Low Ceiling : you will not think about this, but chickens are birds, and simply because they don’t fly well, does not imply they do not give it their best shot. Consequently, if you’ve a low ceiling, the chickens are probably going to harm themselves when they try and fly in the coop. If it is strangely low, there’s a chance the chicken will manage to break its neck. This actually isn’t something you would like to see when you come out to feed your chickens in the morning, so remember, if you’ve got to duck while basically walking around in your coop, the ceiling is too low, that’s something to consider in your Chicken Coop Designs.

Exposed Wires : Chickens need lighting fourteen hours per day to lay correctly, and for you need a heat lamp in your Chicken Coop Designs. This doesn’t mean you need to run an extension twine across your ceiling and let it sag. When you install the heat lamp, ensure that you either wire it into the ceiling, or at least fasten the core soundly to the ceiling so that your chickens don’t start running into the hanging wire. This may also bring about a problem for you when you are going in and out of the coop, so ensure you do it the right way!

Poisons : You may necessarily have some rodents rambling your coop, and while they can get exasperating, you mustn’t set out poisons, and this is for 2 reasons.

One reason is that your chickens will eat the poison and you may find them dead the following morning. There’s one other reason, and that’s even if you are smart, and put the poison out of the reach of your loved birds, the rodent that eats the poison won’t always be that far away. In truth, your chickens will probably attempt to attack declared rodent, and likely soak up the poison that way, ending with the same result.

Bad Fence Design : if you do not design your fence correctly, your chickens will finish up dead one way or another. Ensure that you build the fence from chicken wire, or run some plastic chicken wire around the base of the fence so the chickens don’t poke their head thru it and finish up getting hurt when a predator is near.

Poor Lighting : Some folks forget that chickens do need light, and have a tendency to leave the poor birds in the dark all day. This is not just negative to their health ; it also meddles with their laying habits. Ensure that you add in decent lighting when you are doing your chicken shack Designs, or you could meet with catastrophic results.

Those are a few of the major flaws in Chicken Coop Designs, and hopefully by reading this article, you’ve learned to avoid them altogether, and your chickens will live a long and productive life.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Chicken Coop Designs: Chicken Coop Hazards

They do need a great deal of care and attention, particularly if you own one lovebird rather than a pair. Although noise is a factor, African lovebirds are not normally excessively loud. They often attempt to mimic sounds but are not likely to talk, although no bird is guaranteed to learn how to talk. They require large, usually expensive cages and training can take up a lot of your time.

They are definitely good companions particularly if you like the sound of chirping birds. They have quite a long lifespan so caring for Afircan lovebirds is a real commitment. Afircan lovebirds can be trained to stay in a certain area and even perform basic tricks. They are a good family pet and easily endear themselves to people of all ages. Before deciding on an African lovebird, it is essential that you are fully prepared for the amount of care involved.

Caring for African lovebirds

African lovebirds make fine pets but they do require a lot of attention and contact from their owners; sadly, many people are not prepared for this kind of dedication. Although some of these birds are rescued, most are hand raised from birth allowing the owner to create a complete bond with the bird who will more than likely learn to depend on their owner.

In fact, many people compare the care of lovebirds to that of a child who has individual emotional needs from their caregiver. They need large cages to give them plenty of space and regular exercise outside of their cages. This free flying around the home comes with safety risks and the owners must make sure that the area is hazard and risk free.

Lovebirds can eat bird food concoctions but they also need fresh fruit and vegetables regularly. The biggest problem with lovebirds can be that it is very easy for them to become depressed and withdrawn if they do not get enough contact. People often make the mistake of spoiling lovebirds when they are a new pet, leaving the bird expecting that same kind of constant attention on a regular basis. It is better for both the bird and the owner to set aside a certain amount of time to spend together everyday. This way, the bird?s needs are fulfilled and they stay happy and healthy.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Do African Lovebirds Make Good Pets?

While many people grow up with dogs and cats around them and know the basic needs, it will take a little work to learn all about lovebirds and their needs. To help you out, here are some facts about these pets that will help you learn all about lovebirds.

Lovebirds Want Attention

Lovebirds are very social creatures, so the first thing you need to learn while studying all about lovebirds is that if you have a lovebird, be prepared for it to crave attention from you. You may have heard that lovebirds live shorter lives if they?re not bought in pairs, but that?s a myth. However, they will need someone to give them attention, and if you can?t, then a second lovebird will prevent boredom.

The one danger of having two lovebirds is that they are often more likely to bond with each other rather than form a strong bon with you; a single lovebird on the other hand will be more affectionate towards you.

Lovebirds Hate Other Birds

One thing that is crucial to know when learning all about lovebirds is that while they?ll be affectionate towards you and with their mates, lovebirds don?t like other birds. Even different species of lovebird should be kept in separate cages, or the birds will fight, something that can result in injury or even death for one of your birds. Also, it?s been suggested that if you decide to have multiple pairs of birds, two pairs will fight more than three, so keep that in mind if you?re looking to expand your flock.

