Lovebirds (agapornis) are a kind of small parrot that is colorful and cheerful. Love birds are loyal pets and love to play with their owners. As long as they are properly cared for and given enough attention, lovebirds can live up to 8-12 years or more. One of the myths about love birds is that this breed must be kept in pairs for the sake of its health, otherwise it will suffer and die. On the other hand, most love bird breeders suggest keeping this bird just one, while the owner acts as a flock.
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Part 1 of 4: Buying Love Birds
Step 1. Don't worry if you want to buy more than one lovebird and pair them
Don't feel compelled to keep just one love bird; indeed the breeders and experts recommend that, but that does not mean more than one will be considered wrong. It should be remembered that bringing together love birds as adults is risky as the older birds may try to harm or kill the younger birds. Another risk of keeping two love birds at the same time is that they will make friends with each other, but not with you as the owner.
- If you want to keep more than one love bird, meet them when they are very young. A flock of love birds will form a hierarchy with one bird being the leader (the alpha) while the others are the followers.
- Another myth about love birds is that this breed can be fierce or aggressive, especially the female when marking her cage area. Most lovebird breeders think that the male breed is more suitable as a pet, but the male can still aggressively protect his area by pecking his fingers that violate the boundaries. Most love birds, both male and female, have a good temper. To prevent aggressive behavior, these birds should be trained to be somewhat non-pecking.
Step 2. Identify different types of love birds
There are many types of love birds, but the three most popular are:
- Peach faced love bird/agapornis roseicollis: These small birds are the most widely bred species. He is about 13 cm tall, his fur is green and blue, and his face is reddish. Salmon-faced lovebirds have been bred for hundreds of color mutations, from pure white albino to deep purple.
- Masked lovebirds (agapornis personata/masked lovebirds): This breed has circles around its eyes, black head mask feathers, orange beak, yellow chest feathers, and green wing feathers. Some breeders consider this breed quite aggressive.
- Fischer's lovebird (agapornis fischeri): This species is also known as the circular lovebird because it has circles around its eyes. This breed is smaller than the salmon-faced and mask-faced lovebirds and has a characteristic high-pitched chirp. Some breeders consider this breed quite aggressive.
Step 3. Look for love birds at the nearest pet store
Usually pet stores sell love birds and maybe the sale is a type of face salmon or Fischer's. Before you buy, we recommend checking the following:
- Make sure the bird looks healthy. The bird should be cheerful, active, and its eyes sparkling with alertness. The fleshy part of the nostrils (cere) as well as the nostrils (nares) should be clean.
- Make sure the bird is eager when eating and drinking. The fur should also be neat, shiny, and mostly flat to the shape of the body, not bouncy or raised. The paws and feet should be smooth, with no bumps, scabs, or rough scales.
- The bird should respond to you by chirping, clicking, or whistling. Most love birds will be eager to interact with new people, although some are shy or afraid. A healthy bird will appear confident and curious, but at the same time cautious and alert.
- If possible, ask permission to hold or touch the bird. Make sure the bird is interested in interacting with you and is not pecking or biting. The attack is a sign that the bird is aggressive.
Step 4. Find a love bird breeder online
Look for sites that list lovebird breeders according to where you live and the type of bird they sell. Be careful with unreasonable bird prices and always try to contact the breeder to build a relationship first before buying.
- Most reliable breeders raise their own birds. This means that they are involved in every phase of bird rearing, from the installation of prospective brooders, creating an adequate birdcage environment for breeding, to observing the diet and nutrition of the birds.
- Breeders should also raise bird eggs and care for small birds until they find owners. There are also breeders who feed the chicks directly with their own hands and also tame them and wean them. Feeding directly from the hand and taming baby birds are very important so that later they get used to interacting with humans. Thus, love birds raised with direct interaction will become docile and affectionate pets.
- Love birds raised by direct interaction are definitely more expensive, while those raised by direct mothers (which are usually sold in pet stores) are cheaper. Rare breeds or unique breeds are also definitely more expensive.
Step 5. Take your newly purchased lovebird to the vet
There is a risk that the bird may already be exposed to an unseen disease at the time of purchase, so take it to the vet to ensure its health.
- If you're planning to buy a love bird in the near future, it's a good idea to make an appointment with your vet so you can take it there as soon as it comes from the store or breeder.
- Your veterinarian may have an additional package in the form of a health care plan so that your love bird can be healthy and live a long life. This package usually includes an annual bird health check and emergency medical care.
Step 6. Decide if you want to know the gender of your love bird
Love birds are not sex dimorphic, meaning that it is impossible to tell whether the bird is male or female just by looking. The best way to determine the sex of the bird is to do a DNA test, either by an expert or by yourself using a DNA test kit.
- The DNA test if ordered online from abroad may be in the USD15-22 price range (not including postage if any). How to use it is to cut the bird's nails a little deeper than usual and then sent to the lab. You can also ask if the vet provides this service.
