Pairs not sitting with each other!

[sherytiger]

Hello,
I've purchased 3 pairs of lovebirds 3 days ago.
At night time, the pairs donot sleep closely to each other instead, they are splitted with others!

And also.... my lovebirds are sometimes fighting with each other, does they are doing this because they're very new to each other or any appropiate reason?
I mean they love to bite each other, mostly only 2 of them are juggled in this matter.

[Mummieeva]

Were these pairs together before you got them or were they separated? You need to watch closely for any fighting and how badly. If it is a small one then just watch. But if they seem to be picking one one certain bird or bird then I am sorry but all 3 pairs will need to be separated. The rule for birds sharing a cage is either one pair or 3+ pairs. I would be sure you have back up cages just to be safe for now. Pairs can either all get along or only interact with their chosen mate. Also were the birds paired up before you got them or did they pair up afterwards?



Steph(please forgive the long sentences writing is not my strongest thing)

[linda040899]

From what you are saying, all you have is 6 lovebirds. They are not bonded or paired. You may not have 3 males and 3 females. You will find the most bickering between hens and if any of them really don't like anyone else, you could end up with serious injuries or even fatalities. I can't stress enough how carefully you have to watch what's going on. If you have one bird being picked on, that bird is going to have to be removed from the flight and housed separately.

Just a suggestion is to have them all DNA sexed so you know what you have. Avian Biotech (http://www.avianbiotech.com ) does sexing internationally. You simply pay for the tests when you send in your samples.

[sherytiger]

I am pretty much sure that they are 3 males and 3 females.
And one more thing to add, The fights which they are interacting with each other is very small fights.
And the lovebirds were in pair when i purchased it.

Right now they've shuffled their pairs :p, Now i can see 1 pair sitting with each other and other 4 are just playing, although all of'em are playing with each other.
SOmehow, They donot fight all the times but sometimes they do.
And one thing i like the most in them is, They always have their meal and water at a single time, All of them takes their meal at the same time. :)

[kimsbirds]

Just because they were caged together and you were told they are 'pairs', doesn't mean they are actually pairs.
I don't think any of your 6 birds are "paired" up.
The ONLY way to know whether you have boys and girls is DNA testing OR live offspring.
I still don't think you have true "pairs".
Take Linda's advice and have them tested before you end up with a fight that results in the death of one or more birds.

[sherytiger]

Allright, I just checked my lovebirds right now at midnight and they are sitting in pairs right now.
I mean they are not all closed with each other, They are now sitting in pairs with a difference from the other lovebird pair.

[Janie]

Whether they sit in pairs or not will not give you any indication of sex....just that they like each other. I have nothing but males and they do pair off and sit close together.

[linda040899]

With lovebirds, you can see 3 different kinds of pairs: male/female, female/female or male/male. Same gender birds will form a "pair," especially if there are no opposite gender birds around or just because they happen to like a particular bird. I have several female/female pairs and they get along very well. This is the exception rather than the rule but I'm saying it happens. I also have at least one male/male pair that I've not been able to split so I just leave well enough alone.

When you see the same 2 birds with each other all the time, that's a bonded pair. Bonded pairs tend to sit very close to each other and most of the time, you could not slip a piece of paper between them!

[sherytiger]

Allright :)
I'll observe it !