Considering a Lovebird! Complete noob needing help.

[Aimless]

Hey there! I decided to join this forum because I'm extremely interested in getting a lovie. I've done quite a fair bit of research but nothing is better than asking people with hands on experience. I'd really love some input, advice and maybe links that will help me out.

So far I know about the diet, cage requirements (getting this one most likely -
https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Bird-Cage-Model-M02/dp/B0012DOXEI ), time/attention required (seems akin to the amount a dog or even small child needs), life span, sounds they make and some behavioral things/issues from looking around the forums here.

The biggest questions for everyone here is if my home will suit a lovie. I have never in my life owned a bird. But I think I'm ready for the challenge. I work from home with my two well behaved cats (one is old and the other is a declawed male), they are quite trainable and listen quite well to me. I have a boyfriend/partner I live with who works outside of the home for 8 hours, sometimes longer. I also live in an apartment. The most time we spend out of the house is 5 to 6 hours and that's only on weekends.

Secondary questions would be, what type is the best to get (I hear peach faces are the sweeter ones), and is it ok to take Lovies on day trips/outings? I'd love to bring my bird with me when I go out if possible, keeping in mind predators and the like.

Thank you for reading! And thank you for any help! <3

[linda040899]

Hi and welcome to Lovebirds Plus Community! We are a community of lovebird lovers so you will have our support if you feel a lovebird is the right choice for you.

First I will address the cage. Most will tell you the larger the cage, the better, as long as bar spacing is either 1/2" or 5/8". I've seen lovebirds squeeze between 3/4" bars. I've had Vision Cages before and found them hard to clean.

Lovebirds are very social and love interaction. They can be left alone for periods of time (I work outside of my home, too) but most of mine have lovie companions. You can have a pair (2 males get along quite well and you don't deal with mating/breeding). Keep in mind that parrots are not as domesticated as cats/dogs and you will see a lot of instinctual behavior. Females lay eggs (no mate needed) and males self-satisfy. This is natural for them once they become sexually mature at about age 6 - 8 months.

All parrots can be messy! This is also part of parrot ownership. As quickly as I clean up the mess, it's replaced with more. I try to have lots of toys, and I make sure that there are shreddable ones. Wooden perches, no PVC.

One of the biggest hazards for birds is no-stick cookware. The non-stick finish emits toxic fumes when the pan reaches 350F - 400F and it's deadly to all birds. I use nothing but stainless steel, glass or corning ware. I have a self-cleaning oven but don't use it because of fumes. Birds are sensitive to paint, household cleaners (Fabreeze), just to name a few things.

My best suggestion is to read through the different forums, paying particular attention to the stickies at the top of each category.

Good luck with your decision. Let us know what you end up doing. I'm sure others will have comments, as well.