Lovebird Courtship and Mating: Breeding, Nesting, Behavior, and More

Sakina loves birds. She has had pet parrots and budgies. Now she has two lovebirds, one of which is a peach-faced male she hand-raised.

Lovebirds in Love

Sometimes, lovebirds don't end up as mates even though they are bound to be "in love" at some time or another. I am lucky, as my birds ended up as mates even when there wasn't any guarantee they'd bond.

In this article, we will address the following major topics (based on my personal experience):

• Lovebirds' courtship
• Mating rituals
• What do lovebird mates do?
• Jealousy
• What happens when you bring a new bird home?
• Lovebird personalities (fun facts about my pets)

Courtship in Lovebirds

At first, Mulu and Lulu were enemies. But after we took a trip, they became friends; in fact, they became more than friends. How my pets ended up as mates will be explained later.

First, let's see what courtship and mating are. Here are the tell-tale signs of courtship and how a lovebird goes about attracting a mate:

Regurgitation

This is the first sign of courtship in lovebirds. The male tries to attract and woo the female by regurgitating (bringing swallowed food up again into the mouth) and feeding her. This begins when the male bobs his head up and down to bring back food from his crop. This feeding continues rigorously when the female gets pregnant and lays eggs and also when their chicks are born.

Mumu fed Lulu many times to win her trust and attraction. She refused to eat from his mouth at the beginning, but she approved and asked to be fed later on.

Tip

When the male feeds the female rigorously, make sure to provide healthy nutritious foods like corn, whole wheat bread, egg white and yolk (once a month in small amounts); and eggshell bits as calcium supplements, fresh/dried spinach leaves (according to your bird's taste) and lots of fresh water.

Regurgitation Is the First Step of Courtship in Lovebirds

Closeness

When your birds remain close together and you feel like they are stuck together like glue (well it just puts together what I want to say), it means they are soon to be mates.

Preening Each Other

Lovebirds preen (clean their feathers) each other all the time. This means they will become mates soon. They look so sweet while doing this. It is the best sight to watch (according to me).

Mumu initiated preening Lulu. At first, she didn't respond back by preening him. He urged her to preen him by pressing his head in her stomach. It took a while and lot of effort from him to win her over. Their love is so strong now. Roles are reversed, she preens him most of the time now! It's so endearing to watch this behavior.

Picture showing male lovebird Mumu preening Lulu, the female lovebird.

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Nesting Behavior

When you see your female lovebird shredding paper into long strips with her beak and putting them in her back, she is displaying nesting behavior. It means she is ready for mating and is practicing nest making! However, this activity can be part of her entertainment too.

Tip: You aren't sure about the gender of your lovebird, but don't want to do a DNA test. How to know it's gender then? When your bird displays the nesting behavior mentioned above, you can be sure it's a female. This is because even though males try to imitate this, they remain unsuccessful. (My male bird can just tear bits, he can't make strips!) However, there can be exceptions.

Picture showing female lovebird (right) depicting nesting behavior (shredding strips and putting them in her tail). The male (her mate) is imitating her unsuccessfully.

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The Mating Ritual

The male lovebird makes sounds like "click, click" with his beak and moves around the female. He puts his foot on her wings and grabs them for climbing on her back. The female opens her wings to balance his weight. Then, mating follows. This process is repeated several times a day. Eggs are laid within 5-7 days post mating, with each being laid in a gap of 1-2 days (there can be exceptions/delays).

What Do Lovebird Mates Do?

So your lovebirds are now mates. What do they do together? Read on and find out...

They Eat Together

When your birds eat together, it means they are acknowledging each other's presence and are spending their time together.

They Play Together

Mulu play together a lot. I have a bag of chewy toys for them, with trinkets and beads. They also love shredding paper. By copying Lulu, Mumu has learnt how to put a paper bit in his tail! (He is unsuccessful most of the time.) Yeah, a great accomplishment! He tries this when given dried palm leaves too.

They Bathe Together

This doesn't happen most of the time, but sometimes Mulu bath together. When Mumu begins bathing, Lulu follows him and starts bathing too. They look so cute while doing this.

Our Reason for Buying the New Bird Lulu

We planned to go to India for a small vacation. We were very worried about Mumu. So, to give him company, we bought Lulu. We were lucky, as it is very hard to get single lovebirds. Thanks to Mr. Jafar; a man who previously worked in a pet shop, as he decided to keep Mumu and Lulu in his house for 3 weeks. Both were kept in safe hands and their bonding grew considerably. Well, coming back to the beginning, we hoped they would bond with each other, as soon as they would be together for the first time. But we were wrong.