Lovebirds Don?t Mimic

While they?re members of the parrot family, one thing to know when researching all about lovebirds is that they don?t mimic human speech as the larger parrots do. Some people assume that because lovebirds are essentially small parrots that they will do such things, but this is not the case. In fact, if you want a lovebird that you can teach tricks at all, you should ask around and find lovebirds that have been hand-raised, which will make them more responsive to people.

Those who have been raised wild will not be as social with you, nor will be as responsive in your training efforts. Knowing these few facts about lovebirds only touches a little on learning all about lovebirds, but it?s enough to help you decide whether they?re the right pets for you.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Learn All You Can About Lovebirds Before Purchase

When Do You Take Over for the Parents?

Of course, the first thing to know about caring for baby lovebirds is when you should let the parents care for them instead. In general, your best bet is to pull the whole clutch at once when the youngest baby is about ten days old, which usually puts the oldest at about sixteen or seventeen days.

Any time beyond this and you?ll find that the babies don?t take as well to hand feeding. If the baby lovebirds have hatched far apart enough that the oldest will be older than 17 days by the time the youngest is ready to be removed, don?t be afraid to remove them a couple at a time.

Where Do You Keep Them?

For baby lovebirds, a large plastic reptile container will work great for the first few weeks, giving the birds room to grow while keeping them safe. Line the bottom of the container with cage liner and use untreated paper towels above that, which will make cleaning each day easy. If you place food on one end of the container and encourage the birds to use the opposite end for cuddling, you will help to minimize the birds making a mess in their food area.

Hand Feeding

For the first few weeks, hand feeding the baby lovebirds is your best bet. It is best to do this with supervision from an experienced handler before attempting to do it on your own. You can purchase baby bird formula, which should be administered through a plastic O-ring syringe. Because baby birds are fed with regurgitated food, they like their food to be warm; about 103 degrees Fahrenheit will be about right. However, if you warm the food up in any way, be sure to stir it thoroughly and test the temperature before hand to prevent hot spots and the like.

Weaning

One of the most popular methods for weaning now is the so-called abundance weaning method, in which you continue to use the syringe to feed the baby lovebirds while supplying them with ample adult food, which will encourage them to eat on their own. Eventually, as their independence grows, the baby lovebirds will stop wanting the syringe and will take to eating their own food. Before selling your weaned lovebird, it?s best to wait a few days after the weaning to make sure there are no health problems. If there?s not, then congratulations! You?ve hand-raised your first lovebirds.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Taking Care Of Baby Lovebirds

Size Matters

Lovebirds are very active pets, so cages for lovebirds will need to be big enough to allow room for exercise. If you have a single lovebird, you should be all right with a cage that?s about 20 inches in size on each side, but you will want about double that if you have two birds. An alternative to cages for lovebirds is an indoor aviary or even a room for your birds; this should be at least 6 feet by 6 feet by 3 feet. This is particularly good if you have more than two birds, which will allow them ample space without encouraging fights.

Nesting Space

Just as you want to ensure that your birds have room to play, a special spot for their nest will be appreciated as well. A nesting box that is 8 inches on each size will be perfect for your lovebirds. If you have multiple pairs of birds, you want to have more nesting boxes or once again you risk having the birds fight.

Toys

If you prepare cages for lovebirds without anything to keep the bird occupied, you will end up with a very sad bird. Lovebirds love a variety of different toys, so fill cages for lovebirds with enough to keep them occupied. Favorites include swings, ladders, bells, and mirrors. Wooden gnaws will also be appreciated in cages for lovebirds since the birds use them to maintain their beaks and claws.

When Out of the Cage

Even if you have well-prepared cages for your lovebirds, you will find yourself wanting to let them out to play for time to time. Because lovebirds enjoy exploring, don?t expect them to stay near their cages. It?s best to bird-proof a room before letting your lovebirds out, keeping windows and doors closed and protecting electrical cords protected against gnawing. But with a little preparation, your home will be safe and the cages for your lovebirds will be well-prepared for these active little creatures to live contently.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Selecting And Preparing Cages For Lovebirds

Diet

In the wild, lovebirds primarily eat grasses, leaves, nuts, and seeds, and as a result, their diet should reflect this. Even if you choose to use a nutrient-rich, pellet-based diet as you care for your lovebirds, they will be happier and eat better if you supplement this with fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens; lovebirds enjoy variety in their diets, just as people do. There are a few foods to avoid, such as avocado, rhubarb leaves, and apple seeds, all of which are poisonous to birds.

Bathing

Bathing is important in care for lovebirds, since they?re clean creatures, and since bathing helps prevent dirt and bacteria from becoming a problem. Many birds are content to use a dish of water to clean themselves, but if you don?t add a dish specifically for this to your birds? cage, they will use their water dish. Since you don?t want them drinking dirty water, its best you give them two dishes of water. Some birds like to be spritzed with a little warm water to aid in bathing, so if you find your bird likes that, a little help from you in bathing will be appreciated.

