Any tips for pairing lovebirds?

[Kitekeeper]

Hi,

I am currently trying to pair a female lovebird with no success. Back in the old days I had no problem at all to pair a couple of lovebirds with good breeding results.

This time I have a new female (opaline violet) that is now on her third male candidate. She had bred before with another blue bird and then was sold to me alone.

Up to now, she refused two of my guys (both rose faced roseicollis) and that?s why the third male is a turquoise white face. I?ve read somewhere that females may show preferences for males that are similar to their parents as some sort of imprinting behavior. Has any of you ever heard of that sort of female selection?

So far I have not yet put them together as they are reaching the 15 days mark living side by side but divided by an internal piece of cage bars. Instead she has demonstrated much more interest and curiosity towards me than to her lovebird neighbour. The new male is with me for 15 days, but she is here for 3 motnhs already.

How can I help them to bond to each other? Is it possible that once she paired with another male in the past and was separated, she is not going to show interest for any other new males?

 

[Mikey&Levi]

Hi,

I am currently trying to pair a female lovebird with no success. Back in the old days I had no problem at all to pair a couple of lovebirds with good breeding results.

This time I have a new female (opaline violet) that is now on her third male candidate. She had bred before with another blue bird and then was sold to me alone.

Up to now, she refused two of my guys (both rose faced roseicollis) and that?s why the third male is a turquoise white face. I?ve read somewhere that females may show preferences for males that are similar to their parents as some sort of imprinting behavior. Has any of you ever heard of that sort of female selection?

So far I have not yet put them together as they are reaching the 15 days mark living side by side but divided by an internal piece of cage bars. Instead she has demonstrated much more interest and curiosity towards me than to her lovebird neighbour. The new male is with me for 15 days, but she is here for 3 motnhs already.

How can I help them to bond to each other? Is it possible that once she paired with another male in the past and was separated, she is not going to show interest for any other new males?

If you want you can place them in the same cage together, lovebirds are very social towards each other and will eventually interact with one another. If it doesn't work you can put her in a wide cage with 3 different males with 1 or 2 females if possible and see who she picks, adding the females will maybe make her jealous. But do not place a nest box, honestly I'm not the big expert with lovebirds but I've had some experience so it's possible that my advice helps. There's always a possibility that she was sold alone because she wasn't breeding material anymore.

 

[Kitekeeper]

Thank you for your response!

I kind of followed your advice before you had the chance to post it Weeks after I posted the question I joined them and everything went well. Unfortunately she never really develop a full interest for the male.

I live in an building that is surrounded by several other buildings, all placed quite close to each other. This means the windows of the apartment are not that good as a escape route for lovebirds ear-piercing vocalizations , thus I can not keep more than 2 birds with me. I came to the understanding that the female needed to find her own new mate and so I rehomed both birds with a friend that have several lovebirds.

Eventually I ´ve found another pair, this time a already bonded couple and brought them home.

 

[Mikey&Levi]

That's good to know and good luck with the other pair

 

[johnbirds]

Hi,

I am currently trying to pair a female lovebird with no success. Back in the old days I had no problem at all to pair a couple of lovebirds with good breeding results.

This time I have a new female (opaline violet) that is now on her third male candidate. She had bred before with another blue bird and then was sold to me alone.

Up to now, she refused two of my guys (both rose faced roseicollis) and that?s why the third male is a turquoise white face. I?ve read somewhere that females may show preferences for males that are similar to their parents as some sort of imprinting behavior. Has any of you ever heard of that sort of female selection?

So far I have not yet put them together as they are reaching the 15 days mark living side by side but divided by an internal piece of cage bars. Instead she has demonstrated much more interest and curiosity towards me than to her lovebird neighbour. The new male is with me for 15 days, but she is here for 3 motnhs already.

How can I help them to bond to each other? Is it possible that once she paired with another male in the past and was separated, she is not going to show interest for any other new males?

It is best to use two cages side by side and introduce them this way. If you see them at the same side trying to get to each other this may work in pairing. Some will just not get along. You should be careful when just placing a male in the females cage ,female are more aggressive and they Do kill males