Jealousy in Pets

Mumu was shocked, well not just shocked, jealous too. I had never been bitten my him before, until Lulu came. He hated the fact that she was getting our attention. But, we never gave her more attention than him, as we knew he was jealous. We kept both of them in separate cages, which were placed side by side. Doing this ensured two things; they couldn't fight and they could watch each other, which would probably help in making them friends.

Let's Take the Jealousy Poll!

What Happens When You Bring a New Bird (Mate) Home?

When Mulu were together, the following things happened:

• He would always approach her, would scream at her, or try to intimidate her. But she never got scared by him. She stayed her cool and calm self.

• He tried to move her away when she sat on our knees or shoulders. But she would never budge. Way to go, girl!
• They always fought over the same piece of toy. Though there were many toys to play with, they would try to snatch each other's toys. Even if there would be two of the same kind! I had to play peacemaker so many times. Phew!

• Both of them just tried to scare each other by trying to fight. They tried to hit each other but didn't; instead it would appear as if they are trying to make each other back off with their beaks.

Some Fun Facts About My Pets!

Lovebirds are of different personalities, just like humans! Each bird is unique and special in his/her own way. Mumu and Lulu are complete opposites, yet they are mates. I have mentioned some fun facts about my pets below. Enjoy reading!

Bio Data of Mumu

1. Name: Mumu (in the memory of my granny who called my sister by this pet name.)
2. Sex: Male
3. Date of Birth: Three weeks old baby when bought on 12 March 2016.
4. Species: Medium green heavy-pied peach faced lovebird.
5. Personality: Package of curiosity, aggression and a happy-go-lucky nature rolled in one.
6. Unique abilities: Can clearly speak "Step up" and "Come here". Understands emotions and screams angrily (if we scold him).
7. Routine: Follow us around the house and pokes his "nose" in all our matters.
8. Nicknames: "Chaplu" (meaning nosy in our native language), "Kalejo" (meaning the apple of an eye in our native language) and Softy Pie.
9. Likes: Playing outside all day, getting lots of attention, head scratches, kisses and listening to Blank Space (Thank you Taylor Swift, my bird gets sleepy, while listening to your song! It acts like a lullaby for him), sung by my sister and me.
10. Dislikes: Going back inside the cage and when we touch his stuff (seeds, toys, and his cage).
11. Most loved activity: Chewing toys and chains, banana tips, my mobile's cover (sadly, but I don't allow him) and carpet threads.
12. Cause of sadness: When we are away, he needs us around him, all the time. Also, he needs his mate Lulu too.

Bio Data of Lulu

1. Name: Lulu (meaning pearl in Arabic; she is truly the gem personified.)
2. Sex: Female
3. Date of Birth: Six months old (according to pet shop owner) on 18 July 2016.
4. Species: White-Faced violet roseicollis peach faced lovebird.
5. Personality: Quiet, reserved and as cool as a cucumber. She doesn't take any matter to heart and is very calm and composed.
6. Unique abilities: Puts her whole face inside the water bowl sprinkling droplets upon herself and then pushes it against the cage bars, to let water fall on her body. She can untie the nylon thread which locks the cage door and escape away. She can also open the closed cage door and get inside easily. Pretty smart for a bird, I must say. She never bites, gets angry or aggressive.
7. Routine: Peculiar habit of eating seeds inside her water bowl. Post this, she tries to remove the "mess" with her tongue, drinks the "seedy water" and sprinkles it upon herself. Seeing this I sometimes say, "Hey, I just changed the water now!"
8. Nicknames: Snow White, Fur ball and Softy Pie.
9. Likes: Sitting and eating from the money plant pot (the plants withered, so we filled the pots with seeds), running her beak through our hair (sometimes) and exploring different designs (of fabrics, carpet and toys.)
10. Dislikes: When Mumu is away from her sight and when we try to get too close to her (she needs her personal space too.)
11. Most loved activity: Shredding any type of paper and loves tearing cardboard too.
12. Cause of sadness: When Mumu stays away from her. So, she calls him loudly, flapping her wings and he appears before her the next second.

