Back from Leave of Absence with new Lovie!

[Booda's Butt]

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've visited this board - partly because I've been busy with school (midterms and such) and partly because I deleted my cookies sometime recently, and forgot my password and my email I used to register here with... :rolleyes:

but anyway, just to give a quick update, in the past 2-3 months I've been absent from this board, I've had to take in my 10 yr old chihuahua/daschund mix birthday puppy. My grandma had been taking care of her for 9 years until recently, when she had to have emergency gallbladder removal surgery. My family decided she really wasn't capable of caring for the dog anymore, so she had to come back to me (or go to the shelter and probably get euthanized...) so here she is. She's 10 - isn't housebroken, won't eat dog food and is very protective of me (won't let the cats get close, etc). :roll: So I've had a lot of work on my hands!

BUT! Good news! :happy: I've since taken in another lovebird! When I first got Cali, and joined this board, I remember reading "lovies are so addicting!" all the time, and thinking - nah, if I wanted another pet, I have other animals higher on my list than lovebirds...LoL :p

I decided that it just wasn't fair to Cali, knowing how socialable she wants to be, and knowing that I've been so busy with the dog and school. I saw an ad for someone wanting to re-home their lovebird and so I responded. This new one is a lutino i think? (bright yellow body, red/orange face, red eyes) and sex is unknown. The previous family had found it this past summer, outside during their 5 yr old girl's soccer practice. He hopped right up onto their finger when they went to help it, and they've kept it since. They were going to take a month long vacation for christmas, and had a hard time finding someone to take care of the bird, and realized that maybe it was better to find a better home for him - so here he is! I'm assuming male, and his previous kids named him Popsicle. Vet checked, and all clear - and the two Lovies hit it off right away! They follow each other everywhere, share foods, preen each other like there's no tomorrow, and cuddle so much. I'm so glad I made this decision, I really think both the birds are just tons happier with each other's company. :D

But I do have a question - Cali had always been nippy, especially around her cage (and for those who don't remember, she was surgically sexed female). Popsicle is much friendlier, and while he still tries to nip initially, it is never as hard as Cali's bites. I'm wondering if I should be concerned with him picking up on her more aggressive behavior? And also, what's the best way to let them bond to each other, but also tolerate me and other humans? I got Popsicle so Cali wouldn't be so alone anymore, so I no longer have this stubborn desire of wanting her to bond to me entirely, but I'd at least like to be able to have them step up, or be able to reach into their cage without having two sharp beaks coming after me.

[Mummieeva]

Welcome back i wondered were you went to. Congrads on a new loviebird. They are very adicting.lol. As to if your new bird will pick up habits yes he can(if you can I would get the new bird sexed just so you know if you cna expect babies..lol). But Cali could also pick up good ones of not biting to hard. Just take them out together and seprate(if they let you) so they keep a bond with you and each other. I can not take mine out seprate though..lol they think other is getting to have to much fun. Mine are bonded to each other and me though. They love playing hairdresser with my hair. Congrads again and Good luck in school dear. Drop in when you can.


Steph

[Booda's Butt]

I've noticed today that Cali has been a lot more adventurous and less cautious than usual. I'm positive she picked this up from the braver Popsicle.

Neither really want to have anything to do with me when they're out, they'd much rather fly around, chase each other, etc. I think today's record time was 2.7 seconds of perching on my finger before taking off.

Now that you mentioned possible breeding, I really think I will have Popsicle sexed. When I do find out what sex Popsicle is, is there anything I should do differently? Should I allow them to mate if they do, should I provide a nest box - even though I'm not really interested in breeding them? If they are both females, is there anything I should watch for, fighting, anything like that?

[Mummieeva]

You might want to try working on them sepratly a few times a week jsut to keep the bond with you.

As for after results of the DNA. It is up to you if you have a male female pair what to do. If they are a male/female pair I would not offer a nest box unless Cali shows sign of needing one. I forget Cali's age but lovebirds need to be atleast 1yr old(both mom and dad).You cna do this to put her off nesting and laying eggs. If you notice her shreading do not let her have anything to shread and rearange cage.

If two hens then just keep an eye on them. SOmetimes they can live together and be ok. Just watch for them bickeing more then normal. I have a bird I need to DNA( jsut hard finding time lately because i need help).I have a second cage just incase my second is female and troubles occur.

Good luck and drop in when your schedule lets you.

Steph

[Booda's Butt]

Thanks again Steph, I have been keeping an eye on them, and so far, not too much. The first couple nights they were in the same cage, there was a bit of bickering, but I think it was because Popsicle was not yet adjusted to our sleep cycle (I cover my birds a bit later than most, about 9-9:30 since I wake up and uncover them later than most as well) and Popsicle was trying to sleep but Cali wouldn't leave her alone.

Cali is over a year, and Popsicle is estimated by the vet to be about 2. I really don't have intentions of breeding, but again, I'd like to keep them together since they seem to love each others company so much.

I do have another cage set up, the one Popsicle was in when he first came to me and was being quarantined. I was actually thinking about selling it, but I guess it might come in handy. (I didn't want it sitting there to tempt me to get another bird...)

[Mummieeva]

LOL. I know what you mean about a empty cage making you think of more. I remind myself that the empty cage is used for if I have to seprate mine. But I will soon have 2 empty cages at my home.


Steph

[Janie]

Hi Karin and welcome back! Congratulations on your new lovie! If they should become a couple and if you do continue to cage them together, I don't think you can stop them from mating BUT, you can stop eggs from hatching. As far as offering them a nest box (if Popsicle is DNA'd a male) I can't tell you when to do that since I have three males. If Popsicle should turn out to be female, you might have to separate them. I know that some females can be caged together (Shy has several that are) but that doesn't always work so keep that spare cage handy! :)