Lovebirds make great pets, since they can be social, affectionate, and easy to care for was long as you have time to devote to the birds each day. Another great thing about them is that breeding lovebirds is very easy to do. Unlike other animals that were previously wild, lovebirds are perfectly willing to breed, as long as the conditions are right for it. If you?re interested in the idea of breeding lovebirds, then here are some tips for helping to ensure that your attempts are a success:

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.

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