Another one and an aviary...????

[Gene]

Hi guys!
I've seriously been considering getting a mate for Bekkie. It's spring in SA and also breeding season, so finding a lovie might take a while. I don't if he's too young for a mate, I've never had more than one lovie at a time...? :confused:
I want to know about quarantine: I know it's at least 30 days in a seperate room. But what else should I consider, what should I look for? Should I go to Onderstepoort (SA's leading bird laboratories) for an examination (no avian vets in my town), it's about 2 hours' drive - should I put a new lovie under the possible strain of travelling (even though none of mine have ever had a problem with it)?
What would Bekkie probably do with a new friend, how should I handle them (he's not the tamest bird I've ever known)?

I have so many questions!

Also: I want to build an aviary. I want a nice big one outside where I can put him (them) during the day. :clap

Thanks in advance!

[Kirby]

Hi Gene!!!

It's spring in SA and also breeding season, so finding a lovie might take a while. I don't if he's too young for a mate, I've never had more than one lovie at a time...?

If you've never had second lovie before, it might be wise to get a second one before you plan on breeding and ending up with an additional 4 babies. It would be easier for Bekkie to have a few months to adjust to his new friend if you do go through with getting another. And it'll also allow you to become accustomed with another mouth to feed :)

I want to know about quarantine: I know it's at least 30 days in a seperate room. But what else should I consider, what should I look for?

Yes, quarantine is for 30 days minimum in a completely separate room with no contact with Bekkie! You basically want to keep the bird by itself to make sure that no sicknesses (and I'm guessing behavioural issues) arise over time. During this quarantine time you would want to get to know the bird and start gaining it's trust. Since your closest avian vet is quite a few hours away, do you know for sure bekkie is male? (DNA tested?) if so then just getting new one vetted and dna'd would probably be necessary.

What would Bekkie probably do with a new friend, how should I handle them (he's not the tamest bird I've ever known)?

If you do go through with getting a second one, now comes the timely process of making sure the two of them get along with one another. Once the quarantine period is over (and you have had the new one vetted/DNA'd) you can place the two cages in the same room. Let them get used to having each other in the same territory. Give that about a week (meanwhile, still give them their individual attention) and then I would move the cages almost side by side. Give that another week, and depending on their interaction with one another, you could have them both out AWAY FROM THEIR CAGES (id take the cages out of the room) for a highly supervised play session.
Mind you I would only be comfortable with having them both out together if I knew i could at least handle one of them in case of a good 'ole toe biting session.

Should I go to Onderstepoort (SA's leading bird laboratories) for an examination (no avian vets in my town), it's about 2 hours' drive - should I put a new lovie under the possible strain of travelling (even though none of mine have ever had a problem with it)?

You don't have to go as soon as you get the new one, you can always wait a few weeks, let him get used to his/her surroundings, and then go for a ride. Definitely dont introduce him/her to Bekkie until you have the new one vetted. If you are 110% Serious about breeding in the future, definitely ask the vet for an approximate age. You'll hear a lot of other members saying to NOT breed if they are under a year old.

Also: I want to build an aviary. I want a nice big one outside where I can put him (them) during the day.

I have never had an aviary before, so I can't really give you accurate information, just only pass on what I have read/learned. I know you have to consider many things with an aviary, whether it's the weather conditions in SA, the predatory animals that roam outside: such as snakes which could fit through any mesh or small crack; to poisonous spiders which could kill a lovie with a single bite. The way I understand is that you would just want them out during the day and they would be inside at night. But would they be in there while you are home so you can supervise them? If you've never had an aviary I think, IMO, it would be safer to have them in there under complete supervision. Then you have to consider the proper wood to build everything out of, and then appropriate wiring to prevent escaping (I know I'd have a double door that I would walk into, one door then shut it, then I can open the door to catch them without the fear of wondering if the main door is closed)

Another thing, is that Bekkie in your avatar? If so, and members please correct me if I'm wrong, I have read that with that specific breed of lovie it is wise to breed it with the same mutation, other wise you could end up with some nasty behaviour issues and infertile offspring. (I might be thinking of the black masked)



<end of yammering transmission>

[Gene]

Hi Lauren!

