Lovebirds are cheerful and beautiful birds that can be easily kept as pets. These pocket parrots are intriguing. Lovebirds are native of the drier regions of Africa and as they have evolved from harsh environments they can adapt well to captivity. Not only do they form great pets but these beautifully colored pets are very hardy and can suit to any environment and are easy to care for. Breeding these birds is also very easy.

When in the wild, lovebirds live in flocks. They usually are seen to bond with a single mate for their lifetime and are very loyal and protective for their family. If you are successful in earning their affection then they will show the same loyalty towards you also. These birds socialize well with the owners as well as with their mates.

The determined spirit of these lovebirds is beyond expectation and they can prove to be better pets as compared to the other parrots. Their ability to learn tricks and show affection is much more than other small parrots. If you keep the lovebird singly then they will require a lot of attention and time so that they can thrive well. It is always better to have two birds in a cage.

Lovebirds need just more than seeds for their diet. A pellet diet with fresh fruits, boiled eggs and vegetables are the best meal. You can also include pasta, rice, lentils and cereals to have beautifully feathered lovebirds. There are many lovebird owners that also feed seed-based diet to their pets with the other foods just as supplements. The seed-based diet should contain a mixture of grains and seeds. Lovebirds just love corn and sprouted seeds. Make sure that you keep enough water in the cage of the lovebirds as they drink lots of water.

For a single pair of lovebirds the minimum cage size is 30 x 30 x 18. It is better to provide a big cage to the birds so that they have more space. Also, pay attention to the bar, spacing the distance should not be more than 3/4 inch. Lovebirds have the ability of talking but there are very few that talk. You can enjoy the different varieties of peeps, chirps, cheeps and squeaks that they make. The parent lovebird will make the birds learn the meaning of each of these sounds. You should not expect that the lovebirds would be quiet at all the times; they have a very shrill voice. These birds can easily be trained to do small tricks and you will soon understand their likes and dislikes. You will love interacting with the lovebirds.

There are a total of nine species of lovebirds, which include Abyssinian, Peachfaced, Masked, Fischer's, Redfaced, Black-Collared, Nyasa and Black-Cheeked. Apart from the different species they are also available in different colors. The Peachfaced lovebirds are considered to be the best in nature. The Redfaced standard and lutino are the louder species. Having lovebirds as pet can be great fun. They do not require much care and are a perfect bundle of joy.

Mark Perry

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