Grooming Beaks, Feet and Wings

There?s more to grooming lovebirds than regular bathing. By ensuring that birds have wooden perches in their cage, you give them the material they need to both exercise and groom their toenails and their beaks, which lovebirds naturally get in the wild by gnawing on tree branches and by perching on trees.

Another, touchier subject is the care for lovebirds? wings, which may or may not involve clipping their wings. By trimming the flight feathers, you ensure that your lovebirds can only glide in the air, not fly. This can be good if you?re worried about your birds flying away or flying into a window and hurting themselves, but not necessary if you?re uncomfortable with the idea. This will have to be done regularly, since the feathers do grow back. Wing clipping and trimming of toenails can be done by a trained professional, which is good idea because a wrong cut in either place can result in pain and bleeding for a lovebird. However, by ensuring that your birds are groomed properly and keeping them on a good diet, you will be able to care for your lovebirds for years to come.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Simple Care For Lovebirds

Disadvantages of Clipping

How to decide if you should clip lovebird?s wings includes weighing the pros and cons and seeing what is best suited for your own situation. Flying is a lovebird?s form of exercise and clipping its wings could lead to weight gain and weakened muscles. Flying birds have more freedom and some see this as less cruel to birds that live in captivity. Tame and confident birds can often suffer setbacks if their wings are suddenly clipped as they will feel less secure in their surroundings. Birds can obey their instinctive flight from danger functions if their wings are not clipped. And of course, clipped wings can look a lot less attractive.

Advantages of Clipping

Clipped wings can prevent the bird from escaping through an unattended open door or window ? and if they do escape, they are not likely to get very far with limited flying abilities. They can also be prevented from flying straight into walls and windows which often causes injuries to lovebirds. It is therefore easier to tame with clipped wings. In some cases it can also calm down an excitable or nervous bird. All of these points should be mulled over by anyone interested in finding out how you decide if you should clip lovebird?s wings.

How Do You Clip Lovebird?s Wings to Stop Flight

Clipping wings to stop flight is something that every bird owner has to consider and no matter what option they choose, the first thing they wonder is how do you actually clip lovebird?s wings? The first time that it is done should most certainly be by a professional. Someone with no experience should never attempt this as they easily damage the bird. It can be almost easily accomplished on a lovebird by holding them in one hand while trimming the bird with the other. Only the primary flight feathers need to be clipped and the amount that is trimmed or style of trimming depends on the type of clip used. There are a number of clips available that serve different purposes.

It is better to clip the wings slowly as over-trimming or clipping too short or even accidentally clipping the wrong types of feathers can be extremely harmful to the birds. The small short feathers should not be trimmed at all. The clipped wings should be cut at an angle, resting easily and naturally against the skin and should not dig into the skin. The bird should be able to glide but not fly as normal. Both wings should be cut evenly as the bird could become unbalanced. Asking your vet for instructions on how you clip lovebird?s wings is the best option to take especially if you have never done it before. Watching a demonstration of the process is alos highly recommended.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Important Question For Bird Enthusiasts: How Do You Clip Lovebird?s Wings?

Crop issues in lovebirds can include conditions where the food does not move normally from the crop down to the digestive system. This is indicative of a digestive disorder which can range from minor stomach upsets to crop dysfunction, disease and gut problems. Hand feeding inexperience can often cause crop issues in lovebirds. Infections can be caused by poor hygiene for example as well as inconsistencies in the formula, improper feeding or even nutritional deficiencies.

The longer the undigested formula stays in the crop, the more risk there is of a secondary infection developing. If the crop does not empty, the food can become sour. If the formula is too hot, the crop can become burned. It is important for breeders to spot when a crop is unhealthy for the benefit of the bird. Hand feeding can lead to over-filling of the crop which can cause the formula to seep back up into the throat just as under feeding can cause nutritional problems. Wrong treatment of crop issues in lovebirds can lead to sickness, suffering and even death.

Get Trained to Reduce Lovebird Crop Issues

Crop issues in lovebirds can sometimes be caused by birth defects but the majority of problems are caused by outside influences. It is essential that inexperienced hand-feeders receive adequate help, information and demonstrations when feeding young lovebirds. The formula needs to have the correct consistency, temperature and nutrients as overheating can burn the crop, inconsistency in the texture can lead to obstructions and a lack of nutrients can lead to the birds dying from malnutrition. Excellent hygiene standards must be observed in order to avoid infections.

Diagnosing the problem should be done by a professional with experience in the care of lovebirds. The problem could stem from the ingestion of nesting materials so it is very important that proper care is taken of the young lovebirds. The majority of crop issues in lovebirds can be avoided with some education, care and exacting standards. Crop problems can occur regardless of the effort made and it is then most important to have the problem diagnosed and treated immediately.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Avoiding Crop Issues In Lovebirds

Aggressiveness

Lovebirds, despite their social nature, also come from the wild where fighting for existence is the norm. As a result, lovebirds do not get along well with other bird species. Should you purchase a lovebird and have other birds, expect your other birds to be attacked. However, if lovebirds are your only birds, then they will make great, affectionate pets.

