Two and half months Split offline lovebird ~ need help and tips

[EAZi Parrots]

Hello, I got a lovely baby lovebird today, he/she is still 2.5 months old, I'm new to birds, this is my first bird. I bought only 1 since I read that having two will make them bond with eachother rather than bonding with you. Correct me if I'm wrong please. Anyways I need help on how to manage him, I know that I have to handfeed him 5 times a day. I've learnt a lot from this forum already, but I thought I would make a post out of excitement and I might get some tips or suggestions from you guys that I've missed. Also I would like to know if getting another little lovebird would be a good idea. Thanks for your time guys. Will be uploading pics soon.

[EAZi Parrots]

One more thing, my Lovebird doesn't have feathers on her back, is this normal for a lovebird of this age (where 2.5 months), or should be fully grown by now?!

[EAZi Parrots]

2.5 months lovebird https://imgur.com/gallery/bL1LN

[linda040899]

Are the photos you shared current, as within the last several days? Can you share one that shows his back, including full tail feathering? I'm questioning 2.5 months, as his long tail feathers don't appear to be fully grown in, unless they were removed by being plucked. Did you get him from a breeder?

Sorry for all the questions, but I need more information that might explain what I'm seeing. If he's actually 2.5 months old (10 weeks), he should be just about weaned if he's been hand fed so 5 times/day just doesn't make sense. I think he's really younger, closer to maybe 6-7 weeks and that might be an over estimate. I'm a breeder and I've hand fed many babies so I will be more than happy to share whatever information I can with you.

One or two babies? Lovebirds are very social and I like to keep mine in pairs. They may form a bond between them but with lots of attention, they will include you as a member of the flock.

[EAZi Parrots]

Are the photos you shared current, as within the last several days? Can you share one that shows his back, including full tail feathering? I'm questioning 2.5 months, as his long tail feathers don't appear to be fully grown in, unless they were removed by being plucked. Did you get him from a breeder?

Sorry for all the questions, but I need more information that might explain what I'm seeing. If he's actually 2.5 months old (10 weeks), he should be just about weaned if he's been hand fed so 5 times/day just doesn't make sense. I think he's really younger, closer to maybe 6-7 weeks and that might be an over estimate. I'm a breeder and I've hand fed many babies so I will be more than happy to share whatever information I can with you.

One or two babies? Lovebirds are very social and I like to keep mine in pairs. They may form a bond between them but with lots of attention, they will include you as a member of the flock.

Hey, yes all the photos are recent I took them yesterday after I got him from the local pet shop. I took some more pics today I'll post them at the end of this reply. The pet shop owner told me he got him from a breeder and that the breeder told him he was 2.5 months old. I can't take his words for guaranteed they're just trying to sell I guess. Anyways I planned to get him a cozy corner because as you said I believe he's way younger.. Probably 1.5 months at max. This is my first bird ever.. Only had planted fish aquariums and cats before this. But really wanted a bird and finally got this lovely Hoshiko. Yes that's what I named him hehe.
Here are pics from today:
https://imgur.com/gallery/k2oll
https://imgur.com/gallery/k2oll

[linda040899]

The breeder lied, big time!!!!!!>:>:>:>: The last feathering to grow in full length is the tail feathers. Looking at tail length, he's just a smidgen over 5 weeks. His beak is still showing definite baby coloring. Missing feathering on his back is because he was plucked by his parents. It will grow back in and you will never know his back was bare. Feeding schedule should be roughly every 4-5 hours, first feeding starting at 6:00 am. Last feeding should be sometime around 10:00 pm. The crop of a baby lovebird only needs to empty once/day and I let that happen at night. Temperature of the formula should be 106F, as that's the temperature mom feeds at. After each feeding, make sure you give him several drops of warm water to clean any formula out of his mouth so it does not cause a fungal/yeast infection to develop.

Hope this information is helpful. :)

[EAZi Parrots]

The breeder lied, big time!!!!!!>:>:>:>: The last feathering to grow in full length is the tail feathers. Looking at tail length, he's just a smidgen over 5 weeks. His beak is still showing definite baby coloring. Missing feathering on his back is because he was plucked by his parents. It will grow back in and you will never know his back was bare. Feeding schedule should be roughly every 4-5 hours, first feeding starting at 6:00 am. Last feeding should be sometime around 10:00 pm. The crop of a baby lovebird only needs to empty once/day and I let that happen at night. Temperature of the formula should be 106F, as that's the temperature mom feeds at. After each feeding, make sure you give him several drops of warm water to clean any formula out of his mouth so it does not cause a fungal/yeast infection to develop.

