How To Keep Lovebirds as Pets: Here Are 5 of the Best Tips

There are certain words in the English language that evoke mental imagery. "Lovebirds" is one of those words. When people colloquially talk about "lovebirds," they often talk about two people in love.

Of course, those interested in lovebirds as pets know that lovebirds are among the best breed of birds around.

If you're looking to keep lovebirds as pets, you should know that, while relatively straightforward, these pets do require a few essential things. Here are five key tips that will ensure your lovebird has a long, happy life!

When Having Lovebirds as Pets, Know They Have Appropriate Names

Lovebirds get their name from their very loving attitude toward their owners. These birds develop a near-instantaneous connection with the people that keep them. Their sweet and charming nature make them easy to name!

Part of ensuring that your bird is healthy is to make sure that you give them the largest cage you can. These birds require lots of room to flourish, play, and exercise.

Birds are highly intelligent and require a substantial amount of social interaction and will quickly become bored. Lovebirds need plenty of toys in their lives, as well. Without these things, these birds tend to develop neurotic and self-mutilating behaviors.

Get these birds because you want a bird to "love" you, and you want to reciprocate that back with the best habitat possible. With this attitude, you'll ensure that your lovebird has the best quality of life possible.

Feed Your Lovebird Well

If you keep lovebirds as pets, you should know that food is one of the best ways to keep your bird healthy and happy. Without proper nutrition, your bird will likely develop health issues and behavioral problems.

Therefore, it's essential to know what types of food a high-quality lovebird diet has and what to feed baby birds.

For most lovebirds as pets, the best option consists of formulated diets in pellet-form. These types of foods ensure that birds cannot pick and choose which parts to eat (bypassing the less tasty kale, for example, and going direct for the seeds). With mixed foods, this is a problem that many owners face with their pet birds.

It would be best if you supplemented this pelleted diet with some safe vegetables and fruits. Typically, lovebirds do well with "berries, apples, grapes, pears, bananas, and kiwi." One word of caution: do not feed your lovebird avocado. It can be toxic to these birds!

Also, please make sure that you have quite a bit of water available for your birds. Lovebirds like water, so you will have to change their water dishes frequently. You can increase your bird's lifespan by giving it a balanced and healthy diet.

Know the Signs of Illness

Know the signs of illness in your birds. Most lovebirds start to show problems with their behavior. If you notice your bird seems withdrawn, appears sullen, or wants to sleep all the time, there's probably something going wrong with your pet. Almost all animals, lovebirds included, have behavioral changes when they don't feel well.

You can look for physical symptoms, as well. Ruffled features, dull plumage, watery eyes, runny noses, and dropping off the perch are all potential symptoms of illnesses.

If you see any of these issues, you should see an avian veterinarian as soon as possible. Most illnesses don't cause significant problems with lovebirds, but some diseases require prompt treatment. Better to be safe than sorry!

Know the Types of Lovebirds

There are plenty of different types of lovebirds! Some of these birds are bright and colorful (like the peach-faced lovebird). Others, like the white-faced variety, have less color.

The most common types of lovebirds are Peach-faced, Black Masked, and Fischers. All other species are much rarer. There are even blue lovebirds (the Blue Masked lovebird, which looks stunning in person).

Unlike some bird species, most lovebirds have the same nutritional and health requirements. Overall, no matter what type of lovebird you get, they will likely be reasonably healthy and not require significant medical care.

Train Your Lovebirds When Young

Lovebirds are trainable birds, which is why they make for a great first pet. You'll interact with them and have them respond to some of your actions and statements. However, adult lovebirds are notoriously difficult to train. They're frequently nowhere near as pleasant and tame as the youngsters are. Therefore, if you have an adult lovebird, you may never be able to train them entirely as you would want.

Training your lovebird involves quite a bit of patience and time. You'll need to develop a rapport with your bird and gradually earn its trust. Start with whispering and making slow movements around the young bird. Eventually, the lovebird will no longer be intimidated by you.

Next, you'll need to start interacting with your pet. For example, to get the bird to leave its perch and go on to your finger, you'll have first to hold a dowel at your bird's chest height. Offer it a treat to coax it up on to the dowel. After quite a few tries, your bird will get this motion right. Then, you can begin substituting your finger for the dowel. Again, it will take quite a bit of trust to get the bird to feel comfortable going on your finger.

Bottom line: train them when they're young. Training is tough, and you don't want age working against you. Even if this type of activity isn't appealing to you, you should consider doing it anyway. It's excellent socialization with your bird!

Lovebirds Are Amazing Pets

If you're going to get a bird, you'd be hard-pressed to find one that is worse than the lovebird. These little birds are a bundle of joy, very playful, and relatively easy for beginners. Plus, they are reasonable in terms of cost. Most people should pay no more than $50 to $150 for one of these fantastic birds!

How long do lovebirds live?

The average lovebird lifespan is approximately 15-20 years. Although, in captivity, some of these birds can live much longer.

Can lovebirds talk?

They don't talk like some other parrots can (meaning that they can't mimic words). However, they do speak with each other, using various sounds to communicate.

Are lovebirds loud?

They can be loud. If a lovebird is trying to get your attention, it will use a loud, high-pitched shriek. However, these birds' everyday chatter is not incredibly loud and should be tolerable for most people.

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