Friends, Mates, or Enemies

I would like to end by saying that lovebirds can be friends or mates or enemies too. It isn't necessary that any two lovebirds can end up as mates. I am glad mine did.

Currently, Lulu has laid 9 eggs (squeals) and sits on them. I am waiting to see the new born chicks and speculating what their color might turn out to be. When the chicks will be born, I will surely make another hub about egg laying in lovebirds. Till then, Happy Mating!

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Questions & Answers

Question: I got a female lovebird recently, and my male lovebird is already trying to breed her. She is only three months old. Will it hurt her? What should I do?

Answer: How is the female lovebird reacting to it? Three months of age is definitely young, but no, she won't be hurt. If the female is annoyed, she will push the male away.

Question: I have a seven-month-old female budgie, and she displays male mating movements. We believed "she" was a "he" until yesterday when I went to the pet store to get her a friend. We got her a male, and she attempts to mate in a very male fashion. I was guaranteed she's a girl by the vet. Is it common for females to behave like males sometimes?

Answer: No, it's not common. Does your budgie lay eggs yet? If she does, you can be sure she is a female.

Question: My lovebirds are old enough. They are male and female, and I provided them with everything they need for breeding. But after 20 days, they still haven't laid any eggs. Why is this?

Answer: Please give them time. They need to get comfortable with each other.

Question: My lovebirds keep chirping and when I come, they stop chirping. Why?

Answer: They might be scared.

Question: I have three lovebird babies that are six months old. Should I put the Peachfaced male that mates with his toy rope, in the cage with the babies once they are a year old? Or should I just let him continue to mate with the rope?

Answer: You can put the three lovebirds in a cage. Make sure they like each other's company and aren't fighting.

Question: I am struggling to find out my bird's gender. What is the best way to do this?

Answer: It is difficult to determine a lovebird's gender without a DNA test. A female lovebird is slightly heavy, stands with widened legs, lays eggs and makes strips of paper (nesting behavior). Males don't display nesting behavior, they regurgitate (bob their heads up and down to bring up food) and feed the females.

Question: I have a pair of lovebirds that recently moved inside because of the cold weather. The male has started feeding the female, and the female keeps going inside the nest box. Does this mean they want to breed? If yes, should I put some paper at the bottom of the cage? My lovebirds aren’t tamed, and they've never been to the bottom of the cage.

Answer: It can mean they want to breed and even mean that they want warmth (since going inside the nest box gives it). My lovebirds go inside the nest box for warmth, and they mate at the bottom of the cage. Yes, please spread some paper at the bottom of the cage.

Question: My birds are inseparable but they just don't want to mate. How can I encourage them?

Answer: Mating comes naturally between two birds. Being inseparable is a very good sign. Give them time.

Question: Does a male lovebird open its tail?

Answer: Lovebirds don't open tails, but they do wag them. That means that they are happy.

Question: My male attracts his partner by opening his wings for mating. Is this possible?

Answer: A copy of the female behavior (opening wings for mating) by the male may sometimes happen. Does your male lovebird continue the mating process (like a female does)?

Question: I have a single male lovebird. He recently started regurgitating. How long does this typically last?

Answer: He will regurgitate for almost his whole life, as it's his nature to feed his mate. Please get him a female lovebird.

Question: I have two lovebirds, one male and one female. They have been mating for two weeks, and the female started laying eggs. So far she has laid two eggs, but the birds are still mating. Is this normal?

Answer: Yes, it's completely normal to mate even after the female lovebird has laid eggs. Mine do the same as well.

Question: My female lovebird recently lost her mate. How do I find her a new partner?

Answer: Visit a local pet store and look out for a cage with many lovebirds. You can ask the shop owner to give you the healthiest male lovebird, but don't separate a lovebird couple.

Question: I have two male lovebirds. I have recently bought a female lovebird home. Why won't they have anything to do with her?

Answer: It takes time for both the new and old lovebirds to get used to changes. Give them time and they will figure out things on their own.

Question: Is this possible for female lovebirds to regurgitate to males?

Answer: No, it's not possible.

Question: I have two lovebirds. I recently noticed the “female” lovebird had thrown up to the male bird. Is that normal for a female love bird to do?

Answer: Either the "female" lovebird isn't a female, or she's one and is hungry (sometimes, mine asks the male to feed her in this way). The "throwing up" is called regurgitation and is a characteristic of a male lovebird. But it can also be the female copying the male (in rare cases).

