The budgies of the genus Agapornis, which are commonly called "inseparable", are characterized by a sparkling personality and colorful feathers. They are especially devoted to their master and love to play with him. If you take care of them correctly, they can reach (and even exceed) 12 years of age. A fairly widespread rumor claims that the lovebirds must be kept in pairs, otherwise they suffer and die of loneliness. In reality, many breeders claim that you can only have one inseparable pet as long as the owner takes on the role of his "life partner".
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Purchase
Step 1. Don't be afraid to buy just one lovebird
Contrary to popular belief, lovebirds don't necessarily have to be kept in pairs. This fact is also confirmed by the breeders, so you are not obliged to buy two lovebirds at once. On the contrary, buying a new lovebird later can be dangerous: the older one could attack and kill the younger one. Another risk is that the two parrots bond with each other and not with you, who are their master.
- If you want to keep two lovebirds indoors, have them socialize when they are both very young. Lovebirds have a strong sense of hierarchy: one of them takes on the role of alpha bird and the others recognize him as leader.
- In addition, the inseparable are mistakenly considered petty and aggressive, especially the females, who are strongly territorial. Many breeders argue that males are actually better as pets, but they too can be territorial and ready to chirp furiously when someone puts even a finger in their cage. Most lovebirds have a gentle temperament. To prevent any type of aggression it is important to train them not to peck people.
Step 2. Learn about the different species
There are different kinds of lovebirds; the three best known are the following.
- Pink-necked lovebird: these are the most common lovebirds. They are about 13 cm tall, have green and blue feathers and a pink face. The pink-necked lovebirds have been crossed in various ways to obtain suggestive colors, ranging from white to deep purple.
- Inseparable masked: the specimens of this breed have a black mask on the face and circled eyes, the beak is orange and the chest is yellow, while the wings are green. Some breeders consider them to be more aggressive than pink-necked lovebirds and Fischer's lovebirds.
- Fischer's lovebirds: they have eyes circled in white and are smaller than the pink-necked lovebirds and masked ones. Their chirping is particularly high-pitched. Some breeders claim that they are more aggressive than pink-necked and Fischer's lovebirds.
Step 3. Go to your local pet shop
Lovebirds (especially pink-necked and Fischer's) can be found in most pet stores. Before purchasing, evaluate the following aspects:
- The bird must appear healthy. He must be lively, active and have clear eyes. Both the wax, ie the fleshy part above the beak, and the nostrils must be light in color.
- Watch him eat and drink to make sure he has an appetite. The bird should appear well dapper, with bright feathers, in order, close to the body and not raised. The paws should be in good condition, smooth and free from bumps or scabs.
- The bird should chirp, whistle and make pops. Lovebirds are very friendly and often try to communicate with strangers, although some may be shy. A healthy bird should be curious and confident, but at the same time cautious and wary.
- If possible, ask to be able to hold the parrot. Evaluate if the bird is curious and wants to interact with you or if it catches you (it could be an indication of aggression).
Step 4. Do an online search to find breeders
Consult databases. Among the search criteria, specify your area of residence and the species you prefer. Evaluate the cost and establish contact with the breeder before making the purchase.
- Many breeders follow the growth of the bird step by step. Not only do they choose their parents carefully, but they set up the best possible environment in which to raise the little ones and take care of their diet.
- The breeders closely follow the hatching of the eggs and take care of the young until a master is found for them. To wean and tame them, some breeders feed the young by hand; in this way they get used to the presence of man. Specimens weaned in this way become particularly docile and loving.
- As for the more common species, breeder-grown lovebirds can cost anywhere from 35 to 100 euros (shop-grown ones are cheaper). Specimens belonging to rarer species have higher prices.
Step 5. Take your lovebird to the vet
Lovebirds can get subtle illnesses, so it's best to take them to the vet to see if they're healthy.
- If you are about to buy a lovebird, book your vet visit a week in advance so that you can go to the vet immediately after you leave the pet store.
- With an additional expense, the vet can create an ad hoc health plan for your pet. These programs typically include annual checks and emergency response.
Step 6. Ask for confirmation of the sex of the animal
In these birds, sexual dimorphism is not very pronounced, so it is difficult to establish whether the animal is a male or a female by evaluating only its appearance. The best thing to do is to rely on a DNA test. Ask your vet to do it or do it yourself using a special kit.
- A DNA test kit costs between 15 and 20 euros. You need to cut a nail from the paw (slightly higher than you would normally do to shorten it) and send the sample to the laboratory.
- The vet can take the sample for you.
- There are differences between males and females. Being a little wider than the males, the females tend to occupy more space on the perch. In addition, their pelvic bones are more developed (you can check this by exerting light pressure with the index finger on the animal's body).
