Is my setup for lovebirds OK?

[Puikis]

Hello.
We have just brought two 10 month old lovebirds male and female. I want to ask if my cage setup is OK? Do birds need access to enclosed nesting-box all the time or only during nesting period? I also brought couple of toys online now I am waiting for them to be delivered, so cage will not look so empty soon.

 

[MonicaMc]

Replace the wooden dowels with branch perches. Manazanita is a popular perch.

Provide more perching places.

Provide a variety of toys. The cage should have, at minimum, 5 toys. You should have additional ones on hand to switch some out. Try to look into toys that they can shred, toys that make noise, toys that they can forage in, etc.

 

[itzjbean]

Agreed with above post. Not the smallest cage I've seen for lovebirds but not the biggest. More places to perch with more variety of perches. That's good you ordered a few toys, most enjoy them.

 

[Puikis]

Just did some improvment. Aded 2 more perching places. Now total amont is 5, but also going to increase it by addng some natural branches. Brought one more toy also two are coming as purchased online. And the most imporrtant thing added external nesting box. I was confused about adding it because sme people in forums say it must be available always, others say it is necessary only doing nesting period. Hope it will not cause any problem if added now. Birds like it they are alredy inside it.

 

[itzjbean]

Unless you intend to breed them, there is absolutely no reason you should have a nesting box in that cage. It will only make them hormonal and want to lay. Take it out right away. Whoever you got your information from as the 'most important thing' is very mistaken. It is more important they have a clean, safe environment.

 

[Puikis]

I am actualy not against them having offspring. My mother-in-law and parents also want these birds so I can give them when we have more. But now they are to young to breed so entrance to the nesting box is closed until time comes.

 

[LordTriggs]

What I will say in regards to nesting behavior is many birds can become intolerant of humans once they mate. You also need to have a lot of EXPENSIVE equipment and the knowledge of how to hand rear baby birds which is more dangerous than walking through a mine-field and requires you to be at their beck and call literally 24 hours a day for feeding just in case the parents reject the babies, or you have to let the babies die which would be a horrible act of cruelty.

you also need to 100% be sure that the birds you have aren't siblings which can cause horrible birth defects leading anywhere from mild psychosis through deformities all the way to dying in the egg, they also have a guaranteed shorter life expectancy.

Seriously, if other family members want lovebirds just send them to the breeder you got yours from

 

[Puikis]

Thank you for your warnings. I have lots of time to know everything about mating until mating time arrives. If I see there are major obsticles I will not do it. I have been breeding cats for a long time, but our son has alergy for cats so we have to change pets in our house. Of corse cat and bird breeding is completely different, but the responsibiliyi is the same.

 

[itzjbean]

Thank you for your warnings. I have lots of time to know everything about mating until mating time arrives. If I see there are major obsticles I will not do it. I have been breeding cats for a long time, but our son has alergy for cats so we have to change pets in our house. Of corse cat and bird breeding is completely different, but the responsibiliyi is the same.

You are being very ignorant and will end up with dead babies!!!

You have lots of time to 'know everything'? You don't get experience by reading or researching. It's simply not that easy.

If you see there are major obstacles you won't do it.... say you end up having chicks and the parents refuse to feed them...what do you do?? Handfeeding baby birds is very dangerous to those inexperienced and often ends in dead birds and heartbreak. Breeding another completely different species of animal is nothing like raising birds. The responsibility is not the same -- if the parents reject the babies you have to buy a brooder and keep them temperature controlled and feed them around the clock, then the weaning process begins. Parrots are far more difficult to raise than kittens. Please reconsider breeding your lovebirds.

 

[Vilatus]

I would recommend you to get a larger cage. Its not terrible, but its not great either. You can find a cage with a ton of room for as little as $100, or less if its used. Are your birds tame? Do they come out? If not, you should get something fairly large, remember that they'll spend all their time in there if that's the case.

Also, I highly discourage breeding. Its not nearly the same as cats, as you know, but its also a lot more likely for something to go wrong. Parents can reject and refuse to feed babies, meaning you have to feed them multiple times a day for MONTHS, babies can get sick, fight, etc. Also your cage is not big enough for any more birds to begin with.

On a final note, you should get some rope perches, and the branches you mentioned are a good idea. Just be sure the wood is safe for parrots.

Good luck to you and your babies!

 

[Vilatus]

I would recommend you to get a larger cage. Its not terrible, but its not great either. You can find a cage with a ton of room for as little as $100, or less if its used. Are your birds tame? Do they come out? If not, you should get something fairly large, remember that they'll spend all their time in there if that's the case.

Also, I highly discourage breeding. Its not nearly the same as cats, as you know, but its also a lot more likely for something to go wrong. Parents can reject and refuse to feed babies, meaning you have to feed them multiple times a day for MONTHS, babies can get sick, fight, etc. Also your cage is not big enough for any more birds to begin with.

On a final note, you should get some rope perches, and the branches you mentioned are a good idea. Just be sure the wood is safe for parrots.

Good luck to you and your babies!

 

[LordTriggs]

once again you're gonna end up with either dead chicks, dead parents from overlaying or you will spend literal thousands on everything and for what? To save family members $100 going down to a breeder?

There's a reason breeders don't do it in there spare time. It is there job

 

[Puikis]

OK, One lesson I learned in life is that when you are trying to do something there is always somebody saying don't to it, you will fail, you will not succeed, your chicks would die etc. I remember 15 years ago when we were about starting kitten breeding I also was looking for information in forums and people told me don't do it, you will fail your kittens will die. During 15 years none of our kittens has died and we successfuly raised more than 120 of them. Mother refusing kittens is not uncommon and you have feed them every 1-2 hours 24 hours a day. So its nothing new for me. Our cattery won first place in most responsible animal welfare compettion several times so please don't call me ignorant untill you now who I am and what I do. Anyway I see people here against new members. So I will keep looking for information in other places and please be sure I will do it in most responsible and animal welth orientated way.

