nesting materials for lovebirds?

[shawn]

is it ok to use wood shavings for lovebird nests? the wood shavings for hamsters and stuff or what would u guys recommend i use?

i just got 11 lovebirds yesterday and i got a bunch of nesting box but not sure what i should use for their nestings materials. and i was thinking of using wood shavings since they are really soft.

thanks in advance.

 

[MikeyTN]

I use wood shaving but I only use Kaytee as the other brands are chunky and rough. They will chew them up to sawdust anyways.

Have you bred before? What prompted you to breed?

 

[shawn]

I use wood shaving but I only use Kaytee as the other brands are chunky and rough. They will chew them up to sawdust anyways.

Have you bred before? What prompted you to breed?

thanks for the respond mike. i have never had lovebirds before. along with the 11 lovebirds i got. 4 of them are proven pairs according to the seller i bought from. and he has good reps. and when i went to go pickup the birds. a pair already laid eggs. so regardless they will try to breed and why not let nature do its thing. and since these lovebirds are quite rare in the U.S i want to breed them and try to make them more available. and trying to breed true lines and not hybrids.

the lovebirds i got are black cheeked lovebirds by the way.

 

[MikeyTN]

So you have no prior breeding experience? It's not about just putting birds together and expect them to do their thing. Sometimes it can get complicated as you need to learn to see any potential issues as they arise and know what to do when it does happen. That includes knowing how to hand feed!!! The pair that had eggs already will most likely abandon the eggs. When you move them during egg laying time will cause them to abandon any egg or hatchlings. Please do learn before you go any further! The Black cheeked I have seen around, it's not common no but not rare either.

 

[crimson]

Aspen shavings are the safest to use. don't use cedar or pine as they have an aroma and can cause upper respiratory issues.

this issue seems to pop up repeatedly, people wanting to breed. If I were you, don't put up any nesting boxes just yet, let the birds settle in first, give them a few months to choose their mates, get a routine going, and build up their health requirements.

take that time and gain experience and knowledge. there are plenty of videos, and excellent sites you can gain info from, ask any questions you like on here we are all here to help you!

please don't misunderstand me, we all start somewhere, and didn't know anything.
I started off with a simple pair of canaries, then moved to lovebirds etc....

all we are saying is to research as much as possible, once you start breeding it is your responsibility to ensure the lives of the babies.

I wish you luck, it is a very exciting and rewarding experience!