- The pink-necked lovebirds slip objects under their wings to take them to the nest (even the males try, but they can't). The behavior varies from specimen to specimen, so an inseparable cannot necessarily collect objects.
Part 2 of 4: Cage
Step 1. Get a cage with a side of about 45cm
You can buy it at a pet store. Lovebirds are very active birds and for this reason they need space. Inside the cage there should be games and perches, to ensure that the animal is always busy. The wider the cage, the more comfortable the animal will be.
Furthermore, the cage must have horizontal bars along at least two sides. To prevent the animal from getting hurt, the bars should be no more than 2 cm away from the walls of the cage
Step 2. Use perches of different sizes and materials
In order for your pet's paws to grow healthy and strong, there should be perches of different shapes and sizes in the cage. They should be wide enough to allow the bird to stand on them without losing balance. The smallest of the perches should be no less than 1.5 cm in diameter.
Get rope-equipped perches. As for the material, they can be of worked wood or not (you can use real branches), powder-coated or concrete
Step 3. Keep the cage raised off the ground, away from the kitchen, open windows, and drafts
The cage should be in a raised position, away from doors and drafts. If exposed to a draft of air, parrots could get cold (be especially careful when they are wet).
Lovebirds are sensitive to smoke and strong odors, as well as noise. If you are a smoker, do not smoke in the room where you have placed the cage
Step 4. Place the cage in a quiet, well-lit room
Putting lovebirds in a dark room could cause behavioral and health problems. Do not put the cage near a window that is too exposed to sunlight, especially in summer. Exposure to the sun could cause heat stroke and kill the parrot.
To ensure that the ultraviolet B rays keep the animal healthy, the sunlight should be filtered or in any case it should arrive weakly. If you can't help but keep the bird in a dimly lit room, you can hang a special lamp that emits ultraviolet B rays above the cage. Allow the parrot to receive lamp light for 8-10 hours a day
Step 5. Make sure the parrot can sleep 10-12 hours a night
Sleep is very important to these birds. If you keep parrots indoors, keep the cage covered at night to help them sleep.
- If you do not have enough space in the house for a large cage, you can use a cage in which to let the animal sleep at night, in this way it will have a quiet place to rest.
- Every night you will have to put him to sleep at the same time and you will have to take him out of the cage at the same time every morning.
Step 6. Clean the cage once a week
The containers inside the cage should be cleaned every day, while the cage needs a complete cleaning once a week (after all, it is your parrot's home).
- Use soap and warm water. Let the budgie out, then clean the cage thoroughly; also washes the perches and toys.
- There are specific detergent products on the market for cleaning the cages. They can be used safely, since the substances contained in them are not harmful to the health of birds.
- If you use a solution of water and bleach to disinfect the cage, be very careful. Bleach is toxic to birds, so rinse the cage thoroughly after disinfecting it, then place it in the sun to dry.
- Before putting the budgie back in the cage, make sure the containers in which he drinks and eats do not smell of bleach.
Part 3 of 4: Nutrition
Step 1. Feed your lovebird with good quality food
Usually the exact food portions are indicated on the product packaging. Look for a product that contains high-quality seeds, cleaned and with added vitamins and minerals. Feed pellets are an excellent solution. A lovebird should have an average of 2-3 teaspoons of feed per day.
- You can give your lovebird a mix of bird seeds. However, remember that this type of solution gives him the possibility to choose the seeds he likes best, while products based on mixed seeds (such as those in pellets) force him to vary his diet.
- Stock up at a pet store. Choose foods that contain canary seed, millet, rice, safflower and a small amount of sunflower seeds. Lovebirds also love wheat and sprouted seeds.
Step 2. Supplement your parrot's diet with fruits and vegetables
The feed (whether in pellets or seeds) should be given to the animal daily, but it should not be its only food, because it does not provide all the nutrients it needs. 5-10% of your lovebird's diet should consist of chopped fruits and vegetables.
Give your sweetheart fruit (e.g. apples, grapes, berries, papaya and mangoes) and vegetables (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, squash, mashed potatoes, kale and lettuce)
Step 3. From time to time, give your lovebird special but healthy treats
After cooking them, offer them some cereals: brown rice, durum wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, sugar-free packaged cereals. After giving your parrot some perishable food, remove the remains from the cage. Wash the containers for food and water before reusing them.
It is not a problem if you give your lovebird the same things you eat but, to keep him in shape, avoid fried foods, fatty ones and sweet or salty ones
Step 4. Make sure that your lovebird has fresh and clean water available throughout the day
Do not give him tap water or unfiltered water. In many cages there is a water tank in which the bird can drink during the day.
