. They have lots of personality, and the people they bond with can be highly affectionate. They can also be very cantankerous, so they're a great option for someone who already has some bird-keeping experience.
A Lovebird Tame Holding
If you spend time managing them each day, most lovebird birds will not stay tame. Typically it's best to start with a hand-fed baby lovebird that is fully weaned and spend some time talking to it and holding it as you stroke their feathers gently.Tame birds love attention but if you don't give them time, they will get nippy and ultimately refuse to let you handle them at all.
Lovebird Pairs or Singles
The common view of lovebirds is that they have to live in pairs, mainly because there would be two bonded birds sitting by each other and preening. But if a single lovebird has the ability to bond with its creator, it can live happily on its own.
Two lovebirds who bond with each other may not be as friendly with their human partner as a rule of thumb. It's generally easier to have one as a single pet if you want a lovebird to bond closely with you. If you don't feel the need to deal with your lovebird, consider keeping two together to escape loneliness.
Aggression With Lovebirds May Be a problem
Sometimes, lovebirds are prone to aggression, so other animals should not be housed with them. New lovebirds introduced to their cage will also sometimes be attacked, so it's best to let potential cage mates get used to each other in side-by - side cages before you attempt to carry them together.
In general, male lovebirds make better pets
While exceptions are still present, males prefer to remain tamer than females. The more aggressive sex of the species is females, and when they reach sexual maturity, they also become very nippy.
Lovebird Cages
Rectangular cages are best because they offer space for a lovebird to fly back and forth as it would naturally do if it lived out in the wild. A cage that measures 30" L x 18" W x 18" H is a good minimum size for one or two lovebirds, but you can go with a larger cage as long as the bar spacing is no wider than five-eighths of an inch.
Lovebirds need a good night's rest of about 10 to 12 hours, so cover the cage at night to block out light.
Working out a Lovebird
You can teach Lovebirds to sit on your hands, "chat" and make sounds and do other fun tricks. They are highly intelligent and social and are ideal candidates for training with clickers. Some traditional tricks proprietors teach to their lovebirds include stepping up, turning, raising a wing (waving) and ringing bells.
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