Buying Lovebirds
When buying Lovebirds, It is very important to first plan exactly what you want and when you want it. It is very easy these days to rush into something and then regret it later. These are living things and need to be catered for properly.
First decide if you have enough room to house your new birds, and if you have already got birds, will they be compatible with the new ones? Housing different lovebird species in the same aviary can sometimes be fatal. It is also not recommended to do so if you intend to breed as this will only lead to producing hybrid birds and corruption of the Lovebird species here in Australia. Be careful too when buying young birds and then introducing them into an aviary of adult birds, especially if they are breeding, as this will result in the young birds being attacked and even killed.
The Lovebird Nest Box
One question that is often asked by novices to the hobby has a common theme and this concerns the Lovebird nest box. Nest boxes for lovebirds can be in any number of sizes, but as a rule of thumb, don’t go any smaller than a Budgie breeding box, and don’t go any larger than a Cockatiel. Something in between is ideal. I use various size boxes, but most are 200mm wide x 250mm deep x 300mm high (8"x10"x12"). Nyasa lovebirds seem to do better in smaller boxes.
The White Eye Rings are the best builders of the nest, and sometimes will fill the nest box right up to the point where it is almost impossible for the birds to successfully breed in it. Peachfaced are poor nest builders. This is because in the wild it is a natural instinct for them to steal the nest from Madagascan Weavers. They may add some nesting material to the nest, but very little. Therefore, with Peachfaced lovebirds, I build the nest for them. Alternativley, you could let some White Eye Ring lovebirds build a nest, and then swap it around with a Peachface nest box. With all lovebirds, I start the nest off by placing some clean wood shavings in the bottom and sprinkle it with Coopex Powder to help control mites. I Mix up theCoopex powder in the shavings. I use Cocos Palm leaves as my trees require regular trimming and my birds need nesting material every day. By doing this, I can kill 2 birds with the one stone! You can also use long grass, but avoid grass clippings as they can get moldy in the nest. Bamboo works good as well. Fresh Gum leaves are a good nesting material as the eucalyptus acts as a natural deodorant for the breeder. Try to avoid dry materials such as straw, as this will reduce the humidity in the nest box and the eggs may dry out.
I cut Cocos Palm leaves into lengths about 10 cm long and place these in the bottom of the box to generate interest as well as placing most of the remaining nesting material inside the Aviary. With Peachfaced, I place more material inside the nest box than the White Eye Rings and let them chew them and they will build the nest themselves out of what is already in the box. Some Peachfaced will discard some of the material in the box, resulting in an even more inferior nest, but they seem to do fine in the long run. The White Eye rings will build a good nest by themselves over a few days, working all day carrying nesting material back to nest in their beaks. Peachfaced will take strips off nesting material outside the box and carry them in their rump feathers back to the nest. They don’t add much to the nest and usually drop some of it back on the floor and don’t retrieve it. As a result, I personally don’t bother supplying Peachfaced with any other nesting material apart from what I have already provided in the nest. With all lovebirds, they have a bad habit of placing nesting material in their water dishes. It is thought that this is to clean the nesting material and add a bit of moisture to the nest, but they rarely retrieve it and it just ends up fouling the water . This can also result in green slime in your water dishes, so of course, regular changing of the water is required.
During Incubation, it is necessary to provide green nesting material every day. The moisture in the green nesting material will prevent the eggs from drying up. Once the chicks have hatched, continue on with providing nesting material on a daily basis as the parents will continue to add nesting material in order to keep the nest clean. Peachfaced however will not keep the nest clean. If the nest gets too dirty inside with excessive droppings, once the chicks have opened their eyes and can stand, I remove the chicks and replace the nest with fresh material myself. The chicks can then be put back into the nest box and the parents will continue to care for them with no problems. In Summer months, particularly with the White Eye Rings, I find it necessary to remove some of the nesting material in order to make for better ventilation and a cooler nest box. This however can only be done when the chicks old enough to be able to move around the nest by themselves .
After the chicks have fledged, The parents may start to lay the next clutch. You must keep this in mind if you wish to clean the nest box out. Do not clean the nest box out if they have already started laying eggs, as the hen will more than likely abandon the nest.
Happy Bird Breeding !!!
