Male lovebird passed away

[piousm]

Hi. It's been some years since I posted. I had Kiki (female) and Jiji (male) a pair around 7 years old. All has been good with them until last night, when Jiji looked poorly. Fluffed up, tail feathers rising and falling, he wasn't steady on his feet. He passed on an hour or so later. Now looking back over the past 3 or 4 days there were a few tells that he was sick, though individually they hadn't been significant. I'd noticed a few days back that Kiki was feeding him, but he was a bit puffy when she was doing it. It wasn't odd that she was feeding him, though more often he feeds her, but in hindsight he looked a little strange. Then he wasn't as chirpy as normal. When he was out he sat on my shoulder but didn't chirp at me or try to groom me, like he normally does. We noticed a lot of feathers under the cage. And when I was shooing him back into the cage he wasn't as sprightly. But then he was getting busy with Kiki 2 days ago (after a few of these things) which I took to be a good thing.

Anyway, he was a true gentleman, lovely with Kiki and he was great with his kids when they were breeding. It is quite heartbreaking. I've had a number of lovebirds and Jiji was the nicest, even if he wasn't the tamest.

I didn't keep the body for an autopsy, but if I had to hazard a google assisted guess, it would be a vitamin deficiency because their diet is mainly seeds. I'm taking Kiki to the avian vet on the weekend and I've put a supplement in.

Now of course I want what is best for Kiki. She is a pretty bossy hen. She savaged Kiki when she first met him, but blood turned to love eventually. I don't want her pining for company. How soon should I look at introducing company? Should it be a young male or a mature bird? Should I get a mirror for her in the meantime?

As always, any help is appreciated.

[michael]

First of all, i'm sorry for Kiki's and your loss. Hopefully, Kiki will soon come out of this no worse for wear. .. In regards to finding her a new mate, there are two main reasons to hold off awhile. One, is like most all creatures who lose a mate, lovebirds do need time to overcome their loss. Introduce a potential mate too soon, and it could run the risk of rejection due to Kiki anticipating Kiji's possible return. Secondly, you need to either determine what is it that caused Kiji's death (without a necropsy - unlikely), or have Kiki examined so as to rule out anything that might be contagious. .. As for securing a possible mate for 7+ year old Kiki, the better option is to either find a same specie male lovebird of similar age, or one who's a little bit older. Because of Kiki's necessary exam, and a recommended 30-40 day quarantine, that should allow Kiki plenty of time to overcome her loss. ... Wish you all the best. .......:)

[piousm]

Thanks, that makes sense. She will be off to the vet later this week but I hadn't considered that she might be waiting for his return. She was defensive of his body which was really upsetting.

[linda040899]

Parrots mourn the loss of their mates and need time to be allowed to do so. I would get an older male, somewhere between 4-6, as she is a mature hen and a dominant one on top of that. I would not offer a mirror, as she could form a bond with an image that is not real.

Good luck with the vet visit and I'm very sorry for your loss. :(

[piousm]

Thanks again.

[Maxie]

That's so sad. I'm so sorry for your loss :(

[piousm]

I have an odd question, which I probably already know the answer to. Essentially I don't know where I will procure a middle aged male lovebird that is anywhere near as tame as Jiji was (he didn't like hands, but was happy to sit on my shoulder and chat). I'd actually been interested in getting a conure which have seemed to me to have a lovely temperament. First, do they mix well with lovebirds? Second, even if if Kiki was happy with a conure as a companion, she'd still want a mate, correct?

And thanks Maxie. By the way, Kiki seems to be coping well so far. Better than me, but I'm sooky in my middle age. Men are in short supply at our house (wife, 2 daughters, 9 female guinea pigs, 2 shih tzus, 1 bunny) and Jiji was a good little friend.

[Pips mom]

I have an odd question, which I probably already know the answer to. Essentially I don't know where I will procure a middle aged male lovebird that is anywhere near as tame as Jiji was (he didn't like hands, but was happy to sit on my shoulder and chat). I'd actually been interested in getting a conure which have seemed to me to have a lovely temperament. First, do they mix well with lovebirds? Second, even if if Kiki was happy with a conure as a companion, she'd still want a mate, correct?