Thanks for your very thorough reply!

Yep, that's my baby! I've also heard the part about not crossing breeds, and I've already put out the word at our (2 :roll: ) pet shops for a young (green) masked lovie. I would prefer feeding him/her myself (formula) as I've found that it helps with bonding and such. 8o

I haven't had Bekkie DNA'd yet, am planning on doing so as soon as I can, along with a thorough well-bird exam.

I'm not so sure about breeding, I haven't really thought about it, everything is still the rosy colour of happiness and enthusiasm after finally having decided on another lovie! :happy: I don't know if breeding is such a good idea right now (within the next year or so) - would that mean that a communal aviary (during daytime) would be out of the question? If they turn out to be male and female? Bekkie is too young in any way, I'd prefer him to be older (just about 2 sounds right...).

I've just thought of something: I got Bekkie out of his parents' cage (he had 2 siblings as well) and his father was a black lovie (I've never seen one before) while his mom was a green masked... Would that count as crossing breeds? Would that mean that he could be infertile? :confused: I wouldn't mind, I just want to know whether this is true or not or if it would influence anything with another bird? I'm really a bit new at this, and would love to get him a friend!
OK, I'll admit it: I'm addicted too...! :whistle: :lol

Oh, I can't wait, I'm SOOOO excited!!! :clap :rofl: :rotfl :happy:

[Kirby]

I am the WORST person for any genetics I just listen and pretend I understand :) Another memeber on here will be able to answer your genetics questions more thoroughly.

I don't see any problems once the new lovie is all done quarantine etc... and Bekkie gets along with him/her, to put them in an aviary. But then again, I am not too sure of the success rates of Lovies breeding in an aviary. I know you'd just want them to be in there for pure enjoyment of being "outside"

And I would have Bekkie DNA'd as well as an exam done, before you get a new one!!!

I originally just had my one lovie Kirby and only wanted him. But then I went back to where I got him from and saw that his old (and I'm talking 11 or 12 years old) cagemate was still there. And that is how I came to own Kirby and now Skittles.
I didn't quarantine Skittles, which you should NEEEEEEVERRRRR EVER EVER do, but I was bad and took that risk. But they get along GREAT and are housed in two separate cages as they do have their squabbles. It makes me so happy to see them interacting and listening to the weird noises they teach one another to make.

[Mummieeva]

I wanted to add that if you want the birds to go outside into a aviary that it is possible to have them out during day and inside at night. But if you do this I would stick with 2 birds. It would be a long and hard process catching 6 or more birds everyday to move in and out daily. I say 6 of more because if you have more then one pair in a cage the rule is one pair or 3 pairs or more generally.


Steph

[Kirby]

Well said too Steph!!!!

And also you don't have to make it as big :D

I have also seen a few friends of my family turn their deck into an "aviary" where if the door is left open WHO CARES!!! It goes inside the house anyways :)

[dani]

Gene... i love those green maskeds:D Is that Bekkie in your avatar?
if so, he is GORGEOUS!!!

[graushill]

Hi Gene!

There's a member at the board who made this really beautiful outside aviary and he posted som pictures at the board some time ago. His nick is Auntie Ron. He doesn't post that often, but I'm sure if you make a search for his posts you'll find the threads. He lives in Arizona or New Mexico I think.

As for a mate for Bekkie, you could actually get a blue mask or any other colour mutation of the green mask variety and it could still work out. I mean the colour doesn't matter as long as it's the same species. I think HeatherJ has a pair in which one is green and the other is blue. I think they don't really notice colour in that way (like greens go always with greens and blues with blues).

Good luck!

Gloria

[Gene]

Hi guys!

Today the guy from one of the pet shops came to where I work and we started talking.