Noise

Lovebirds like to talk, though like their larger parrot cousins, they do not generally mimic. However, should you buy a lovebird, expect to hear chatter, whistles, and the like coming from the cage, particularly in the early morning. If you?re a light sleeper or someone else in your home is, consider another pet or be sure to keep the cage well away from sleeping areas.

Your Home

Luckily, the small size of lovebirds makes them ideal for apartment living. A single lovebird will need a cage that?s about 20 inches on all sides, which can easily fit on some spare horizontal space. If you decide to let your birds out of the cage now and then, be sure to cover up things like electrical wires and the like; lovebirds are fond of gnawing on things.

The Myth Of Lovebird Pairs

A popular bit of advice for lovebirds is always to buy them in pairs, otherwise your lovebird will eventually die from loneliness. However, this is only a myth; while these birds are social critters, they will not die from being an only bird. However, if you do buy a single lovebird, as a responsible owner, you should give it plenty of attention, since it does need some sort of social contact with something. In fact, buying a single lovebird will ensure that it wants to have social contact with you and not focus only on the other lovebird. So, if you?re willing to put the effort into giving attention to lovebirds, they will make wonderful pets.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

The Basics Of Lovebirds

Make Sure Your Birds Have Opposite Genders

Though it sounds funny to say, one of the first hurdles you might have when breeding lovebirds is ensuring that you?ve picked two birds of different genders! It can be difficult to differentiate between the males and females of bird species. In general, the female is heavier than the male and will sit with legs further apart due to a slightly different bone structure, and the female?s tail is usually square, unlike the rounded tail of males. When in doubt, however, a veterinarian will be able to tell with endoscopy or with a DNA test. Some species, such as the Madagascar Lovebird, are easier to differentiate by looks than, for instance, the Masked Lovebird.

Nesting

For every pair of lovebirds you want to breed, you will need two boxes, one for sleeping and one for nesting. These boxes should be of the same type, size, and height, and be located on the same wall. If you have many lovebirds who live in a colony setting, it?s easy to breed them as well; just make sure that there are many more pairs of nest boxes than there are pairs of birds, or you will invite fighting among your birds. Remember, you?re breeding lovebirds, not trying to invite fighting that can lead to death.

Eggs And Babies

In general, the female will lay between three and eight eggs; the typical number is about 5 in a clutch. In three weeks or a little time over that, you should find that about 80% of the eggs have hatched. Once the second egg has hatched, the hen will brood, and the male will often help in the nest. Within about 50 days, the chicks will start to lead the nest, becoming independent within 2 weeks from then, ready to be sold or to start their own nest. With that, you?ll have had your first experience with breeding lovebirds.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

The Basics Of Breeding Lovebirds

Bird cages for lovebirds and parrots should be at least 2 feet by 2 feet but preferably larger. The bars should be horizontal and have a small space between them so that the bird cannot squeeze through and get caught. Square and rectangular shapes are the best for lovebird and parrot bird cages. There should also be a variety of perches and even natural branches. The larger the cage, the better for the bird but they still need exercise out of the cage.

The Difference between Aviaries and Bird Cages for Lovebirds and Parrots

The decision to choose between aviaries and bird cages for lovebirds and parrots is a crucial one. Not everyone has the space for an aviary but it cannot be denied that this is the closest thing to their natural habitat that can be provided for a pet lovebird or parrot. Being deprived of the space to fly can cause them to suffer and so the best option is to give the bird an aviary that is large enough to walk into if you have the space and time to maintain it. As numerous birds can live in an aviary, it provides the birds with companionship that is essential to their health as lovebirds and parrots are sociable creatures.

Other bird owners must choose bird cages for their lovebirds and parrots. This can be fine as long as the cage is as large as possible and the bird has daily access to free flight around the room or home. Good quality cages can be quite expensive but are definitely worth the price if you want your bird to stay healthy, happy and well. Good cages are usually stainless steel and must be constructed properly to avoid hurting the bird. As long as the cage contains chewable items, toys and different sized perches, the bird should have a long and healthy life.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Choosing The Best Bird Cages For Lovebirds And Parrots

The viability of the eggs needs to be judged by the breeder as the lovebirds will continue nesting even if the eggs are sterile. There will be between three to six eggs in each clutch and as lovebirds can breed a number of times through the year, there will potentially be a lot of offspring per couple as long as good care is taken of the eggs.

It is not recommended for total beginners to encourage repeat breeding as it can turn into a difficult task. Breeding too often is also not the best idea. Naturally, the entire clutch does not usually hatch but as long as the lovebirds themselves get plenty of nutrition, the nesting box is humid enough and the lovebirds nest on the eggs, most of the clutch should hatch.

How Long After Baby Lovebirds Hatch Do They or Their Parents Lay Eggs?

