What gender lovebirds should I get?

[nanakai233]

I'm going to the Cayman Islands for three weeks, so after that I'll be getting my lovebirds and i'm still reading websites about lovebirds like crazy! Some of my questions aren't answered in them though. So i'll ask here...

Would it be better to get two females, two males, or a female and a male?
I don't really want females because I read about them laying infertile eggs. Is that only when they have a nesting box of some sort? I don't want a male and female because of egg laying, and two males is probably the best one but would they fight more?

Also I asked a question a few weeks ago about how much I feed them, and I sort of have a similar question.

How much do I feed my bird all together in a day? For example: Two teaspoons of birdseed a day and 5 pieces of fruit.

I don't know much fruit to give them a day and at what times it would be good to feed them.


I'm reading through most of the resource library so I can make my birds as happy as can be :)

[bellarains]

Hi,

Two males will not give you eggs, but even if you have a male and female, you can always boil or addle the eggs so that they do not hatch. Two hens may get along, but that is more the exception than the rule, as hens tend to be territorial, especially at egg laying time.

Since it sounds like you don't want to deal with eggs, I would go with two males. If they are not clutch mates, you will have an introduction period, and if you get them from different breeders, or a different place, you will also have to quarantine them for a minimum of thirty days before any contact, or even the same air space can be shared. In this case, you will need two cages.

I feed my lovies(I have two and I give them two dishes), four tablespoons of seed mix per day, a square of birdie bread in the mornings, and then they get some fresh fruit and veggies in the evening. I give them two sliced or apples, or some cut up grapes(about six), and about four sugar snap peas, snow peas or green beans, or two broccoli florets. I also feed the a soak and cook mix which I freeze in cubes, and I give them two of those sometimes instead of the fruits and veggies. Hopefully that gives you some idea as to the amounts to feed.

Have a good trip, and let us know when you get your lovies:)

[LuciLuv]

I have one male lovebird. You don't have to get two, if you are concerned it would not work out. Rueben is a single birdie and as happy as can be. As long as you give them lots of attention and love, which I'm sure you will, one is fine if you think it is best for you.

I fill Rueben's bowl up every morning, and I buy Healthy Toppings from the pet store and mix in with his food. As for fruits, I'm still trying to find one that Mr. Picky will eat...

[nanakai233]

One bird is probably easier, but I'm still in school and I don't want my bird to get lonely while i'm at school. That's why I wanted two.

[goldnyght]

I am a school bidy momma, and Pete seems alright. When I get home, I take him out and play with him and pet him and talk to him and all, and he's fine. He spends all morning taunting the cat, learning obscenities from a mockingbird (I didn't think those things could talk! This evening I went to go see pete and heard something that more or less sounded like "Shhhhhhhhhht" *sighs*)