Kinds of pets

Lovebirds are a bird that lives in our hearts

Hawateftec
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All about lovebirds 

Lovebird

 parrot height and weight

Individuals of the female and male sexes are as similar as possible to each other and have small sizes. The body length is from 12 to 18 cm, the wingspan is up to 25 cm, the wing length is about 10 cm. The weight of the bird is usually around 50 g.


Varieties

The most popular type of these birds is not a black-cheeked lovebird, as it might seem, but a rosy-cheeked one. Their peculiarity is the problem-free getting used to the conditions of life in captivity, they give birth to offspring without any problems. Diseases of lovebird parrots are less likely to concern this particular breed. The main color of the feathers is green, they are on the back, belly, tail and wings. The head, on the contrary, has a bright red color, gradually changing it when moving to the body.


It is also not uncommon to meet Fisher's parrots. They love to talk and easily survive the "move" into captivity. The body is painted green, and the head is orange, the chest is yellow. With breeding, you can get a number of very interesting colors in chicks.


An equally popular breed is the masked lovebirds. This name was given due to the white "mask" around the eyes.


Collared

The body color of these birds is green, the belly and chest are yellow. They have a very beautiful gray-black beak. On the wings you can see stripes of red and black. The name was given due to the two stripes - black and yellow, which are on the neck. The length of the body is less than 14 cm, the weight rarely exceeds 40 g. They live on average about 10-15 years.

Necklace lovebirds are rarely found in captivity, as it is very difficult to catch them in their natural habitat. Birds prefer to nest in the tops of trees.

Lovebirds Liliana

This view is very similar to the Fisher view, but there are a number of differences that immediately show that this is the view in front of a person:


The color of the body is light green.

The second name is strawberry-headed, the name is derived from the color of the head.

The chest and neck are yellow, and the beak is red.


Females and males are identical to each other. This species is the smallest among the entire breed - the body length does not exceed 13 centimeters, and the weight is usually less than 30 g.

red-faced

The forehead, cheeks and neck of this species are orange-red, which is why they got their name. The rest of the body is green. The average weight is around 40 g, the body length is about 15 cm. Finding the difference between a male and a female is quite easy - the former are usually larger, the latter have a more yellowish color.

A distinctive property - they love to sleep like bats - upside down. For life, they prefer not to choose the tops of tall trees, but anthills. They dig holes for themselves in advance, usually 40 cm deep is enough. For this reason, it is very difficult to tame them into captivity.


Greyheads

Very timid and fearful of all birds, which are very difficult to catch in the wild. At the same time, it is very difficult for them to get used to life in captivity and are under the threat of extinction, which is why they are rarely chosen as a pet.

The second name - Madagara, according to the name of the homeland, does not differ in size from the red-faced "brothers" - up to 15 cm long and up to 40 g in weight. Males and females are easier to distinguish from each other:

Most of the body of the male (head, chest and neck) is gray, the rest of the feathers are green.

The female has no gray spots.


black-winged

If you look at the wings of this species, everything will become clear with the name - black stripes are located on the wings of the feathered one. The difference between males and females is visible to the naked eye - the former are larger, the forehead color is red. The second has a green forehead. Mass of birds

They are rarely seen as pets due to their dull coloration. There is also a restriction on catching these birds and subsequent transportation to other countries. It is often difficult for owners to find a suitable partner, which is why they rarely breed outside the wild.


black-cheeked

It is very difficult to see in the wild or in captivity, as there are very few representatives of this species left; he is close to extinction. They are even smaller than the necklace birds. The feathers on the neck are red-red, the crown is dark orange. Around the eyes is a white "mask", the rest of the body is painted green. The chicks differ from adult birds in the color of the beak - in the former it is orange, and in the latter it is red. There are no differences between males and females. Breeders were able to bring out several different colors of these birds.

The singing of a lovebird of this species is the most pleasant of all. They also differ in not the largest sizes: the body length is about 15 cm in length, the weight does not reach 50 g. Calm birds that do not quarrel with other pets obey and become attached to the owner.