It is important for breeders to know how long after baby lovebirds hatch do they or their parents lay eggs so that they can plan future breeding and separate the birds when necessary. At the age of 10 months, the young lovebirds should be ready for breeding, although many breeders wait until they are past one year to begin breeding. The hens will lay infertile eggs if they are ready to breed and as this is not good for them to repeatedly lay infertile eggs, the breeder can choose to find them a male mate or else to give them dummy eggs to keep them happy. The reason why a breeder would not try and mate them could be due to the amount of birds currently nesting.

The adults can lay eggs a number of times a year but often it can be better to ensure that they breed only once a year so that the offspring are healthy and that the entire colony of lovebirds does not get too large for the breeder to handle. How long after baby lovebirds hatch do the parents lay eggs again is hard to say for sure as it often depends on the adults themselves, the surrounding conditions and even what time of year it is.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

How Long After Lovebirds Lay Eggs Do They Hatch?

In The Wild

Wild lovebirds are completely herbivorous, so their main foods consist of berries, seeds, fruits, grains, grasses, and crops like corn and figs. Keeping this in mind when selecting food for your lovebirds will help you to make some selections. For instance, a little corn in your birds? diet will be fine if you want to give them something special.

Pellet-Based Diets

One option for food for your lovebirds is to go with a pellet based diet. These pellets are manufactured to meet a lovebird?s nutritional needs, so it?s easy to keep a bird healthy with these. However, the drawback is lovebirds tire of food that tastes the same all the time, so the lack of variety is a barrier to getting your lovebirds to eat.

Seed-Based Diets

On the other hand, many owners choose to use seeds for food for their lovebirds. This adds more variety to diets, since lovebirds enjoy the different types of seeds that tend to come in this food. On the other hand, seed-based diets don?t provide lovebirds with all the nutrition, particularly vitamins and calcium, that come from the pellet-based diets. In this case, you will want to add other things to supplement this.

Adding Supplements

In addition to pellets or seeds, you can add vegetables, nuts, and other foods for your lovebirds to add variety. Particularly good for this are fruits like grapes, bananas, kiwis, and apples, though for apples you will want to remove the seeds. Leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, garden herbs, and the like also make great food, though you want to avoid rhubarb leaves, as they are poisonous, as are avocados if you try to add other fruits or vegetables. Calcium can be obtained from cuttlebone or gravel and oyster shell in a dish. Through pellets and seeds and other foods to supplement the diet, you will have food for your lovebirds that keeps them happy and healthy for years.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Selecting Food For Your Lovebirds

Handfed Or Not?

The first question you need to ask when lovebirds are for sale is whether or not those birds have been handfed. This will make a big difference in how affectionate your lovebird is. Although lovebirds are easily tamed, birds who are handfed will much more easily take to human companionship than one raised by his parents. Birds raised by their parents tend to be indifferent to people and prefer the company of other birds, and will not as readily play or learn tricks, so if you?re looking for lovebirds for sale because you want a friendly pet, get a handfed bird.

One Bird Or Two?

You may have heard that lovebirds should be bought in pairs, but that?s actually a myth. Buying birds in pairs can be a mixed blessing. Just as with birds raised by their parents, if you purchase two lovebirds, they will be more likely to pay attention to each other than to you.

However, there are still some good reasons to buy in pairs when lovebirds for sale. Most important is if you don?t have time to give the attention a single bird needs, since while lovebirds don?t need another bird, they will get bored without attention. If your job keeps you out of the house too much to play with your lovebird a lot, get two birds and it will be happier.

Which Species?

If you go looking just for lovebirds for sale, you?re missing out on the fun of selecting the species of lovebird you want. There are nine species to choose from, ranging from the popular peachfaced lovebirds and masked lovebirds to the rare Madagascar lovebird, which will be difficult to find, if you can locate one at all. Each species has different appearances, so you should research which lovebird species appeals the most to you and go searching based on that. The most common lovebird species are fairly inexpensive, at $50-$150 per bird, certainly much less than you?d find purebred dogs or cats being sold for. So, if you?re ready for one of these avian companions, start looking for lovebirds for sale!

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Lovebirds For Sale! Tips For Buying Them

The sounds made by lovebirds change slightly during mating seasons or if they are afraid. They make mating calls to attract other birds and if two lovebirds of opposite gender live in different cages within hearing distance of each other; a loud enough racket can be made. Lovebirds live in flocks in the wild and if they experience danger, their initial instincts are to unleash warning cries. Lovebirds are not quiet birds as they love constant sounds and companionship. If they live alone in a cage, they will call out to their owners quite frequently and if two lovebirds live together in a cage, they will normally be content to communicate with each other but will still appreciate sounds from their owners too.

Encouraging Pleasant Sounds Made by Lovebirds

Lovebirds are extremely sociable birds which is why they are never usually sold alone. However, they also come to depend emotionally on their owners and the sounds they make often entice their owners to react either positively or negatively which can be their exact intention. The sounds made by lovebirds can be pleasant, often mimicking human noises but on occasion lovebirds can make sounds that are harsh and distracting. If their owner gives them attention upon making this sort of sound they will more than likely repeat the process which can be unfortunate for the rest of the household.