Step 5. Never give your lovebird chocolate, alcoholic or caffeinated beverages
These substances can kill him, even in minute quantities.
Also avoid giving him avocado, rhubarb, asparagus, onion, raw legumes (such as beans and peas), and dairy products
Part 4 of 4: Hygiene and Training
Step 1. Bathe your lovebird once a week
To prevent any diseases and keep the animal healthy, it is necessary to wash it regularly. If the lovebirds are not washed, their feathers become dirty and matted.
- Use a nebulizer to shower him. Spray the water on him from above, at a distance of 30-50 cm, so that it falls on him like a drizzle.
- Repeat the process a couple of times, so that the parrot gets used to the sensation and begins to smooth its feathers with its beak.
- Some birds love to bathe and willingly jump into the water (if placed in a saucer). Your parrot could be among them.
Step 2. Keep the parrot out of drafts, but don't dry it, let it do it by itself
Absolutely do not use a hairdryer as it releases Teflon, which is toxic to the animal.
Step 3. Decide whether or not to trim his wings from time to time
This is not strictly necessary, but it facilitates the training of the bird. Sprouting the wings of a pet bird prevents it from being injured by flying or from coming out of the window. Not everyone appreciates this. Sprouting a bird's wings alters its flight and prevents it from landing properly (causing it to get injured). Sprouting wings is, in fact, an outdated practice: it is preferable to set up rooms that guarantee the animal's safety or train it to respond to certain commands.
- If you don't feel like sprouting its wings on your own, your vet can refer you to a competent person.
- If you want to learn, go to an expert and watch him perform the operation. He should hold the wing steady with one hand while cutting with the other.
- It should shorten only the first 5-6 primary flight feathers. No cuts should be made above these feathers. Above the flight feathers we find two layers of shorter feathers, which absolutely must not be cut. An experienced professional will start cutting 6-7 cm below these feathers, cutting only the flight feathers. The angle of the upper feathers will follow to ensure that the wing maintains a beautiful appearance and does not bother the animal when it is closed.
- To keep the paws healthy, trim the nails. With the nails in order, the parrot will have a better grip and will not run the risk of getting caught somewhere. If you don't know how to shorten your parrot's nails, ask an expert to do it for you.
Step 4. Use toys designed for birds (and therefore safe) or build them yourself
You can create interesting ones using the caps of the pad holders, piles of toilet paper placed in boxes or leaves and twigs of plants that are not harmful to the parrot (rose, hibiscus, mulberry, etc.).
- Do not put mirrors in the cage - the parrot may mistake its reflection for another bird.
- From time to time replace the toys inside the cage, so that the animal does not get tired of the usual pastimes. Remove the toys that have become damaged or worn, the parrot could injure himself with them.
- Before introducing a new toy inside the cage, let the animal play with it a bit when it is out; in this way he will get used to the new pastime.
Step 5. Wash your hands before and after touching the animal
The germs it carries can spread to you (and vice versa). This can be dangerous for both of you.
Step 6. Take the budgie out of the cage every day
To allow him to socialize better, increase the time he spends outside the cage by half an hour at a time. Many birds like to rest on their owners' shoulders, snuggle up close to their neck and hide under their clothes.
- When they get bored, the lovebirds begin to nibble on clothes and jewelry or tear off buttons. When you take the parrot out of the cage, wear tear-proof clothing. Also avoid wearing necklaces.
- There are "bird necklaces" formed by a chain to which toys are attached. They can be put on and let the parrot play with them in total safety.
Step 7. When the parrot is inside the cage, teach him to jump over a perch or toy
Do this by gently tapping the toy and asking the parrot to step on it. This type of training helps to limit the territoriality of the animal (which is accentuated when the parrot reaches maturity). In all likelihood, once it reaches sexual maturity, the parrot will start biting anything that comes close to its nest.
By teaching it to climb onto an object, you will get it used to moving away from the nest without feeling the urge to bite
Step 8. Speak to him gently and make slow movements when near the parrot
Lovebirds are intelligent and kind animals who love to be around people. They can "talk" like other parrots, even if they are unable to "learn" many words. Try speaking to your lovebird in a low tone of voice, encouraging him to answer you or repeat words.
- Birds can die of fear. Frightening your lovebird can severely stress them and end up killing them. Avoid making sudden movements or loud noises near him.
- Predatory animals, such as dogs, cats, or ferrets, should never come into contact with the parrot.
Step 9. Take your lovebird to the vet regularly
Many birds hide disease until they reach an advanced stage. Better to take your parrot to the vet often, so that the latter can visit it.