Question: Is it possible for a male lovebird to regurgitate food to another male? And preening each other's feathers too?

Answer: It is possible for a male lovebird to regurgitate to another male. But the male who is at the receiving end would be a female (in case he/she is accepting the food).

Question: During mating, is the male lovebird always on top of the female?

Answer: Yes, the male lovebird is always on top of the female during mating.

Question: I have two lovebirds who are about two-years-old. They are both male (by DNA) and have always regurgitated on their beds. Recently it has become worrisome because of the amount of exudate. It doesn't seem they are eating enough food to keep up. They do not seem to eat the product. It's messy and worrisome. Is there anything I can do?

Answer: Please buy two adult female lovebirds for your male lovebirds. That's the only way the food will be regurgitated to the females instead of messing up their cage. Also, regurgitation is a process in male lovebirds, it cannot be stopped or distracted.

Question: My lovebird shows the signs of courtship. The male regurgitates to the female. They preen each other. They had at one point shown nesting behavior. They have been together for a year now. When I see the male try to do the mating ritual, the female doesn’t want to mate. She runs away or tries get the male off of her. How can I help them mate?

Answer: Mating is something which is done only when the lovebirds are comfortable with each other. They need to accept each other. Give them time.

Question: Do female lovebirds do a mating ritual dance?

Answer: No, male lovebirds do a "dance" and click their tongues continously.

Question: I have two lovebirds. The one feeds the other. So is the one being fed a female, or could it also be a male?

Answer: The one who feeds another is always a male, but it can't be sure for the one who is being fed. It is a female characteristic though.

Question: My male lovebird has learned to strip paper and put it in his tail successfully from my female lovebird. It seems that there are new eggs now, and he is the one laying on them for warmth. Both times before its been my female laying on the eggs. Is this normal behavior for my male lovebird or just learned?

Answer: This is an unusual behavior. Are you certain your male lovebird is a male?

Question: How can I know the age of my lovebirds? As I just got them. I put a nesting box near them but they didn't mate. I'm afraid they are old. I can find the tip of their beaks are black and don't find that in yours! I have blue white-faced lovebirds.

Answer: If you say you have lovebirds whose beaks have black tips, that means they are still babies. Young birds have developing feathers. Please check the internet to find lovebird pictures according to their age. Then you can estimate how old yours are.

Please check if their feathers are fully developed. Young birds like these won't mate. Lovebirds will become mature and start mating after they are 6 months old.

Question: I have seven lovebirds in a large cage. Two pairs have mated and had successful clutches. My question is one of my peach faced lovebirds have not paired with the other three (I think they are all three males), but this particular bird mates daily, several times a day with the rope I have hanging in their cage. Is this normal behavior?

Answer: Mating is a common behavior. The lovebird might not be finding the three males compatible.

Question: My lovebird is not the only bird in-house, but the only lovebird. He/She does the same as Mumu does, but there is no other female lovebird that he/she could try to copy! Does that still mean that my lovebird is probably a male because he can't make strips?

Answer: If he regurgitates, it is sure that the lovebird is a male. If your bird can't make strips, it is also another hint.

Question: Are three-month-old lovebirds too young to mate?

Answer: Yes, they are. A six-month-old lovebird is considered an adult.

Question: I saw my lovebirds mating so I provided nesting materials. I don't see the hen making nest though, what should I do?

Answer: Give her time, she will make the nest.

Question: How can you tell if lovebirds are fighting?

Answer: If they try to bite each other, move away from each other and make "screaming" noises, it means they are angry.

Question: My male lovebird is trying to mate with me and I don't know what to do. Should I get a female lovebird or should I just let him do whatever until he's satisfied?

Answer: Please get a female lovebird for him as soon as possible.

Question: Can I change the nesting paper daily and bath the female lovebird? Will it affect the hatching process?

Answer: No, it won't affect the hatching process. Both these things will keep your bird healthy.

Question: About a month ago, my male and female lovebirds produced a chick. The female has bitten the male on his upper leg, causing him to bleed. If I separate the male and female, can the female raise the chick alone?

Answer: Apply turmeric powder on your male lovebird's leg. You can separate the male and the female lovebirds if the female eats on her own (not the food regurgitated by the male).

Question: My male lovebird is trying to mate but the female is always fighting and avoids him. Why?

Answer: I think the female lovebird is not ready to mate.