Proper and Healthy Breeding of Lovebirds

Lovebirds are beautiful birds with bright plumage. At home, they are kept in pairs, thus facilitating the task of reproduction. Caring for lovebirds is easy, but during puberty and mate selection, some novice poultry farmers face certain difficulties that are worth knowing about (for example, how to breed lovebirds at home or how many days female lovebirds incubate eggs).


Pair selection

Lovebirds are called so because families form strong, indestructible. But picking up two parrots that match each other is not always possible.


State of parrots

The union is formed by adults. Parrots ready to reproduce at home:


must be physically healthy (you must pass the recommended tests);

behave actively, but not aggressively, walk, play with each other;

not shy (if an individual reacts to the slightest rustle with panicked wing flaps and a scream, then it is not ready for reproduction);

eat well;

they regularly clean their feathers (a disheveled, unkempt appearance is a sign of illness, including mental illness).

Parrots with physical disabilities are not allowed for breeding. Families are also not allowed to form during the molting of one or both partners. Allowing males and females to each other to form a union begins after 1 month.

The size

Before breeding at home, birds are weighed and gently palpated to detect excess weight or excessive thinness. A little fat will not hurt, but if the parrot is barely moving due to obesity, it should immediately be put on a diet of sprouted rice and fresh vegetables and fruits. In this case, there is no question of reproduction. Only dense, but not fatty birds are allowed to mate.


A malnourished individual is force-fed. A thin female will not be able to lay eggs.


Acceptable age

Mate birds at the age of 1-4 years. The last digit is the dilution limit. Too young (under 1 year old) may also form a breeding pair. But officially they reach puberty at 8-9 months.


Self-selection

In choosing a pair for breeding, parrots of this species are extremely picky. In order for the meeting to be successful, and for the birds to accept each other, it is necessary to give them a choice, for example, put two males and one female in one cage. After 1 week, a family is formed.


If there is no choice, the birds do not like each other too much, but do not behave aggressively, then they are first kept together as a couple, and after a specified time they are seated in different cages, leaving them alone for 2 weeks. Usually, loneliness makes lovebirds come to terms with the person's choice. But if after these actions everything remains at the same level, one of the individuals is still replaced.


Closely related ties

Relatives do not usually form pairs in the animal kingdom. But breeders often cross brothers and sisters with each other for the sake of producing offspring with unusually bright plumage. This should not be done at home. The risk of obtaining non-viable or diseased offspring when mating relatives reaches its maximum.


The necessary conditions

Male and female lovebirds are extremely emotional birds. It is extremely difficult to understand on what criteria the choice of a pair for mating is based.


Suitable time for mating

Lovebirds, which are bred at home by many, tend to form a couple in the summer or early autumn. In summer, the length of daylight hours is longer, more food rich in vitamins.


artificial climate

In an artificially created situation, lovebirds begin to breed only if the room temperature and air humidity suit them. The optimum temperature is considered to be within + 18-20 degrees Celsius with an air humidity of 50-60%. If the room is too hot or dry, you will have to spray water in the corners of the house, otherwise the life of the lovebirds will not be too comfortable, which will affect their craving for reproduction.

Diet

In summer and autumn, lovebirds eat vegetables, fruits, herbs, so the question of what to feed the lovebirds should not arise. In winter, parrots should receive special vitamin complexes. On the eve of nesting, enter into the usual menu:


cottage cheese

eggs

flour worms

insects.


It is important for the female to get as much protein as possible. But they should not be limited to one. At home, the birds are regularly fed:

oatmeal, rice and pea porridge

sprouted rice, wheat and oats

young branches of fruit trees

honey (2 g daily)

lemon juice (3 drops daily).


Every day, the bird's home menu is diluted with a tablet of calcium gluconate ground to a state of flour. For better absorption of calcium, it is sometimes permissible to dilute the usual diet with vitamin D products. Water and food are changed at least once every 2-3 hours. If vitamins are added to the water, then remove the bowl immediately after the birds get drunk.


two houses

In addition to a spacious cage that is a home for birds, mating individuals need additional accommodation. A small house, in which the female will build a nest, is hung on a cage.


