One more question, please!

[bllivingston]

My lovebirds have decided that they want to mate. As I stated in a previous post, I caught them in "the act". From what I've been told, they may still be the same sex, which is fine since I'm not sure I want them to have babies. They problem is that they've both gotten really nasty. The "female" more so than the male. Before this, she was the sweeter bird.

Is this a phase? Will it stop? Is there a mating season? I haven't put in a nesting box, but they're using their (empty) bird bath and third food bowl as nests. They push all the food out of this one particular bowl. Any ideas when I'll get my sweet girl back? Or is this a long phase like adolescence in children?

Thanks for your help! I want to do right by my birds but I miss my sweet girl! They seem excited when I come home and they call to me if I leave the room, but heaven help me if I try to go near them in their cage! I've just never had experience with lovebirds, and I've never had a mating pair of birds before. I'm lost.

 

[weco]

Well, let's see, if they produce viable eggs, you can generally expect eggs 6-12 days after you first notice their attempts at procreation, then she'll incubate them for up to 28 days, then from hatching to fledging it's usually 40-45 days.....so maybe 8-10 weeks & you'll have your girl back.....

 

[crimson]

females are nasty when nesting. keep 'an eye out' for your male, sounds like you have a temperamental female, btw, some are worse than others.

I had a female here that almost killed my male, blood everywhere. He had some puncture wounds to his neck and abdomen. luckily I was home at the time. she kicked him out of the nesting box for good too. she was a *&^%$, he on the other hand was very sweet, so I sold him as a pet to a good home

 

[bllivingston]

Thanks, Crimson. She has gotten really nasty. She always ruled the cage, but she's been worse than usual. They still cuddle most of the time, her anger seems to be aimed at me. Although she wants me in the same room. I just can't go in the cage! She's never even tried to bite until two days ago! How often do they go through this phase? I'm hoping this isn't constant!

Weco, I appreciate the information. I don't think I want to breed them - at least not yet. I was just wondering how long this phase is going to last! I don't want to have to raise baby birds to get my sweet girl back!

Also, I don't know if they're related. Will that be a problem?

Other than the nastiness is I go in the cage, they're cute as anything. Lots of cuddling with each other, calling to my husband and I, etc. Lovebirds are really sweet, I just didn't know I was signing up for this mating nonsense!

 

[Lovely]

I had a female here that almost killed my male, blood everywhere. He had some puncture wounds to his neck and abdomen.

Oh that happened to me too! It was awful. Both of my birds had awful wounds, my "male" had one on his neck and my "female" had one on her chest/neck/under wing. He got her pretty good, but now their friends. I've just learned to not give them paper to play with.