Question: I have a female lovebird who is showing signs of wanting to mate (nesting and displaying her wings). I’m nervous that if I get her a mate, she won’t love me or my husband anymore. Do your lovebirds still give you attention?

Answer: They will never stop loving you. My lovebird loves me and the mate and wants attention in the same way as before. Please get her a mate as soon as possible.

Question: Both of my lovebirds feed each other by doing that thing with their head, but you said that the male does it. Is it normal?

Answer: There can be exceptions, either both are males or one is a female who copies the male.

Question: Did Lulu's 9 eggs ever hatch?

Answer: Yes, but none from the clutch of 9 eggs. :) She had laid a number of clutches, but one clutch had 3 eggs. From that, a chick had hatched on 13 January 2017, but didn't survive, unfortunately. It is talked about in another article of mine. She has stopped laying eggs since the end of last year.

Question: Can female lovebirds scratch their ears?

Answer: All lovebirds scratch their cheek feathers, it's totally normal.

Question: I have been trying to breed my lovebirds for a few days now. They are preening each other and eating with each other too. It's going well, but for some reason I dont see signs of nesting or the male feeding the female. Do I have to do something or just wait?

Answer: Please wait as bonding and mating take time.

Question: I just bought a new lovebird. I later found out that she had already been with another male lovebird. Now, she is going in the nest box. What happens if she lays eggs but that she did not mate with my bird? Can this become a problem?

Answer: No, it won't be a problem. If your lovebird lays eggs, she will incubate and look after them. Are your male and female lovebirds trying to bond to each other? Give them some time to get comfortable.

Question: I'm writing from Vermont, USA. I have a peach-faced lovebird. He thinks of me as his partner & I love this but he always tries mating with my hair when I have my hair up or even down it doesn't matter. I have tried to block him but it is an everyday thing & I'm not sure what to do. I'm wondering if there anything I can do to help this stop. Is there a fake lovebird I can buy so he can mate with that? Or will he always just try to mate with me?

Answer: Please buy a female lovebird for him as soon as possible. He is wanting a mate and that is why tries to mate with your hair.

Question: I have two male lovebirds, they came from the same owner, hand raised, however they do not let you hold them. They seem very compatible, have had 2 years, the one displays like he wants to mate but the other will have nothing to do with it. They feed each other, groom each other and are very close to one another. Why is one bird displaying the action of mating and not the other male?

Answer: Sometimes, lovebirds want to be friends and not necessarily mate with their friends. Sometimes, they don't like each other, at times they mate immediately or over time. I'd suggest getting 2 female lovebirds for these two males and see what happens.

Question: My lovebird has been laying eggs. The male has accidentally flown away. I am worried. Will she be able to take care of them herself?

Answer: No, she won't be able to survive alone. She needs a new male lovebird as a mate. Please get her one immediately.

© 2016 Sakina Nasir

Comments

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on September 03, 2020:

Hi Ingrid.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Do you mean the bird mates with a ping pong ball? If possible please bring a male lovebird for her. Do you see any changes in the behavior? Any aggressive/passive behavior than normal? Are there any changes in the diet?

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Sakina

Ingrid Stoetzel on September 02, 2020:

My female lovebird is 14 years old. Our other female, who was incompatible with this one, passed away in January. We kept them in separate cages that sat side by side. Our remaining lovebird, raised from an egg, now maps with a ping pong ball on her head. We've offered her fuzzy wraps, but she refuses to go near them. Is this a sign of loneliness?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on August 05, 2020:

Hi Lyuda! :)

It's okay, my female lovebird does that to my male lovebird too! I don't know why she does that but she steps down in a few seconds.

Lyuda on July 05, 2020:

Is it normal for females to climb on a male..my lovebirds love each other. But my male is kind of an oddball..he previously had no issures with a male parakeet taking care of him. There was a dna test done on him but not on the female that i have gotten. But she tries to climb on him..is that normal?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 09, 2020:

Hi Brandi! :)

That is so sweet to hear. I'm glad the bird is so happy and loved by your family. No, I'm sorry but there's nothing else you can do. He will think you are his mate unless you get a female bird.