Nest building

Ready for breeding, the female uses branches of deciduous trees to build a nest (this greatly facilitates caring for her at home), which a person needs to attach to the entrance to the nest box. Before placing in a cage, the leaves are treated with hot water.


Females carefully choose the building material, using one clear method of selection. At the same time, some birds even use paper to cover the bottom of the cage.


Nesting

Nesting is stressful for the bird's body, no matter how many times it lays eggs. At this time, her character and lifestyle, behavior changes. Hatching and caring for chicks requires maximum strength from her. The male also takes part in the nesting process, but all the responsibility for building the nest lies with his partner.


Behavior changes

The female shows increased activity, becomes a little nervous, devotes a lot of time to building a nest, and more often gnaws mineral stones.


The male during the nesting period becomes tender, cares for his girlfriend. Cooing, trying to feed her. Its readiness for mating is expressed in special movements. So, he rubs his cloaca against solid objects.


When mating, which occurs immediately after the completion of the construction of the nest, the couple emits loud piercing cries. Sometimes parrots fight, but the owner should not pay attention to this.


Hatching period

Incubation begins 5-7 days after mating (the first egg is laid). The next day after the first, more eggs appear, following a day later or one after another. One healthy bird puts 4-8 pieces in a nest.


Hatching lasts 19-26 days. Twice a day, the mother turns the clutch over, which prevents the embryo from sticking to the wall of the shell and dying. During incubation, she is not disturbed by cleaning the cage (the nest box is removed for the first time 2 weeks after the appearance of the last chick) and feeding is as quiet as possible. After 1 week, the entire clutch is checked for fertilization. Unfertilized eggs are shiny


The appearance of chicks

Chicks at home appear 20 days after laying is completed. They have no feathers, they are blind and deaf. The sequence of birth depends on when the eggs were laid.


Chick care

The first feeding of newborns occurs 2-3 hours after birth. The mother feeds them liquid from the crop. A few days later, they begin to feed on food brought by the male. But sometimes he does not do this and the person has to independently care for the chicks at home until they leave the nest (2 months after birth). All this time they are fed with milk porridge - semolina or millet with the addition of fish, fat and sugar.


Liquid food is heated to a temperature of 40-60 degrees Celsius, given with a syringe without a needle. During feeding, the chicks are taken out of the nest and placed on something warm and soft.


Possible difficulties

Reproduction at home is not without difficulties, eggs often do not contain embryos or chicks die in the process of incubation, which makes many owners very worried about the fate of the offspring and read many books on the topic of breeding. The death of offspring in the egg leads to:


refusal to incubate, flight from the nest

lack of air in the house due to poor

 ventilation of the room

lack of vitamins in the body of females


infestation with worms and lice.


Newborn chicks die from cold and hunger, due to the fault of an aggressive male who is not ready for breeding. Sometimes the mother, who lacks calcium, begins to pluck the feathers from the chicks. She can also throw the young out of the nest and start a new clutch if it seemed to her that the chicks were not strong enough. At home, this behavior is easy to follow, but in nature, babies die. To prevent this from happening in captivity, the house is not hung high, the fallen chick is nursed,


Lovebirds are amazing birds. It is interesting to watch them, they easily acquire offspring in captivity, they are not too noisy, they are not picky about food and maintenance. But even this can be dealt with by following the advice of professionals and reading more books on the topic.



Determining the sex and age of a lovebird parrot

How to find out age

Not only an experienced breeder can determine how old a bird of paradise is. There are several simple principles on how to find out the age of a bird. When buying, it is important to pay attention to the features of the parrot's appearance: this will allow you to choose a young individual. Sellers in pet stores most often know the exact date of departure of the chicks from the nest: this is enough to determine the days of life of individuals. If it is impossible to find out this point, you can determine how old the parrot is on your own during the inspection of the pet.


The shape and size of the head

Lovebirds are growing fast. In a month they reach the size of adults. It is for this reason that determining the age of a bird by the shape of its head is an impossible task. This characteristic can help determine gender: girls have a larger head than boys.