 

[Puikis]

once again you're gonna end up with either dead chicks, dead parents from overlaying or you will spend literal thousands on everything and for what? To save family members $100 going down to a breeder?

There's a reason breeders don't do it in there spare time. It is there job

We brought these birds from professional breeder with intension to breed. That's why they were much more expensive than birds not for breeding. They have been DNA checked, they have been proved not to be siblings. They have full family history and rings. Breeder showed us equipement he uses to breed birds. I saw nothing for thousands of dollars. I see reather for few hundred and even less if you are able to DIY a little bit.

Also this cage is temporary home. We are building house for birds, integrated to our hose where birds can have plenty of place to fly, they can access real trees and spent time inside our outside.

 

[LordTriggs]

once again you're gonna end up with either dead chicks, dead parents from overlaying or you will spend literal thousands on everything and for what? To save family members $100 going down to a breeder?

There's a reason breeders don't do it in there spare time. It is there job

We brought these birds from professional breeder with intension to breed. That's why they were much more expensive than birds not for breeding. They have been DNA checked, they have been proved not to be siblings. They have full family history and rings. Breeder showed us equipement he uses to breed birds. I saw nothing for thousands of dollars. I see reather for few hundred and even less if you are able to DIY a little bit.

Also this cage is temporary home. We are building house for birds, integrated to our hose where birds can have plenty of place to fly, they can access real trees and spent time inside our outside.

At no point in your post have you stated they were bought for breeding. In fact your own words were that you did not mind them breeding and you would give the chicks to family which is an indication they were not bought for that purpose. Also sorry to inform you but that breeder has conned you by selling you an unproven pair of birds for more than hand-tame birds.

I'm not telling you that you can't. I'm saying you need to realize what you're getting into and that you can't just slap two birds in a cage and expect the money to roll in. If it was that easy everybody would do it and birds would cost nothing.

If you intend to become a breed. 1. Why did you not research before getting the birds? 2. Get researching fast on everything you need and get prepared

 

[MonicaMc]

Small birds should not be allowed to breed before they are 1+ years old... however, they can, and will, breed at much younger ages... say 3-6 months old. Many birds, especially females, aren't always physically, or mentally prepared for raising chicks at such a young age. Sure, it's doable, but it's kind of like a young teen vs a young adult. A young teen is still maturing and growing where-as a young adult has hopefully matured enough to have kids, and being and adult, there should be less complications with having kids.


If you do not have an avian vet yet, then I urge you to find one now. Also, if the breeder is willing, please have them teach you how to hand feed the chicks, at what temperature the food needs to be at, and everything else that is required. This is the best way to get experience! Not reading and researching about it, then attempting it without any guidance. (sounds like the breeder has already shown you some of it?)


I'm also not entirely sure why birds meant to breed would be more expensive than birds meant to be pets.... pet birds typically sell for more than birds meant for breeding.



Also, is that sandpaper covered perches I see in that cage? If yes, please take them out. Those are bad for their feet and can lead to sores!

 

[chris-md]

Have you ever owned birds? If not, then you are putting the cart before the horse here. You need to learn about the needs of your birds first before even CONTEMPLATING BREEDING them! That’s completely illogical.

Let’s start with the cage. Way too small. Ideally each would have 1.5 square feet to themselves. Double that cage size at lease.

Sandpaper perches? Nope!

Toys? What toys? You need a whole library of toys, and take note of what Monicamc told you, there are different types of toys: shredding, foraging, noise making, and of which engage your birds mind in different ways.

Have you let them out of the cage yet? What are you doing to train them?

You’re off to a really rough start - you get credit for th fact that you came here to learn, for which we deeply thank you. But it doesn’t sound like your listening to the advice you’re getting. Which is - if You are reading the nature of the replies you’re getting here - pissing off a lot of people trying to help you.

This is your lesson, just not quite the one you were expecting. You’ve got a lot to learn about proper keeping of the birds you do have before you consider breeding them.

These are not your personal egg factory. Lead by example. These birds need, want, and seek companionship similar to dogs or children. They aren’t finches who want to be left alone. You say your family wants these birds but you aren’t exactly providing a shining example right now for how they need to be treating them.

Know better, be better.

 

[Flboy]

Please, no one is trying to push your hot button!

Ignorant-lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact:
ignorant of quantum physics.

You came asking question! Sorry, I see zero hostility! A tremendous concern over the welfare of your new family? You bet!

 

[Vilatus]

Nobody is trying to be mean or make you upset, we are all just very concerned about you and your birds. Also I agree with the previous posts- your breeder fooled you. Unless you were getting some rare mutation, which you didn't, birds raised for pets almost always cost more than those who were raised for breeding.

Please listen to everyone at the very least about the breeding. If you don't have a lot, and I mean a lot of experience with birds, you are putting their lives and their potential chicks in danger. Researching is the right first step, but it's nothing without experience. There is so many things that can go wrong, and experience is key to being able to even recognize these problems, as well as take appropriate action.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[chris-md]

You came asking question! Sorry, I see zero hostility! A tremendous concern over the welfare of your new family? You bet!

This! Don't mistake harsh tone for hostility. Everyone's getting feathers up (pun intended) not to make you feel bad, but to communicate to you and make you understand the gravity of the situation.

This is deadly serious (literally), and so far you haven't shown that you understand that. The more you resist, the harsher to tone will be to try to get you to wake up to what you are actually proposing.