Hand-fed baby love birds

Question
Hello

Are love birds even tempered parrots? Are they more likly to bite then a cockatiel or budgie?

Whats there avrage life span?

How big should a cage be for one?

Can they learn to mimic?

Do they need to be kept in pairs?

Do they get along with cockatiels?

Answer
Lovebirds are much bolder and less peaceful than budgies or cockatiels.  Some are more likely to bite, too, but it depends on the individual.  Generally, females are most likely to bite after they've hit sexual maturity, males more likely to remain nonaggressive, but I've come across aggressive males and many very sweet females, so that's not always true.

Their average lifespan is only about 10 years, but if cared for correctly they could easily reach 20-25 years.

Minimum cage sizes really depend on how much time the bird will be spending in a cage, but for a single lovebird who'll be spending some time out and about everyday, I'd say about 16" x 16" x 18" would do.

Lovebirds can learn to talk and mimic, but very few do.  Most just stick with their natural squeaky-chirp sounds.  I've never owned a lovebird that talked, but I've known some that do.

They don't need to be kept in pairs, but if they're kept alone, they MUST be tame and they must get daily attention.  Untame lovebirds kept alone quickly become very lonely, as do tame lovebirds that don't get enough attention.  By all means, if you want a tame pet, get just one hand-fed baby and make sure he/she gets lots of attention.  If you don't have much time to spend, get a pair.  If you get two tame birds, sometimes they'll stay tame together with enough routine handling, but sometimes they prefer each other's company to yours.

I would say no, generally they don't get along with cockatiels.  You could allow them supervised playtime together, but you'd have to watch for problems, and I wouldn't leave them unsupervised.

Just to add a further note, I'm really fond of lovebirds even though they're more likely to be aggressive than 'tiels or budgies.  They have very happy, bold personalities and can be very endearing.

- Lara
psitta@yahoo.com