By the eyes

An eye exam is one of the most popular ways to determine the age of a lovebird. Young individuals have a peculiar structure of the eye. In lovebirds in the first weeks of life, the pupils are enlarged: they almost completely cover the whites. They appear to have black eyes. Pupils shrink over time. If you have a parrot with normal-sized pupils in front of you, this is already an adult representative.

By the beak

Young parrots have a small and thin beak, while in adults it is massive and strong, often curved. Young parrots have darker skin above the bill. This area is called the "cere". After a few months, it brightens, merging with the general color. Often, young lovebird parrots have a bundle of tissues on their beak. This is caused by the growth of new tissue over the baby's beak. During this period, the birds need proper and regular nutrition, as well as attention from the owners. In 99% of cases, tissue renewal takes place without complications.

By paws and claws

A convenient and simple method to determine the age of a lovebird parrot is to examine the bird's paws. In chicks, the skin over the claws is soft and light. It darkens with age due to the development of scales. Claws grow gradually in birds, but it is problematic to determine their age, because after a month they reach a standard size.

By appearance

Birds, like people, change every year. When choosing a pet, you should pay attention to its plumage, color, pupil size, head and paws. This will allow you to choose a pet of the age that you need. Remember that young birds are brighter in color and more active.

By color

Juveniles of lovebirds are distinguished by brighter and more shiny feathers. They have a reflection of gray on the wings and neck. The effect of overflow disappears already at the age of six months. In adult parrots, the color is uniform and more matte. Lovebirds, reaching adulthood, become almost completely green. A yellow or red tint in parrots after a year is noticed on the throat, neck, head and back. The color differs not only in young and adult individuals, but also in males and females.


At what age is it easier to determine the sex of parrots

Many people tend to acquire winged pets very small. But how to distinguish a boy from a girl in a store? It is impossible to understand the sex of newly hatched chicks. Sexual characteristics in lovebirds appear at 4 weeks of age. Until this period, you can understand what gender the parrot is in front of you by external signs.


How to find out gender

Experienced breeders can determine the sex of a bird at a glance. There are 6 ways to distinguish a boy's lovebird from a girl's.


According to the shape of the head

Boy parrots have smaller heads than females. Males have a lower forehead and an angular nape, as well as a flatter head. Many people call this form "cut". Females, in turn, have a voluminous, but short head.


By the beak

How to distinguish a female from a male? Examine the parrot's beak. In girls, it is thin, small, boys have a thick and wide beak. Sometimes males are distinguished by a colored beak: a combination of yellow and orange. Females have monophonic beaks: yellow, white or brown.


On the pelvic bones

You can find out the sex of the chick by the size of the pelvic bone. This procedure must be carried out very carefully, as parrots have fragile bones. Inspection can be difficult due to the aggressive reaction of the bird to touch. Males and females may start spitting or screaming when invading their territory.


How to feel the pelvic bones? It is necessary to lay the bird on the hand with its stomach up. Feeling the pelvic bones is required gently. Place your fingers on the body of the bird, feeling for protruding bones. It is necessary to determine the distance between them. In boys, the gap between the pelvic bones will be less than a centimeter, and in girls - 1-2 cm.


It is also worth paying attention to the width of the pelvic bones. Females have a wider pelvis as they lay eggs. During laying, the distance between the pelvic bones in females increases to allow the free exit of eggs.


To size

The size of the bird depends on the sex of the individual. Lovebird parrots can be distinguished within a couple of weeks after birth. Females have a small body, but this cannot be seen with the naked eye. Boys and girls of the same age practically do not differ in size.


By color

Experts use another way to tell the difference between male and female lovebirds: looking at the feathers. The color of a bird's feather speaks not only of its age, but also of its gender.


Lovebird boys are bright and rich in color. They are distinguished by shiny green, yellow or red feathers. In females, the plumage is lighter. The pattern is also different: in girls it is chaotic. This difference is explained by the fact that males use a bright color to attract the attention of females.


