Lovebirds knowledge, mutation, diet, reproduction

 General characteristics

   Lovebirds (Agapornis) are small parrots native to South and Central Africa. Their size reaches 15-17 cm while their tail is considered small in proportion to the rest of their body. In the wild, lovebirds live about 10 to 15 years, while in captivity and provided good care, they can reach 20 years.

Their feature is the multicolor, as there are nine different species of lovebirds, but three are widely known - and most common pets:

1. Lovebirds Fischer 

                      The main color of Fischer's lovebirds is the green color with an intense blue-purple at the top of the tail. Their face is red-orange and they have a white ring around the eyes, while the back of the head is brown-red. Their beak is also red and their legs are gray. There are several color mutations.

2. Peach - faced lovebirds

                                        The basic color of peach - faced lovebirds is green. In fact, they are almost entirely green, with the exception of their bright red forehead, which gradually fades around the nose. Their beak is white-pink and their legs are gray.

3. Black-masked lovebirds

                                       The basic color of "masked" -as they are called- lovebirds, is green. Their characteristic is the black head with the yellow "collar". They also have a white ring around their eyes. Their beak is red and their legs are gray. There are several color mutations, the main one being blue.

Gender segregation

   

   For the most part, lovebirds are NOT dimorphic. This means that there are no strong and precise external differences that separate the male from the female through simple observation. The only species of lovebirds that show dimorphism are Agapornis canus (1), Agapornis taranta (2) and Agapornis pullarius (3).

As for the other species, there are some methods that can help us distinguish the sex:

a) Female lovebirds are slightly more voluminous and have slightly duller colors, stand on the floor with legs more open, have a larger head and are more aggressive towards other lovebirds. They tend to tear the paper from the bottom of the cage (if any) as well as chew their wings. Males have a more vibrant color, feed the female and are more agile. Also their voice is a little louder than the females.

b) Another method is to feel them. Touching between the legs, and lightly pressing the amara with itour finger, we try to locate the two small bones of the pelvis. If we feel them as one, it is masculine. If they have some distance, then it is female. This test should be done at least when the lovebirds are after 8 to 10 months of their life in order to have created and completed the genetic region of the amara. It is quite a successful, but not certain method.

   

   Finally, the best and most reliable method is of course the DNA test!

CARE AND NUTRITION

   Lovebirds parrots are not nervous birds, but on the contrary they are energetic, active and full of curiosity, with a personality reminiscent of that of larger species of parrots. They can be very stubborn, they are very agile when they want something and they do not hesitate and bite many times if they are bothered. These are very smart birds that get bored easily, so we should take care of them regularly,using toys, either commercially available or improvised with safe materials such as wood, shoelaces, etc. They need careful monitoring when they are out of their cages, as they tend to "chew" whatever they find and so can destroy wooden and paper objects if given the chance. Lovebirds show dominance in their space and an effort to enforce, something they can even show to the owner, wanting to show that they are the leaders of the "swarm".Domesticated lovebirds enjoy spending time with their owner, and can be seen "grooming" his hair, which is a clear sign of tenderness, as they do the same to their partner by cleaning its wings with their beak.Although in general as pets they may require a lot of time commitment, in return they offer fun and beautiful companionship. They are very intelligent birds, although they are a species of parrot that usually can not talk. It is said, however, that they can imitate human speech if they are trained a lot - and correctly from an early age.There used to be a belief that lovebirds should be kept in pairs, because they say that loners can die of loneliness, or even that if we have a couple and for some reason one dies, soon after the second will follow. In reality, however, lonely lovebirds are better suited as companion birds than couples, because they tend to give all their attention and interest to their owner and not to another bird. This of course applies provided that we deal with it daily so that it does not feel lonely.

REPRODUCTION

The reproductive age of lovebirds begins around the first year of life. Some mature earlier but it is not a good choice to start breeding before the age of one.

    Excellent nutritional preparation 40 days before breeding preparation and nest placement is considered very important, as is the use of cuttlefish throughout the year but especially during the breeding months to provide calcium. The breeding season necessarily stops for the summer months due to lack of moisture, heat and possible pterygium in birds depending on their cycle.

   Depending on the species, they lay 2-6 eggs. The breeding season varies, not only depending on the species but also depending on the place where they are endemic.

   The female incubates the eggs for 23 days and the two partners together take care of and raise the chicks for almost a month and a half.

   After this period, we can separate the young birds from the parents, since we make sure that they now eat and drink on their own.

Diet

   The diet of our little friends must be balanced and characterized by the great variety and not just ready-made seed mixtures. By providing a variety of foods to lovebirds we help maintain their good health. Therefore, a healthy diet should combine carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Carbohydrates are used to help birds meet their immediate energy needs. Contained in oats, corn, barley, buckwheat, rye, millet, etc.

The protein is already present in the cells of the body and cooperates in all vital processes. Birds absorb protein through foods such as eggs (very well boiled, offered with the shell), cardamom seeds, rice, legumes, pumpkin seeds, nuts, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, etc.

Fats are used for energy storage and are contained in nuts, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, Niger seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, etc.

Vitamins are needed to maintain all vital processes. As they can not be formed by the birds themselves, they must necessarily be provided in the form of fruit, such as apple (without core and seeds), papaya (seedless), mango (seedless), orange, tangerine, watermelon, melon, pineapple, pear (without kernels and seeds), peach (seedless), plum (seedless), kiwi (without skin), banana (without skin), cherry (seedless), grapes, grapefruit, apricot, coconut, fig, quince, cranberries, pomegranate (not in very large quantities), strawberries, blueberries, etc. and vegetables such as lettuce, sweet potatoes (cooked only), zucchini, carrot, radishes, turnips, turnips, radish, endives, slipper, bullet, dandelion, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, spinach, fennel, etc ... All very well washed and without any toxic parts for birds.

PROHIBITED: hay, avocado, broad beans, nutmeg, chocolate, honey, caffeine, salt/sugar, meat, and generally human foods.

Metals also have important functions. As building blocks, they are involved in bone formation as well as metabolism. These include hemp seeds, brewer's yeast, soybeans, canary seeds, rice, Italian millet, common millet, Niger seeds, and cardamom seeds.