- It's also possible that a veterinarian can take a sample and send it to a lab for testing.
- There are several visible things that might help distinguish the sex of a bird, namely that the female usually perches with her legs wider, wider apart, and her pelvis feels larger when lightly touched with the index finger.
- Salmon females tend to be able to carry small items in their wings to place in the nest, while males may try the same, but cannot. But keep in mind that this is not always accurate, depending on the individual bird.
Part 2 of 4: Creating a Love Bird Habitat
Step 1. Find a cage measuring approximately 45x45 cm at a pet supply store
Lovebirds tend to be active and playful, so they need a cage that can fit all of their toys and a perch to keep them busy. The bigger the cage, the more comfortable it will be for the bird.
The cage should also have horizontal bars too, at least on two sides. The grid spacing should not be more than 2 cm to reduce the risk of an accident
Step 2. Place perches of various widths, diameters and textures in the cage
The cage should be equipped with two or three perches of different sizes, shapes, and textures to keep your bird's claws healthy and strong. The perch should be wide enough so that the bird can perch comfortably and balanced. The minimum diameter for the perch is 1.5 cm.
Look for perches made of logs, natural wood twigs, sand compacted with cement, or rope
Step 3. Hang the birdhouse at a high enough level from the ground and away from drafts, open windows, and the kitchen
Your birdcage should be above the ground and away from air vents and doors. Your bird can get sick if exposed to the wind when it's wet, such as when it's been bathed.
Lovebirds are sensitive to smoke, pungent smells, and noise. If you smoke, don't smoke in the same room where you keep your love birds
Step 4. Hang the cage in a quiet, well-lit room
A room that is too dark can make love birds behave strangely and sickly. Also, don't hang the cage near a window in direct sunlight in summer as this can result in heat stroke and death for the little bird.
A little direct sunlight is still good for your bird so it gets ultraviolet-B rays for its health. If the cage is far from the window, it's a good idea to install a special light bulb that emits safe ultraviolet-B rays above the cage. Keep the bulb on 8-10 hours a day to give your bird enough light
Step 5. Make sure your bird sleeps undisturbed for 10-12 hours every night
Sleep time is very important for love birds. If the love bird's cage is indoors, you may want to put a hood over the cage so the bird can rest at night.
- If there is not enough space for a large cage in the room, you can also use a special small cage for sleeping. A special sleeping cage is useful so that your bird has a quiet and safe place to sleep.
- Love birds should be put to bed at the same time every night and removed from their sleeping cage at the same time each morning.
Step 6. Clean your birdhouse at least once a week
Trays and food plates should be cleaned daily, while the cage, which is the home for your beloved lovebird, should be cleaned once a week.
- Use warm water and soap. Move your bird to another cage, wiping down the entire cage, perch, and any toys in the cage.
- You can also use a cleansing gel to thoroughly scrub the birdcage. Look for a type of cleaning gel that contains stable chlorine dioxide that is safe for birds.
- Be careful when using a bleach mixture to disinfect the cage. Bleach is toxic to birds. So if you use water mixed with bleach, make sure the cage is thoroughly rinsed and then dried in the sun to dry.
- Make sure the cage and all bird feeders are bleach-free before returning the bird to the cage.
Part 3 of 4: Feeding Love Birds
Step 1. Give love birds high quality bird food
The portion of bird food can be seen on the package of bird food. Buy bird food made from high-quality grains that are coated or combined with vitamin and mineral supplements; usually in the form of pellets. Usually love birds are given bird food pellets or seeds with a portion of 2-3 teaspoons per day.
- Bird food can also be a combination of grains. But remember that the combination of loose grains can cause your bird to choose only the grains it likes. Bird food brands such as Nutri-berries, Avi-cakes, and Pellet-berries come together so that it is difficult for the bird to let go of the part it likes, so it will eat all of it and get a variety of grains.
- At a pet supply store, look for a grain mix that contains walnuts, barley, rice, oats, safflower, and a little sunflower seed. Corn and germinated seeds are also very popular with lovebirds.
Step 2. Don't forget to give your birds fresh fruits and vegetables too
Bird food in the form of pellets and a mixture of grains should be given every day, but don't just do that because the nutritional content is still lacking. About 5-10% of your bird's diet should consist of chopped fruits and vegetables.
Give your bird healthy fruits such as apples, grapes, berries, papaya and mango. You should also give him vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, zucchini, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and dark green leafy vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce
Step 3. Feed your bird a healthy diet
Healthy foods include whole grains, such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, multigrain breads, and cereals without sugar. If you feed your birds fresh, make sure you remove any leftovers that are not eaten so they don't go bad. You should also wash the food bowl before use.