By behavior

The behavior of males and females has a lot of differences. Lovebird girls pay more attention to their appearance: they often wash their feathers and look in the mirror (if there is one in the cage). They also like to scold their partners. If you have 2 parrots in front of you, one of which constantly pecks or grumbles at the other, know that the female is screaming.

Girls of this species are more thrifty: they bring materials for building a nest, they can hide food and other important things, as they think. There is an interesting test for checking the sex of a bird: put a napkin next to the cage - the girl will definitely crush it to build a nest.


Bright differences between individuals of both sexes appear during the mating period. Boys at this time behave radically differently than in everyday life. They rub against the perches, stick to the female, they can scream.


Conclusion

Now you know how to correctly identify the male and female parrot. However, it does not matter what gender and age you take a parrot. He will become an integral part of your family and a true friend.


The life span of lovebird parrots at home and in the wild

Lovebird parrots are known to all lovers of feathered poultry. Differ in bright color, first appeared in Africa. They have a not very long body, the length of which is 10-18 cm. A fairly popular question that confronts a person who wants to have a feathered comrade is how long lovebird parrots live at home.


Lifespan

Lovebirds do not live without a couple for very long, regardless of whether they live in the natural environment or in captivity. In the wild, cute birds are threatened by a large number of dangers. They need to constantly look for food and water, hide from predators and people, fight among themselves for a couple and territory, and there is also a factor in the development of various diseases.


How many years lovebirds live at home depends directly on the owner. With proper care and protection, as well as a timely visit to the veterinarian, a bird can live much longer than a bird in the wild.


The bird itself is small, the life expectancy of small individuals is on average less than that of large birds. In this case, the closest good example is budgerigars, which usually live for about 15 years, just like the lovebird.


In the natural environment

Parrots of this breed are usually found in Africa, in tropical forests, preferring hot and humid weather. Due to the large amount of vegetation, birds always have food and places to spend the night and breed. Also in the wild there is a huge amount of fresh water, which cannot but please the cute birds.


At the same time, there are a number of factors that reduce the years of life of birds. They usually live in flocks and fly very fast for food and water. Due to the long flights, the birds are exhausted, especially if they need to fly very far for water.


In addition to these problems, birds are also constantly waiting for attacks from predators, have problems with water and food, poaching, fighting with their relatives, and so on.


At home

A distinctive feature of the life of a lovebird at home is the special care and attention of the owner. The bird does not need to seek shelter from a predator or bad weather, winding long distances in search of food and water. Also, there are no other problems of wildlife - possible drought, forest fires, too heavy rainfall. But all these good conditions can only be maintained by man.


Lovebirds can live alone, but in this case, life expectancy will be less.


Is a couple important for a lovebird

This breed of birds is highly socialized. They constantly need to communicate with relatives, which is why pet stores are immediately advised to purchase a pair of birds. Joint life prolongs the bird age. If desired (and possible), you can buy more individuals by organizing your own flock. Lack of attention in this case will definitely be excluded. At the same time, the conditions that need to be provided to the birds change greatly. At a minimum, you will need a very large cage.


In the absence of the possibility of acquiring a pair or a large number of individuals at once, you should not worry, lovebirds live one at a time for a long time. The main thing is to pay as much attention to the pet as possible, otherwise there is a risk that the bird will become depressed.


Lovebirds of different sexes are strongly attached to each other and constantly communicate. The presence of brothers nearby only improves the mood of the birds. If for some reason the lovebirds did not share something, you need to place them in different cages.


Very often there are stories about a parrot whose other half has died. The outcome is always the same - the surviving individual also does not live long. But all this is not true. After losing a partner, you just need to pay more attention to your pet. After some time, you can buy another bird to replace the deceased.


Conclusion

This article describes all the subtleties of caring for birds of this breed, so that the answer to the question of how many years the lovebird parrot lives has already been received. The main thing is to pay a lot of attention to your feathered friend and protect him from all troubles. In this case, there is a great chance to get a feathered centenarian who will please his master for a long time.

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