I asked him to build me an aviary (he sells ones he made himself) and he also told me that it's all about the beak. Well, to me that sounds plausible, but it's also quite obvious that I don't know anything about genetics :confused: so I guess someone could just tell me about anything :blush: .

He said that I should look for a mask that has a bright beak like Bekkie's and not pale as some other lovies' are, as this is the important part. Now I was wondering: what do you guys who know about these things, think of this? Is he right?

It's actually quite interesting, it would be nice to know what to look for...

Thanks and have a nice day!

[Kirby]

I've never heard that saying before....

Kirby's gotta light smooth orange beak which doesn't look real...

and Skittles has a pale yellow.

:O THEYRE NOT COMPATIBLE lol

[Mummieeva]

I have no idea what he could be talking about other then he is advising you to get a bird that looks exactly like your bird with a reddish beak and not any other colors. My green masked had a reddish beak but my blue masked it was kinda pink.



Steph

[Gene]

I thought the same thing afterward. It's the first time I've encountered a lovie with a beak as spectacularly red as Bekkie's (hence the name - it's Afrikaans for 'little beak') and I'd actually like to get a blue lovie this time (if this doesn't mean that I tamper with the genetics if I decide to breed later on). :omg:

Just remind me again: 2 pairs are the right number or is it 3 pairs? I'm gettig a bit confused with all these different numbers... :confused:

Thanks for all the answers so far! :clap

[graushill]

Hi Gene,

I think it's two pairs that is not good, but I'm not sure. I'm sure someone will correct me if this is wrong. The one thing I'm sure of is that you wouldn't be tampering with any genetics if you get a blue mask (whose beak would most definitely be a pale pink) as a mate for your Bekkie :). So I have no idea what the guy from the pet shop meant. Maybe it was his way to advise you against getting a peachface (as their beak is not red) as a mate???

Gloria

[Gene]

We were actually talking specifically about maskeds... :confused: One thing is for sure: i would not buy any birds from him! :evil: The closest he'd get would be building an aviary!

If anyone can just clarify the pairs-conundrum I'd really appreciate it! 8o

Thanks! :)

[graushill]

Hi Gene,

I copied this from a post by Linda:


Hi Paula,
As a breeder, I've been told only odd pairs, even number of birds should be kept in colony flights. There are exceptions to every rule but I can tell you one thing for sure. Once you set up a colony of how many birds you want in there, you can remove birds but you cannot add new ones. Lovebirds, in colony flights, can be extremely territorial and aggressive towards each other. Let 2 birds not get along and you have a disaster in the making.

There are always exceptions to every rule and I've had my share. I've kept 2 pairs in a cage with no problems and I've also kept 2.5 pairs in one cage. Yup, that's 5 birds, not 6. All of these birds grew up together and they got along very well. I had 3 hens and 2 males. One male had 2 female mates, while the other male remained monogamous. I can remember when I had chicks in all nests, the male with 2 mates really had to hustle to keep everyone fed!!

The best advice I can tell you is know your own birds.

Hope this helps a little!

Gloria

[Mummieeva]

Yes, it is either one pair or 3 pairs or more. So be sure you know exactly what you want to do about the aviary. The weather here were I live would be OK in summer and fall for loveis outside. But winter and spring it gets to cold for me to let them outside. I just wheel the cages outside to porch(not a easy thing when cages are huge..lol) for outside time.



Steph

[Kirby]

I THINK having just males together is perfectly fine.. I'm not too sure about 4 of the. But i know if some bird owners wanted two lovies but no babies, breeders recommend getting two males instead of two females

[Gene]

Hi guys!!!
:)
OK, a surprise for me: I'm almost certain that Bekkie is a girl. In the 3 years that I had Lalie he never ever laid an egg but attacked any fabric that was reachable :whistle:

Now, Bekkie is getting seriously :omg: :whistle: but it's not the same way as Lalie. I've taken care not to touch her back other than when picking her up sometimes, but obviously it didn't help. Right now I'm using a spray bottle to mist her when she's getting too much of a nuisance.

Any comments / help / advice??? :confused:

Thanks!!!!