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Ducky

6K views 37 replies 18 participants last post by  Sally 
#1 ·
I know it's quite soon after not being able to have Ava ( :( ) BUT I found these guys on Hoobly and couldn't resist purchasing one! He will be ready to take home within a few weeks. I've just ordered a cage and toys/food. I'm so excited, I really can't wait.

(I'm pretty sure I'm naming him Ducky, hehe!)






 
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#2 ·
Oh my goodness! Gorgeous!!:lovehearts: And ducky is such a cuuuuuttteeee name! Congrats!
 
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#12 ·
I'm happy that you found this little parrot. He might console you a bit for Ava.
Ducky is so cute and adorable, especially I like the fluffy feathers on his back. :)
But lovebirds are called lovebirds, because they always live as a closely bonded couple.
Have you thought about getting two of them?
 
#15 ·
The name is rubbish :lol: I have had lovebirds kill others! They are extremely aggressive when they want to be unfortunately :(
 
#14 · (Edited)
You found the silver lining to your black cloud :thumbsup: And oh what a beautiful baby, the name is cute and what a happy tone to your post! :congrat: All I can add is my sister has one lovebird and is very happy as well as her family! One is good.
 
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#17 ·
I've never heard of that in any bird forum. :nonod:
But there are some requirements to make them feel comfortable:
It should be areal couple, hen and cock, no sibblings, and they need a big flight cage.
Then behavioral problems are not probable.

http://www.avianweb.com/lovebirdinfo.htm
Actually you tend to find most Lovebirds do better alone, one of the few birds I would ever feel 100% keeping alone rather than in a pair.

I know of plenty of people who have had lovebirds kill each other or seriously injure each other when kept in pairs and even in large flocks in huge aviaries. These were bonded breeding pairs as well not just male on male or female on female etc.

They really were not thinking when they named them 'lovebirds'.
 
#18 ·
I just won't risk having two of them together. Besides, I really want to bond with a single one, and I don't want that possibility to be taken away because there are two. I hear they really lose their tameness when they are together. Ducky will be fine for now. :)
 
#19 ·
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for keeping birds as a flock, hence why I enjoy having my 20-30 budgies all in an aviary interacting with one another. All of them have the opportunity to be part of a flock BUT my lovebirds I have had to try many times and not once have I been successful
 
#20 ·
My first lovebirds were 9 show and breeding birds which had never been kept in flock but in separate cages and, when I asked all the experts how to switch them to a colony, everybody said it could not be done. But they were wrong. I had a flock of over 30 of them (all rescues, I only got one single clutch and it was because I did not realize a pair had a nest under the sink cabinet until it was too late) and not a single aggression incident (I even had a female which had two husbands and they never fought, either) so I think it's the caging that does it because nature evolved them to live in flocks.

I've also had two hand-fed females that stayed as sweet, affectionate and friendly to me to the day they died even though they had mates. And the four babies that were born to the 'eggcident' clutch were the sweetest things that perched all over me, popping in and out of sleeves and necks and hiding under my hair even though I never even handled them when they were hatchlings.

Cages seem to change the dynamics and temperaments of lovies more than it does other species.
 
#21 ·
When my siblings had a fight and one got killed they were part of a flock. They were living in an aviary until recently and now some are housed individually. I had black cheeked lovebirds who were fine together, but peach faced are a lot more aggressive in my own opinion
 
#23 ·
I remember reading that lovebirds only got the name "Lovebirds" because of the way they made a heart shape when a pair perched together in the wild. I had a very aggressive hen. I know plenty of people that have had lovies make wonderful pets but overall I believe the name "lovebird" is VERY misleading. If Abby wants a lovebird to want to have anything to do with her...one is the best bet!
 
#25 · (Edited)
I've heard that Lovebirds can also be dangerous to other birds. A friend of mine had a aviary of Lovebirds next to his Budgies and, over time, the lovies bit the toes right off the budgies, right through the bars! I think the budgies were just trying to be friendly, hanging out on the avairy netting, but the lovies nailed them all.

So I would think a companion bird for a lovebird needs to be in another cage and also needs to be a bird tough enough to handle a lovebird if they are allowed out together - maybe a nice tough conure or something else with a big strong beak? But certainly a budgie or cockatiel would be risky around a lovebird. I'm sure there are exceptions but I wouldn't risk a lovebird around any bird less "tough" than a conure, who could fight back (and I still wouldn't put them in the same cage).

I wonder how a parrotlet would be around a lovie? (caged separately but allowed out together?). Parrotlets can be pretty tough too I think (but I never had one).
 
#31 ·
I have a parrotlet. He tried to flirt with my lovie but she just danced at him to threaten him and tried to get his toes through the cage bars. He did feed her once while I had her wrapped in a hand towel after a bath and she happily accepted.

There's a woman on the p'let forum that has a lovie hen and p'let hen that are best friends. I imagine that is a pretty rare scenario and they were raised together from a very young age.
 
#26 ·
Ron, I too have suggested a parrotlet. They're a lot like Amazon parrots, only tiny! And an Amazon can take on anything :lol:
 
#27 ·
In German agapornis are not called lovebirds but "The inseparable", so all people who want to get them know they live in couples.

But Abby, of course I respect your decision. Have much fun with your beautiful little lovie. I wish you a long and happy friendship! :thumbsup:
 
#28 ·
It is actually a myth when it comes to housing lovebirds together and many state that they will die if not kept in pairs, which is rubbish. I have told Abby that if she does choose to get another (which would be fantastic) then it is an absolute must that that would need to be housed individually. Unless you have a large aviary I really don't recommend that lovebirds are kept together at all
 
#36 ·
This so absolutely true! The same applies to plets. They can and very often do horrible damage to each other. Everyday there can be a "situation".

Lovebirds kept singlely bond well to their owners, as do plets. But keeping them together as pets versus avairy birds is often quite a headache.

I heard that lovebirds are called lovebirds because they love to fight other birds, lol. But there are always the exceptions. Also if they "grow up" with another bird who is a different species they can learn to play peacefully with that bird during out times.
 
#33 ·
A few friends and also my sister have one lovebird. They bond well with humans and I believe that is the reason. Karin it's funny how birds are housed differently in Germany than the USA. I think we have them more as a hands on companion than in Germany, am I right? :)
 
#35 ·
Yes, the reason is that in German forums the natural needs of the birds have a higher value than our need to have a tame bird.
So solitary keeping of parrots is not accepted at all as well as small cages and wing clipping.

We regard especially small birds as pets for observation and don't expect them to step up on our fingers or to let us touch them.
If a bird becomes aggressive we first look if we can improve the keeping. And only if this doesn't help we work with the bird's behavior.
 
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