The best way to encourage pleasant sounds made by lovebirds and minimize the type of sounds that are not so easy on the ear is to reinforce their good behavior with attention and encouragement while completely ignoring the bird when they misbehave. Lovebirds can act like small children at times, constantly looking for attention and companionship and they can be easily spoilt by indulgent owners. It can sometimes be necessary to be strict with lovebirds in order to prevent bad behavior such as loud, harsh cries. Lavishing attention upon them while they are behaving well is one way to get them to continue in this manner. Boundaries often need to be set with this bird as they can take advantage of their owner. They may even see the act of covering their cage as attention so the owner must take care not to acknowledge their pet at all during persistent poor behavior.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

The Various Sounds Made By Lovebirds

If, on the other hand, your bird shows signs of cold such as shivering in the cage or trying to snuggle under your clothes when let loose, they may need to be moved away from open windows or air conditioning vents. If necessary, a thermal porch could be installed in their cage which will give them optimal levels of heat for their comfort and good health. Knowing how to check the temperature of a lovebird?s cage simply involves the insertion of a thermometer. This will advise you on the temperature levels of the area in which the cage is located but it can be misleading as regards to actual body temperature.

How to Check a Lovebird?s Temperature through Observation

It is incredibly easy for temperature levels in homes to change and vary throughout the day and to how to avoid the need to check a lovebird?s temperature on a regular basis relies on simple observation. Instead of knowing how to check the actual temperature of a lovebird, the owner could take their bird to a vet for advice. It is important that the owner realizes that their bird can not tolerate excessive heat or cold and being aware of how the bird looks and behaves in the optimal environment can go a long way to predicting possible sickness in a bird.

An over heated bird may begin to pant which leads to dehydrated and will cause them to head towards the nearest water source. This can happen in a brooder if the temperature is set too high, if an adult bird?s cage is left by a sunny window, or in a sunny area without shade or if the bird is in a hot kitchen for too long. A bird?s cage left in the direction of a cold draft from an open door or window for any length of time can cause its occupant to become cold and sick and even lead to death.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

You Need To Know When To Check A Lovebird?s Temperature

Appearance

Masked lovebirds have very beautiful colors, with several different colors of feathers on their bodies. The lower bodies of masked lovebirds are green, and as you get closer to their necks, you will see a ring of yellow feathers, like a collar. Their heads are black in color, though they have a distinctive white ring around their eyes. This white ring is a characteristic that masked lovebirds share with three other lovebird species: the Nyasa lovebird, Fischer?s lovebird, and the black-cheeked lovebird.

Temperament

Like their relatives, the peach-faced lovebirds, masked lovebirds make good companions with people. Though these birds will form loving bonds with their human owner, lovebirds who are put in a cage with a second lovebird will tend to prefer the company of the other bird to a person. These little birds love to play, so it?s best to give them a large cage with several toys to enjoy, such as a seed ball or some swings. Mirrors also make fun toys for masked lovebirds, who will enjoy looking at the reflection.

Breeding

There are a few things about masked lovebirds that must be known before breeding. First, males and females cannot be differentiated by looking at them. Instead, a veterinarian must either run a DNA test, taken from blood or a few plucked feathers, or must perform an endoscopy procedure to determine if the bird is a male or a female. Masked lovebirds are also capable of being bred with the other three so-called eye-ring species previously mentioned, though most breeders advise against this, as the most beautiful plumage comes from masked lovebirds with pure blood. Despite these few issues with breeding these birds, they are still willing to breed, making them an excellent species for beginning breeders to choose.

As can be seen, with a beautiful appearance, friendly mannerisms, and a willingness to breed, masked lovebirds make a great choice, whatever the reason that you?re wanting a lovebird. Because of their popularity, they should be readily available for purchase, so if you?re looking for a personable little pet, go and get one of these today!

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

The Basics Of Masked Lovebirds

Such color changes have resulted in mauve, Dutch blue and other pied lovebirds. These mutations of color can be extremely interesting and exciting for a breeder as well as profitable, on occasion. Unusual colors and markings can increase the selling price of a lovebird and at present various strains such as mauve pied lovebirds are in increasing demand.

Breeding Mauve Pied Lovebirds

Contrary to some misinformed opinions, mauve pied lovebirds do not occur due to interbreeding different species of lovebird. In fact such interbreeding disturbs the gene pool and can produce ill effects in the offspring such as sterile birds. The mauve pied lovebirds are a color mutation of the peachfaced lovebird and only occur during the breeding of peachfaced lovebirds. As green is the dominant color of these lovebirds, the mutations are caused by changes within the feather structure of the plumage because the green color is caused by a combination of yellow and blue. Changes in the various pigments can lead to the production of mauve pied or a whole host of other lovebird strains depending on the percentage of the blue and yellow pigments that are changed.