I'd say, not necessarily. My male lovebird Pip is quite happy with his best buddy Ivy, a blueheaded pionus. I'd have to say that lovebirds probably don't "mix well" with other birds, even other lovebirds are iffy! but I've noticed alot of times that lovebirds have become friends with other species of birds, like with mine. I've seen lovebirds become friends with dogs, rabbits, I think sometimes they just want a feathered friend so bad, that they take whatever they can get! I can't explain it! My Pip also is quite fascinated with dogs! Lovebirds are funny birds! You can never tell who they will like.........just like people! I'd say you probably have almost as good a chance of your lovie liking a conure as you would another lovebird. I tried finding another lovebird buddy for Pip and the two never got along. He prefers Ivy, a bird 5 times his size! I don't think they really notice size difference! The spot you're in now, it's a chance you take getting another bird and if they will get along, whether that be a conure or any other bird! I do notice that lovebirds are one species that I've seen alot of times very accepting of other species of birds. I am very sorry for the loss of your little guy :cry: I don't know what I'd ever do without mine, and from the description of yours, he sounds alot like Pip.......who at this very moment is sitting on my head! :roll:

[carrier]

I'd actually been interested in getting a conure which have seemed to me to have a lovely temperament. First, do they mix well with lovebirds?

You are right in that Conures can have very sweet temperaments.

I have a pair of lovies and a Black Capped Conure and although everybirdie gets along, I cannot have them out together any more because the lovebirds are just too "spritely", to put it nicely. :roll: Lovies are sort of the terriers of the parrot world...small in stature but most always having a napoleon complex...:rotfl:rotfl

I just fear a bad toe-bite coming from one of the two, and poor Chewy (BCC) is just too docile and sweet of a bird to have him out with them without the concern of an injury occurring. I don't have eyes on the back of my head and it takes a nanosecond for a lovie to assert itself with a good nip on the toe! :omg:

[linda040899]

I just got a Turquoise Green Cheek about 2 months ago and Skye is also very docile! He's still getting used to my flock and they are getting used to him. How well your lovebird would get along with a GCC is strictly dependent on the individual lovebird. I have some very docile ones and I have some that are completely at the opposite end of the spectrum. Male lovies tend to be the less aggressive of the two genders but, again, it's an individual birdie thing.

[piousm]

Thanks for the replies. I took Kiki to the vet and he showed me the villi? in the top of the inner beak were flattened which indicates a vitamin deficiency (as does flattened scales under their toes). According to him (and he is very respected but can be very strict about human/bird relationships etc) the birds in the wild get their vitamins from browsing maybe 200 things, but in the cage they would be lucky to browse 20 and he doesn't think that fruit and veggies make that much difference because they don't metabolise them like we do so he advocates vitamin supplements (like soluvet). Apparently around 7 years old is the prime time for birds to fall over from vitamin deficiencies, and I think Jiji was moulting, and I suppose that Kiki's lovemaking session with him the day before he died didn't help.

Given that Kiki looked after the body for a while after he passed on, the vet thought that the fact that he is gone has registered and now she is focusing on my wife as a potential partner. Interestingly enough, she is "twirling" her paper shreddings in her beak in front of my wife, just like Jiji used to. I wonder whether it is some sort of display, or just a coincidence, because she's never done it before, she has always been very businesslike with paper shredding, but Jiji would steal a shred from her back and do his little tricks with it (making it go from one side to the other and twirling it around).

So she is now off sizing up potential males. Depending on how she goes with them (mainly lutinos) I might go back to the conures though the vet mentioned that they can be hard work and very noisy.

I'll keep you posted!

Still missing my little man Jiji. He's been buried under a young ornamental Maple that I now call "Jiji".

[piousm]

OK, as an update I had to bring Kiki back home after a few days because she was a bit quiet. She didn't decide on any of the boys, though there was one which she tolerated better than the rest which I bought home. After a week or so he is still in a cage next to hers, and while they kind of ignore each other the frost is thawing a bit. His name is "Oska" (we just watched the k-drama "Secret Garden", hence the odd spelling).

But Kiki is now obsessed with attacking my wife. When she comes out of her cage she gets into terminator mode and flies off to her if he hears her voice. She seems OK if she lands on her head, but if she gets on her shoulder of back she goes berserker attacking her neck. 2 days ago she heard my wife on the stairs, she flew up then headed her off at the top of the stairs facing her down with her wings half out. My wife is not amused.

Has anyone had this one?