It doesn't matter if your lovebird eats human food, but limit foods that are fried, oily, sweet, or salty to keep the bird healthy
Step 4. Make sure there is always clean water in the cage so that the bird can drink at any time
Do not give your bird tap or raw water. Usually the bird cage is equipped with a water container box so that your bird can drink at any time.
Step 5. Never give your bird alcohol, chocolate, or caffeinated drinks
These substances, even in small doses, can be lethal to love birds.
Other foods that should not be given to love birds are avocados, rhubarb (rhubarb), asparagus, onions, raw legumes (peas and beans), and dairy products (dairy)
Part 4 of 4: Lovebird Care and Training
Step 1. Bathe your love bird once a week
Regular bathing is important so that your bird is healthy and free from disease. If the love bird is not bathed, its feathers can become shabby and dirty.
- Use a fine mist (mist sprayer) to bathe your love bird. Spray water carefully from a distance of about 30-60 cm above the bird so that the droplets fall like rain.
- Do this a few times until the bird gets used to it and starts trimming its feathers.
- There are birds who like to be bathed and happily jump into a small saucer of water. The bird will then play in the water for a few minutes.
Step 2. Dry the bird and place it in a warm room
After bathing, make sure the bird is towel-dried and placed in a warm room so it doesn't get cold or catch a cold.
Step 3. Decide if you want to trim the wing feathers every few weeks
This is not mandatory in bird care, but is useful for making birds more docile. Trimming wing feathers can also prevent birds from flying into ceiling fans, hitting window panes, and other risky items. Trimming the wing feathers is controversial because it can change the way the bird flies, putting it at risk of falling and injuring its chest. This is now becoming obsolete and bird owners can instead create a safe space for the bird and train it to come when called.
- If you are unable to trim your wing feathers, it is best to contact your veterinarian to have this done professionally.
- If in the future you decide to do your own wing feather trimming, it's best when you first use professional services and look at the method first. The ornithologist should be able to hold the bird with one hand while the other trims its wing feathers.
- Only 5-6 main wing feathers should be trimmed. The pruning is not near the base of these long feathers. There are two layers of shorter feathers on top of the long main wing feathers that are used for flight. Short hairs are not trimmed. Trim about 1 cm below the layer of short hairs so that only the main hairs are trimmed. Trimming should adjust the shape of the feathers that cover the top layer so that the trimmed wings are comfortable to hold against the bird's body and do not irritate the skin.
- Bird claw nails should also be cut so that the shape of the feet is normal. This helps the bird to have a better grip on the perch and reduces the risk of its claws getting caught in cloth or clothing. If you can't cut your nails yourself, use a professional.
Step 4. Use bird-safe toys or make your own bird toys
Bird-safe toys can be purchased at pet supply stores. You can also make simple toys for birds yourself using plastic medicine bottle caps or coke bottle caps, clean tissue rolls in a small box, or leaves and twigs from safe plants such as flower stalks, hibiscus tree branches, or plant twigs. mulberry.
- Don't put a mirror in a birdcage because love birds will treat their reflection as a flock.
- You should rotate the bird toys that are placed in the cage so that the bird does not get bored. Replace worn or damaged toys so as not to injure the bird.
- Always introduce a new toy in a neutral location before placing it in the cage so the bird can get used to it first.
Step 5. Wash hands before and after touching birds
Germs from birds can transfer to humans, and vice versa, putting you or your bird at risk of serious illness.
Step 6. Take the bird out of its cage to play every day
Play time can be slowly increased in increments of 30 minutes until the bird is used to socializing. Usually birds like to perch on the shoulder, close to the neck, or hide behind clothing such as a sweater or scarf.
- When love birds are bored, they tend to chew on clothes, jewelry, or tug on buttons. Avoid risks when playing with your bird by wearing clothes that are not easily pulled and don't wear necklaces.
- You can wear a special bird toy necklace made of a bird-safe chain and attached to the chain with small toys for it.
Step 7. Train your bird to perch on a perch or on a toy
Do this by gently tapping on the toy and instructing the bird to climb up. This training can control his regional defense behavior which usually appears when he is sexually mature. At that time the bird will probably peck on any object that is brought near its resting area or cage.
Training the bird to perch will help it move away from its private area without pecking and will calm it down
Step 8. Speak softly and move slowly around the bird
Love birds are usually smart and sweet; they usually get along with humans. This bird can imitate words like a parrot, but it doesn't have a lot of vocabulary. Interact with your love bird by speaking softly to invite him to respond or repeating your words.
- Birds can die of fright. Scare birds can stress him out until he gets sick or dies. Don't move too fast or make too loud noise around your love bird.
- Other predatory animals such as cats, dogs and ferrets should be kept away from your bird.
Step 9. Take your bird to the vet regularly
Most birds will not show symptoms of the disease until it is at an advanced stage. So it's better for your bird to be taken to the vet regularly to be checked for any early symptoms of disease and health problems.
