Request some thoughts.

[Iosevus]

So I love that Fia and me are so close now, I can pick her up and practically toss her around and she allows it without much protest, she doesn't like being more than a few feet away from me at any given time, she'll snuggle and I'll rub her head and neck until she tires of it, she spends ~5 hours a day 10-12 on the weekends out of her cage with me.. but.. I have to wonder if it would be in her best interest to find her another Lovebird. Couple years down the line, I might have a job in which the hours end up being counter productive to that much time together. Also Lovebirds know how to keep each other healthy in a way only they can.. I can't preen her feathers for her.
With that said I could always wait till and if changes need to be made cause I do enjoy the relationship I have with my Fia... but I would imagine pairing a set of lovies would probably be best done earlier rather than later..

Any thoughts?

[longobongo]

Hello! I'm glad to hear that you and Fia have such a close bond. It sounds similar to my relationship with Bailey. One lovebird myth that I like to debunk often is that.. lovebirds do not need to have another bird in their lives to be healthy and happy. Many people think they need to have two lovebirds or the other might actually die. What's funny about this myth, in my opinion, is that lovebirds seem to be the pickiest birds on the planet. They've got their firecracker personality and sometimes everyone's happier if they just have a close bond with their human, instead of adding a bunch of other birds into the mix.

One thing I was told by people on this board, when I was considering getting a second bird, was "get another bird for yourself, not another bird for your 'resident' bird." And oh my, it has been THE best advice. The risk with getting another bird is, you can't guarantee that they'll like each other AT ALL. If this is the case, then you'll have two birds who will want an individual relationship with you! (which can be good or bad, depending on how much time you have to spare). My first bird is Bailey, a 3 year old female. My second bird is Boco, a year and a half old male. They enjoy each other's company for sure, but Bailey and I have a special relationship, and Bailey prefers to spend her time with me if she can. She gets jealous sometimes when I spend time with Boco, and she's become much more hormonal and territorial since welcoming him into my home. Now, this was nothing I couldn't manage (infact, I've since adopted a third bird!) BUT, these were all things I never expected when I adopted a second bird: that Bailey's hormones would go into overdrive, that she would feel possessive of me and her cage, that she would lay eggs... kind of excessively. Anyways, point is, if you think you're going to have LESS time, it is maybe not such a good idea to adopt a second bird.

That being said, in my experience, lovebirds are hardy little guys and I'm sure Fia would adjust to your new schedule in time. You could leave a radio on for her during the day, get her a larger cage with more toys and things to play with when you're gone, stop in during lunch hours if you can. One member here actually set up a webcam to watch his nesting birdies while he was gone to work :)

Now, should you decide you have the time and desire to spend with another bird, I think the first step is DNA testing your first bird if you haven't already. Hens are kind of up in the air, it's unlikely your two birds will ever be able to be housed together if they're both hens. Males on the other hand, if you have a male currently, you could house a second male with him (eventually, not at first) and they would get on swimmingly, as long as they enjoy each other's company. Housing a male and a female together will likely result in babies, so if you're not interested in that you'd have to keep them housed separately :)

I hope this post wasn't too long! Good luck with whatever you choose to do :)

[Iosevus]

Never too long of a post when you have things to think about.

I just worry about neglecting my lovie cause of life in the future. Part of me doesn't want to get a second, mostly due to I might end up being the jealous one :P But 2 lovebirds getting along are awfully cute together too.
And if I decide to go that second lovie route, I have to wonder if waiting would be detrimental. She (possibly he, after 3 months I think I got 50/50 behavior cues now)is a little over a year old now, if my time dropped to a couple hours a day with her, I would hate to think of how lonely she would be, but would trying to get her with another lovie when she is 5 or older be a larger risk?
I just wanna make sure she is as well off as can be and being lonely isn't healthy for any social animal or person.

[longobongo]

Life changes, and you can only do your best with what you have. :) If Fia is 5 years old and you decide to get another bird, you certainly can. Some people suggest getting a bird around the same age, but if they were to be in separate cages, with separate environments, I don't see why adopting a baby would be an issue. You are also able to adopt another species of bird, even, if you want. Pip's Mom, a member here, has a Pionus named Ivy, and from what I've read Ivy and Pip get along swimmingly, even despite the size difference! In fact, many species are larger than lovebirds and the lovebirds end up being the bullies.

I have two lovebirds and a cockatiel, all in separate cages, and they all have a unique relationship with me as well as each other.

[linda040899]

Longobongo is spot on with comments! In my own personal experience, parrots need the company of something that wears feathers like they do. I've not lost a personal pet to a feathered friend unless I allowed it to happen. In fact, the case is usually the opposite. Instead of one feathered buddy, I end up with 2. If you know for sure you have a hen (DNA sex so you know where you are before you start looking.), I would look for an older male whose hormones have quieted down. I have female/female pairs that get along, but it can go either way. A young male with a young female can lead to a breeding relationship that you probably don't want. If you have a male, definitely get another male. Males are usually laid back and are normally happy campers together!

I recently had to separate a young lovebird from her parents and she was very unhappy in a cage by herself. I happened to have an older male and she settled down almost immediately when she had his companionship. He was also by himself and is thrilled to have feathers to cuddle with at night!

[Pips mom]

Yup, definitely believe that lovebirds seem to like other birds, regardless of species! Meaning whether they like the other bird or not does not depend on that other bird being a lovebird! I actually had two lovebirds, Pip AND Rudy! They never got along! but Pip just loves Ivy, my pionus, and Rudy ended up living with my next door neighbor and her parrotlet after we decided to put the two together to see how they'd get along, they've been living together now for 3 years! The two lovebirds never got along, nope, Pip is with a pionus, and Rudy is with a parrotlet! Lovebirds are definitely not prejudice when it comes to species!! Pip actually loves my sister's quaker Monk too! She has two quakers that come to stay with me each year when she goes on vacation and her green quaker and Pip seem to really hit it off! I know they'd be buddies if they were together all the time, and I've seen where lovies have had buddies who were rabbits, dogs......even if they don't have feathers! I know Pip has always been very fascinated with dogs! Anyway, getting another bird, lovebird, whatever you decide, I think is a good idea, because even if the two don't become good buddies, they are still company for each other while you are gone if their cages are somewhat close together. Think of it this way...........if it were two people who either had to be alone or have each other for company, it really doesn't matter that the two people are that close! Company is company! and alot of times, it does do a bird good to see another of his/her kind, it's something in common, and we like that about other people, and I believe birds do too! Best of luck chosing your new feathered friend!