Hope this information is helpful. :)

Thanks a lot, indeed it's very helpful since he's my first bird. Thanks for warm water after feeding tip. I'll make sure I do that. Also, is getting him a mate would be a good idea?! I'm trying to make a strong bond between me and him, I heard getting him a mate will make them bond between each other rather than bonding with you, I thought maybe after like 1 or 2 months when he's a bit grown up and no more handfeeding is there I'll get another 1.
Thanks for all the help really appreciate it.

[linda040899]

I, personally, prefer to have lovebirds in pairs, but not all will agree with me. It's kind of a personal preference and I've found that some lovebirds don't want a friend, at least not in the same cage! I have 2 conures like that. They like each other but want their own space.

If you want to get a second lovebird, I would DNA sex the one you have so you know if it's male or female. If you have a male, I would probably get another male as a companion unless you want babies. Even pet male/female pairs will venture into producing offspring where males get along without that risk. Two females generally don't live well together because they are the more aggressive gender. I have some that do OK but those are the exception rather than the rule!

Just for a reference point, parent fed lovebirds are usually out of the nest box and dad teaches them to eat starting at age 6 weeks. The process takes about weeks and even then dad may offer snacks if the babies ask. With hand feds, most will not wean completely until they are between 10-12 weeks. I would begin offering millet, soft veggies and small seed in a week or so. Even if your baby "beaks" what you offer, it will soon figure out how to crack the shells.

I don't know how you feel about wing clipping, but should you decide to do that, flight feathers should never be clipped until the baby can take off and land very precisely. Learning to fly only happens with youngsters. If birds don't learn young, they most likely will not fly at all. I have a Quaker who is in this learning stage!

[EAZi Parrots]

I, personally, prefer to have lovebirds in pairs, but not all will agree with me. It's kind of a personal preference and I've found that some lovebirds don't want a friend, at least not in the same cage! I have 2 conures like that. They like each other but want their own space.

If you want to get a second lovebird, I would DNA sex the one you have so you know if it's male or female. If you have a male, I would probably get another male as a companion unless you want babies. Even pet male/female pairs will venture into producing offspring where males get along without that risk. Two females generally don't live well together because they are the more aggressive gender. I have some that do OK but those are the exception rather than the rule!

Just for a reference point, parent fed lovebirds are usually out of the nest box and dad teaches them to eat starting at age 6 weeks. The process takes about weeks and even then dad may offer snacks if the babies ask. With hand feds, most will not wean completely until they are between 10-12 weeks. I would begin offering millet, soft veggies and small seed in a week or so. Even if your baby "beaks" what you offer, it will soon figure out how to crack the shells.

I don't know how you feel about wing clipping, but should you decide to do that, flight feathers should never be clipped until the baby can take off and land very precisely. Learning to fly only happens with youngsters. If birds don't learn young, they most likely will not fly at all. I have a Quaker who is in this learning stage!

I'm not looking to have them breed, I was also having an idea of getting an African grey and keeping it separately in his own big cage n all. I'm not panning to clip my Lovebird's wings at all. I actually want him to learn flying. BTW I think the one I have is 1.5 months old from the looks and behavior, 2.5 months should be a little more active. I'm not sure if it's the new environment that is keeping it a bit inactive or the age. But yeah I'lll let him free fly around but also have some cage time for him so he doesn't always fly around when I'm at work or something. Will having ano African grey in the same room but different cage effect any of them in anyway?!

[EAZi Parrots]

Good news guys!! Hoshika is back to normal I guess, he's now active moving around in the cage, and when I open the door for him and he's out, whenever I pass by he's like SUPER eager to come to me. I've bought him some budgie bird food since he's small, that's only for his snacks between the handfeeding sessions. And also so he can strengthen his peak. I had a small towel I washed it and dried it up and kept it in the corner of the cage so he can snuggle on. Surprisingly he's actually started to climb the cage. Specially when I'm passing by his cage and talking to him he's like all over the cage trying to come out. I kept him out for almost half a day today, but someone said I have to give him some cage time so knows that's he's not supposed to be out all the time.
I want to get him a cage toy atleast so when he's having some cage time he doesn't get bored and has something to play with, what would be a good toy to keep in his cage, even if it's something home made I'll do it.
Thanks for all the relies guys. I'll keep you guys posted. I'll probably start a new thread when something new comes up.

[linda040899]

Glad to hear that he's perked up a bit. Babies usually spend a lot of time sleeping/growing until they are about 6 weeks old. They would be with their parents in the nest just eating and getting bigger! I usually wait until about age 6 weeks before I introduce them to a cage and I usually start with a small one so they are not overwhelmed. Parrots see in color and I've noticed that if I start with, say, a small white cage, I can easily move them to a larger cage of the same color with little or no stress. :)

Believe it or not, I've had customers buy lovebirds to keep their African Grey company. Both are native to Africa so they have a native country in common. This is an introduction that needs to be done VERY slowly simply because of the size difference. It's actually best if they decide they want to be buddies.