Help! How much time can a single lovebird spend alone?

[Corfu]

Help, I need your advice! I'm still trying to make a decision about whether or not to get a lovebird. I would be getting a single bird and intend to spend a lot of time with it daily. I know that spending as much time as possible with a single lovebird is best for its health and sanity, but I was wondering how much time a lovebird can spend alone, and whether or not it's okay for them to hang out by themselves for a while?

I work outside my home 3-5 hours a day, every other day. From there, I would want to go home and spend time with my bird, but is a lovie going to need more attention than that? Will it be content playing with its toys for a couple of hours or does it constantly need live interaction? I'll have to refrain from getting a pet that can't be by itself for a few hours. It would break my heart if I caused the bird to become depressed.

Does anyone out there have experience owning a single lovebird? Almost everyone I've spoken to owns at least two, or houses several other types of birds and parrots along with owning a single lovebird, so that the bird still gets interaction in that form. And what if you need to go away for a weekend? Does the bird get horribly depressed in a stranger's care? Would it still like me when I came back?

Any advice would be great. Thanks!

[lemonypickett]

Hello....

I think a single lovebird is great! I had my first Eddie alone for the first year. He was affectionate, I could cuddle and snuggled him (YouTube username: bekindplease and look at 2007-2008 videos, those are Eddie alone). I then rescued an injured lovie that shortly later died and Eddie seemed to.miss him, so I got him Jimmy. Eddie is still very tame, but will not tolerate the hands on snuggles of yester year... Lol

The hours you speak of are no problem for a lovie with toys. I have had all male lovies, and therfore I am partial to them. Plus, if you have a boy and later want a friend without the babies, two males often get along fabulously.

So.... My advice.... You are a great candidate for a single bird.... And I would go boy...

My 2 cents :-)

[Corfu]

Thanks for the reply! I feel better now :) I had just read so much about how much lovebirds need companionship that I wasn't sure if they could be alone EVER.
The youtube videos of your Eddie are absolutely adorable and he seems like an amazing bird with a wonderful home.

[thebubbleking]

Your time frame is fine and if a tv on nature channel or music works well to keep them vsualy and audio busy but beware if i had a penny for everytime i heard * i am only getting the one bird * i could lift the usa out of debt and still have money left over! theres a reason we refer to ourselves as lovebird slaves....in fact i started with one hurt lovebird 6 months later got it a friend and now 2 sun conures two cockatiels 5 lovebirds and an indian ringed neck parakeet later.....:rotfl

[michael]

Help, I need your advice! I'm still trying to make a decision about whether or not to get a lovebird. I would be getting a single bird and intend to spend a lot of time with it daily. I know that spending as much time as possible with a single lovebird is best for its health and sanity, but I was wondering how much time a lovebird can spend alone, and whether or not it's okay for them to hang out by themselves for a while?

One thing to keep in mind is the type of time you intend on spending with a lovebird. .. Human lovebird relationships (bonding) generally take on two forms, one where your an excepted flock member, and the other where your viewed as a mate, the latter of which can turn into an unwanted source of anxiety for both lovebird, and human. ... Granted, most of us hope to gain close company of a parrot who's soul provider, afterall, is us, however, teach not it to become at least partially independent, and you may find yourself endlessly catering to a lovebird who's insecure no matter how little time you spend away from it.

There are many activities besides human interaction that really do help to keep a companion bird happy. .. Foraging, multi-food choices, toys, playgyms, are just a few activities parrots should be encouraged to participate in. .. Males especially, because they are more outgoing than females, and, are more prone to feather destructive behavior, need stimulation that re-directs them away from the prospects of always reproducing. Of course, most the time males will be males, still, that type of activity shouldn't include you. ..........:2cents:

[Pips mom]

I would go with a boy too! and as much as it's bad to leave a single bird alone, they do nap some during the day and do fine playing with toys and can occupy themselves pretty good I think.......as long as you make a point to give the bird some time out of cage each day and spend some time with him, then that should be fine. Of course you always have days when you end up away for the whole day.......in cases like this, I have always tried to time it so I'd have the next day off or go in late the next time to make up for it! Also.......I think birds do amazingly well when left with someone to bird sit.........just make sure whoever has your bird while you're away knows ALL of the household dangers to birds. Most people don't have a clue, so another bird home is a good choice. My pionus Ivy is very phobic and scared of everything and everyone, and the first time I had to leave her to go away on vacation, I was a mess! but I was pleasantly surprised at how good she did and she even looked right at home at my neighbor's when we got home and I went to get her!