[linda040899]

It may be a bit soon for a new mate for Kiki yet. She could still be mourning the loss of her mate and just needs time to work through the process. Side by side is the way to go and let them form the friendship. :)

When your male passed away, who removed the remains from the cage? If your wife did it, that could be the cause of the aggressive behavior right now. If you happen to be Kiki's person, it could also be aggressive behavior designed to keep your wife away from you. Hard to say but you have to remember that you are dealing with a parrot that is smart but still has the intelligence level of roughly a 2-3 year old. My best suggestion is a spray bottle filled with water. Getting sprayed with a stream of water as soon as the undesirable behavior is about to begin will get the message across very quickly that Kiki is about to do something that she shouldn't! Action.....reaction. Parrots don't understand punishment but a reaction that is not painful will get her attention.

[piousm]

Will do, thanks. I took Jiji from the cage, but Kiki seems to be looking to me for her new boyfriend. She is pretty intense with grooming my stubble.

[piousm]

hi again. Sorry to keep asking questions...

It is now several weeks after Jiji passed on. We have introduced a lutino named Oscar. He is quite a nice bird, though Kiki doesn't seem ready for a lutino lover as yet. I have them in cages against each other, he shows a bit of interest in her, she shows virtually no interest in him but will tolerate him near her when they come out together etc. if he gets too close she will hiss at him, unless she is busy doing something else in which case she doesn't really react so much. I'd say that she was thawing, but I don't know that it will ever get to a situation where she is keen on him. She has been slightly better with my wife, and getting back to her old routines of paper shredding etc.

Given that this has been about a month, is there any point persisting or should I try another guy? I thought of putting another guy in with Oscar so that Kiki could measure them up against each other, she might realise that he has his attractions. 2 boys aren't likely to fight in the same cage, correct?

[linda040899]

I would give Kiki more time to work through the mourning process. Long time companions don't necessarily bounce back as quickly as we might expect and we need to respect that. I've had a few who lost mates that refused any new mate at all, while others make the transition and do just fine.

Are you very sure that your Lutino is a male? Reason I ask is because Lutino is sex linked and only certain pairings will produce males. The parents of Lutino males either each have to be Lutino or the hen is Lutino and the male is split for Lutino/Ino. If the hen is not Lutino, all visual Lutinos will be genetically sexed hens.

[piousm]

I'm pretty confident he is. The breeder thought he was and she's experienced. She had a lot of lutinos. And he walks like a boy - runs along with his legs together. In my experience the hens tend to swagger a bit more, like John Wayne. I'll keep my eye on it.

[piousm]

well a month on and as Linda suspected Oscar is more likely a girl. I checked her pelvic area and compared it to kiki, and ultimately there was no difference - a gap of maybe 5mm between the ridges. No wonder Kiki didnt really like her. She's back to the aviary and I'll try to find a little lad for Kiki.

[linda040899]

With sex linked mutations, odds favor hens over cocks simply because of genetics. There ARE male sex linked mutation lovies but they are harder to find.

A month later now and you may find Kiki more open to accepting a new mate now that she completely realizes that her former mate is gone and she's gone more through the mourning process. Hey. Try again! :)

[piousm]

Here is an update. I took in a couple of male masked (maybe cross but mainly the blue masked type) lovebirds to see if Kiki wanted either. She doesn't mind them but didn't show any interest. They (Oscar and Felix) are very young and lovely little birds which we are handling quite a bit so I think we are keeping them anyway.

Then I received a reply to an online ad from someone who's male had recently lost a mate. I picked him up (yellow with a red brow, peach coloured face - quite striking) and Kiki took to him immediately. I have put them in cages next to each other and she pays him a lot of attention, when they are out together she has given him a bit of a "come on" with the wing going up, but he doesn't seem dreadfully interested. He hangs around her but he isn't paying her the attention that she deserves. They kind of look like teenagers at a dance, pretty awkward. In fact when I put them in the bathroom together he was more interested looking at himself in the mirror! And when I popped him into the cage with her there was a bit of beak clashing going on though not a major fight, but I've left them in their separate cages.

I think after a great introduction I was hoping the momentum would continue, but I expect it is another case of taking it slowly. After all, when Kiki met Jiji she nearly bit his toe off, but later came to love him.

[piousm]

A postscript to it all - Kiki and the new bid (Harvey) are a happy couple. Thanks for the various comments along the way.

[linda040899]

I'm glad to hear that Kiki has accepted a new love in her life! Sometimes it just takes time.

Thanks for the nice update.