Darren
Choosing Your Birds
Always try and handle the bird yourself before buying. Feel the breast bone. If the bird is light(skinny) and you can feel the breast bone as though it is going to stick through the skin, then chances are the bird is sick and the stress of moving it to a new home will probably kill it and even introduce new diseases to your existing flock. If it is a young bird, then it may be skinny simply due to the fact that it has not put on enough weight after leaving the nest, and this doesn’t mean that the bird is sick. A Lovebird’s eyes should be fully open and round . If the bird give’s the appearance in which its eyes are partially closed, then it may be sick. Never buy a bird that is sleeping during the day or can be found to have its head under its wing and its feathers ruffled, as this is a sign that something is wrong with it. Check for battle scars. A bird with a damaged beak may not be able to feed its young. A bird with damaged feet and toes may not be able to grip the perches properly when mating which would result in infertile eggs. Birds that appear to be in molt may in fact have a feather problem and may stay that way for the rest of its life. Always try and buy the bigger healthier looking birds, but be careful in this regard. Lovebird hens are generally bigger than cock birds, so buying the bigger birds may result in having all hens.
Most reputable breeders will ring their birds with year rings, which will give you an estimate of their age. I would not buy birds older than 5 years old as their breeding days are coming to an end. Older birds can have an advantage of being hardier and more resistant to disease. But ask the breeder why they are selling an older bird. Sometimes it can be that it has failed in breeding (small clutches, Infertile eggs, bad parenting etc).
Be prepared to say no if you are not sure about buying a bird. Be polite, and remember that you are in someone else’s home, but don’t just buy a bird because you don’t want to insult the breeder. Ask them before you visit their property if there is any obligation to buy. Most reputable breeders will not(and should not) put pressure on you to buy. Ask if you can come back at a later date if what you want is not available and get an estimate on when the birds you want will be available.
Be fussy, but not too fussy. Remember, a good breeder will always keep their best birds for themselves!!!
Getting Your Birds Home
Try and buy your birds in the morning as this will allow them extra time when you introduce them to their new home and for them to get used to their surroundings and find food and water dishes. It may be necessary to provide extra food and water dishes for them to use until they feel comfortable with their new surroundings. Make sure that you have more nest boxes than you have pairs. I provide 5 nest boxes for every 3 pairs and this will help stop fighting between the birds. When it is cold, I sometimes provide extra Sunflower, Hulled Oats and Multigrain Bread. This gives the birds some extra fats and carbohydrates in the first few days to reduce the effects of possible weight loss due to the stress of moving.
As exciting as it can be buying new birds, try and give them a bit of peace and avoid any unnecessary contact with people, dogs, cats etc. Most Lovebirds in Australia suffer from Mega Bacteria. They can happily live a full life with it, but in times of stress, it can overpower the bird and kill it. For this reason, it is also recommended that you consider quarantining your bird for 6 weeks before introducing it to your existing flock. If possible, give your bird ‘Spark Electrovet’(made by Vetapharm) or some sort of probotic 3 days before and after transport. This will reduce the effects of stress on the birds.
Happy Bird Buying!!!
Where To Buy Your Birds From.
Try buying your birds from someone you know. You will feel more comfortable when asking about the birds on offer and you will be able to get a breeding history on the bird. Some breeders will let you into their homes to view the birds and the parents. This way you will be able to see where the birds have come from and how well they have been looked after. Ask the breeder what their daily routine is with the birds and you will then get an insight on what the birds are feeding on and their general health and well being.
If you intend on buying a few birds, if possible, it is better to buy from 2 or more different breeders. This will ensure a better bloodline when breeding and will give you bigger and healthier young. If you buy all your birds from the one breeder, you are more likely to end up with smaller inferior young birds as the gene pool will be small. It is becoming more common in Australia today for people to buy birds from different states to ensure a better gene pool. Air freighting birds in Australia is becoming more popular and generally is not as expensive as you think.
If you are buying new mutations, check with their origin and ancestry, as you still may be buying birds that have originated from the 1 pair. If this is the case, then try investing in some pure normal birds(split to nothing) and outcross the mutations. This will produce normal’s split for their appropriate mutation, which can then be put back with the parents, giving you better quality birds in the long run.