Dominant pied effects can lead to yellow blotches, a single white feather or a completely yellow lovebird while retaining normal rump and facial colors. Recessive pied results in an almost completely yellow coloring. Mauve is known as a double dark factor which results in a darkening of the overall body plumage. The combination of mauve and pied can lead to a number of different outcomes depending on the genetic history of the two birds involved. A lot of mauve pied lovebirds have yellow and white colored feathers traced with darker blue and grey colors giving an unusual yet beautiful effect.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Causes Leading To Mauve Pied Lovebirds

Appearance

The most common colors on peachface lovebirds are green with a rosy sort of pink to their faces, from which they get their names. The tail feathers will also often show some light blue feathers, adding more color. The bright plumage of peachface lovebirds give them an exotic, tropical look, which makes sense given their native habitat of arid areas in the hot parts of southwest Africa. Variations on their plumage include yellow and blue varieties as well. Females and males tend to have similar coloring, though the plumage of males will be brighter.

Size

Peachface lovebirds are the largest among the lovebird species, though they are only six or seven inches in length. To keep your peachface lovebirds happy, be sure to get as much cage space as is practical; at least a cage that?s 20 inches on each side is preferable. Keep in mind that such a minimum is for one bird, and that if you purchase a mate, you should get more space.

Breeding

Peachface lovebirds are often recommended to those who are new to lovebird breeding, because they take to it very well. You can breed these birds in single pairs or in larger colonies, but if you choose to put your birds in a colony for breeding, make sure to have more nesting boxes, eight inch cube boxes kept at roughly the same height, put up than you have pairs of birds.

In the wild, female peachface lovebirds will tear strips of nesting materials into long strips for use in nesting. You can help them with this by providing palm fronds and willow twigs that they can use in a similar capacity. Hens will lay about five eggs, which will take a little over three weeks to hatch, and by 43 days after hatching, the chicks will be independent and ready to be sold or placed in their own cages. Overall, from breeding to care, peachface lovebirds are generally very easy to raise, which is one reason why they?re such a great species for beginning lovebird owners.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Buying Peachface Lovebirds

There are many animals called Pebbles and Bam Bam for instance, as well being named after many other well known duos. This is even more common in pets like lovebirds that are often bought in pairs. Themed names can be popular as can names based on the origin of the animal. The pet lovebird?s personality can also have an influence on its name as some people prefer to have an idea of how the bird reacts in certain situations before officially naming it. The whole family can work together to think up some weird and wonderful names for their pet lovebirds.

Picking Unusual Names for Pet Lovebirds

You may have bought an exotic looking pet lovebird and now need to think of names for it. It can be hard to think of a name that does this sort of bird justice but luckily there are many websites on the Internet that provide assistance in this area. If you simply cannot think of an appropriate name or are just too lazy to put any effort into thinking about it then these sites are perfect for you. Some simply contain suggestions posted by the general public while others randomly select a name for you. Either way it may supply some inspiration on choosing some unusual names for your pet lovebirds.

Alternatively, you could decide to think of names for your pet lovebirds by yourself. You may want to use place names or names that you think may be amusing. You can even use words that have a special meaning in other languages. The great thing about pet lovebirds is that you can consider a wide range of unusual names and just about anything will suit them. Whether you pick a traditional bird name or even make up your own name, make sure that you will not grow sick of using that name after a few months as you will be stuck with it for a very long time.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Choosing The Right Names For Pet Lovebirds

Quill clipping a lovebird?s wings will more than likely ensure that he cannot escape and fly far away in the case of a cage, window or door inadvertently being left open. If they do go outside they will not have the ability or strength to travel far. Clipping can also lower the risks of the bird destroying furniture and training often becomes easier. It can also prevent accidental crashes into walls or windows. However, quill clipping can also prevent lovebirds from escaping from danger from other pets for example. Lovebirds will instinctively try to fly away from danger but if their wings have been quill clipped then they have no choice but to face the danger. It can also mean weight gain as the bird?s main form of exercise is now gone. The choice to clip and more specifically quill clip your lovebird is a personal one and both the pros and cons must be carefully weighed up.

Comparing Quill Clipping Lovebirds to Other Styles of Clipping

Clipping lovebirds can be done using a quill clip, show clip, standard clip, one wing clip and every other feather clip. Quill clipping lovebirds is a relatively new process and is said to be safer and more effective than its counterparts. Quill clipping lovebirds involves cutting primary feathers at the quill underneath the primary coverts resulting in less sharp feather edges and a neater yet natural looking style. The differences between the various clip styles can be discussed with your vet.

The show clip leaves the ends of several primary feathers unclipped to leave a criss-cross pattern along the bird?s back. It leads to flight becoming limited although not stopped entirely. This type of clip can be risky. The every other feather clip does exactly as its title indicates but leaves the birds with too many flight feathers leaving the birds still capable of flying. The one wing clip prevents birds from flying but also causes the bird to become unbalanced which can potentially lead to injury. The standard clip cuts most of the primary feathers in half length wise. The amount that is cut depends on the bird. A certain amount is cut by the owner or vet and if the bird can still fly, more are then cut.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

When Is Quill Clipping Lovebirds Necessary?

Lovebirds in the rainforest are particular about which mate they choose but once they select a companion, they form a deep bond. In general, these birds fly from danger on instinct and as with most species of birds; the weaker specimens are picked out immediately. Their lifespan in the wild amounts to six or seven years. They can breed a number of times a year, certain breeds of lovebird being especially efficient breeders.

Lovebirds Adapting Outside of the Rainforest

The most incredible aspect of this species is that although lovebirds are well known to live in rainforests, they are very capable of adapting to many biomes and terrains. Lovebirds are not limited to rainforest life as they can be tamed and can easily adapt to life outside of their natural territory. Escaped pet lovebirds are often found living successfully in the wild in both desert and wet locations. There are even examples of wild lovebird colonies forming and successfully breeding in areas of North America and Australia. This is amazing considering that most pet birds will die if let loose into the wild.

Lovebirds often adapt outside of the rainforest to other extreme conditions but as long as they find a water source, they seem very capable of survival. Lovebirds that have adapted to residential areas often find food and water in the gardens of the locals, eventually fitting in with the local wild birds and finding their place with these birds that they would probably not have come into contact with in their natural habitat. Many of these birds are brightly colored as they stem from captive breeding yet they can still manage to escape predators. The fact that lovebirds can easily adapt to life outside the rainforest is just another example of their uniqueness. These birds may look exotic but more and more of these vibrantly colored birds can be found in surprising places.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

Lovebirds In The Rainforest

The nine species of lovebird are further divided into categories such as dimorphic and monomorphic; monomorphic being then divided into those with and without a periophtalmic ring otherwise known as an eye ring. Abyssinian, Madagascar and Red-faced Lovebirds are dimorphic, meaning that the males and females have different colorings and markings to each other. The other lovebird species are monomorphic, meaning that both male and female versions have the same markings. Those with a ring around their eyes include Nyasa, Masked, Black Cheeked and Fischer?s Lovebirds. The Peachfaced and Black-Collared lovebirds do not have periophtalmic rings.

An In-Depth Look at How Many Species of Lovebird There Are

Regardless of how similar the many species of lovebirds there are to each other, they all have very different origins and react differently to being in captivity. The Peach faced Lovebird is the most common kind in captivity as it is the most prolific breeder amongst the various species. They are widely available with peach colored faces, light green wings and bodies and black flight feathers. The Fischer?s lovebird is also quite common with a white eye ring around its eye. It has an orange head and chest, green body and blue rump. Masked lovebirds also have an obvious white eye ring as well as black heads, a green body, yellow chest feathers and a red beak. Despite knowing exactly how many species of lovebird there are and their natural appearance, they can have an even larger array of colors when bred in captivity.

Dimorphic lovebirds can look completely different. For example, female Madagascar lovebirds are completely green while the males can have an assortment of markings such as a green body and grey head. Some lovebirds such as these and Abyssinians are quite hard to breed in captivity. Red-faced lovebirds are said to be the first that were imported as pets although there are now few in captivity due to the difficulty in flock breeding. Some of the species of lovebirds can only be bred using one pair at a time as it can be difficult to recreate their natural breeding grounds. In the wild, lovebirds are generally green in color, the striking colors well known to lovebirds these days is almost entirely down to captive breeding.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

How Many Species Of Lovebird Are There In The World?

Taming

This can be difficult but it is the basis for everything they learn from you. You must slowly get the bird used to your hands and presence. By holding your hand in their cage regularly, they will start to realize that you do not intend any harm and afterwards when you allow them to fly around the room they will see you as the most familiar object.

Not Biting

The next step is how to train lovebirds not to bite. This can cause painful injuries and this type of behavior needs to be stopped as soon as possible. When they bite, say ?No? or ?No biting? in a firm voice and move the bird away. Never shout as this will encourage them to do the same. Behave like this every time they bite so that they will soon recognize that their behavior is not tolerated. If it continues, some owners shake whatever the bird is standing on as this stops them from biting at that instant. Completely ignoring the bird during times of bad behavior can also work with some birds. It is a case of finding the perfect treatment for each individual bird.

Rewards

Rewarding good behavior repeatedly is probably the best way to train a lovebird to behave. If they behave badly like squawking loudly, simply ignore it completely and chat to them in a normal tone of voice as they may be looking for some attention. Lovebirds can be taught to wave their feet and put objects in a container amongst other things. Encouraging this typing of training involves a lot of repetitiveness and rewarding of positive behavior. Learning that certain actions earn treats is the best way to teach an animal.

How to Potty Train Lovebirds

It is possible to potty train lovebirds and owners always want to know how. It might not be possible with every lovebird but the majority shows the willingness to learn. They may reserve a certain portion of their cage for this action and this in itself shows that they have the ability to realize what they are about to do. How to potty train lovebirds can involve a lot of watching at first. Most birds show some sort of signs of what they are about to do. Once you have learned these signals, you can lift your bird to the place they should be going and say a simple command that you will use repeatedly over the next few days, weeks, or even months. The benefits of potty training your lovebirds include being able to allow them to fly freely around your home without being worried that they will soil the place.

Original Post: Pets Advice Online

How To Train Lovebirds – Basic Commands