Brandi Vilkauskas on April 09, 2020:

I am not able to buy another Love Bird i actually found him as a baby outside of a shopping center and decided to keep him and i have researched a lot and was told that I don't need a second lovebird that I am able to be the meet to him and so I can't get another lovebird I don't have the means to space money and I have four children my bird is very very happy and very lovable and friendly and he has a lot of fun he plays and my children play with him and he's very awesome but I just don't know how to get him not to meet with my head LOL I was wondering if there was something I can do besides getting another bird for him

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on April 05, 2020:

@BrandiAlexisV Hi! Please buy a female lovebird for him as soon as possible. He needs a mate and he is mating with your hair because he needs a mate.

BrandiAlexisV on April 05, 2020:

Hello there I am writing from Vermont, USA and i have a peach face Love Bird that I found outside of a shopping center one very cold night and was able to get him to come to me and so i brought him home and he became my sweet bird. I am his mate he thinks of me as his partner and i love this so much but he always tries to mate with my hair when ever i have my hair up in a bun or even down in a braid it doesnt matter he will try to mate with my hair i have tried to block him from my hair but it is an every day thing and i am not sure what to do. I am wondering is there anything i can do to help this stop is there a fake love bird i can buy him so he can mate with that or will he always just try to mate with me?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 17, 2020:

@Caroline Hi! :) Please give them some time. It will take a couple of months for them to bond.

Caroline Gumbs - Francis on March 17, 2020:

Hi ! So my female bird June has been by herself foe quite awhile . I want to believe that she's about 3yrs old . I just recently got a male bird , i named him Juan , he's about 1yr old . S he would not give him a chance at all, always looking to pick at him . Will any union come out of this or it's already none and void.. Please help

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on January 20, 2020:

Hi Madelyn!

Oh... well there's no harm if they mate. Is your female lovebird healthy? The offspring will be okay then.

Madelyn De Los Santos on January 20, 2020:

My male lovebird is mating with its mom, since the father died. Is this normal? Will the offsprings come out okay?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 04, 2019:

@Debangshu Thank you so much! :)

Debangshu on March 03, 2019:

Very Nicely Written Article:)...

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on February 10, 2019:

@Adrian It is possible for both the genders to pair up.

Adrian on February 10, 2019:

Is it possible for two females to pair as well as two males?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 21, 2018:

@Adrian Hi! Buried herself? Where?

Adrian on November 21, 2018:

My female lovebird has burried herself why does she do this

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 11, 2018:

@Yaser Hi! :) Please give them time to bond strongly. Like humans, even animals need time to feel comfortable with each other.

Yaser on November 11, 2018:

Hi, I have a pair of lovebirds and they are bonded, they started making a nest and the Male started to feed the female, however they have finished making the nest and they are ready to mate but the male mates with his toy everyday and the female try’s to get the toy away or something but the Male continues, Please help

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on October 19, 2018:

@Dina Hi! :) When you first a lovebird out of the cage, he/she is bound to get scared (and is likely hide in a dark place). After a week or so, he/she gets used to the new place. Earning trust takes a lot of time (in my case Lulu took around an year to get comfortable with us). When birds are out, give them space and let them watch us. Do nothing, just watch them and let know that there is no danger (don't go close to them when they are out and not aware of the surroundings).

dina on October 19, 2018:

How did you earn their trust to pet them and allow them to fly in your house? I don't know how old my lovebirds are but by the looks they are still babies. i have a male and female. Male is very possessive

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on August 03, 2018:

@Kelli Hi! :) I have heard of male lovebirds bonding with each other over time. It isn't the same as having a mate, but they will definitely not feel lonely.

Kelli on August 03, 2018:

Hi,

I’m newly researching peach faced lovebirds because someday I’d like to have them as a pet. I’ve read that they get lonely on their own, and since we work during the day, it might be best to get two. Would a male get the same companionship out of having another male friend in his cage as having a female mate? I don’t want to get a male and a female because I don’t want to breed them and worry about Baby chicks and finding homes for them. Would you suggest that two males together would be a good companionship?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on July 18, 2018:

@Lynn Hi! :) Accepting the new female lovebird may take a while for your male lovebirds. Settling may take a month or more and bonding takes several months (it totally depends on the lovebirds). All we can do is wait.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Lynn on July 17, 2018:

My 2male love birds don't have anything to do with the new female love bird Why?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 05, 2018:

@Nikkk Hi! :) That's really nice to hear. Let your lovebirds out of their cage every day and keep your distance from them. They will get used to you and your house.

Give them time, that will build trust. Keep food and water for them when they come out.

Hope this helps!

Nikkk on June 04, 2018:

I have cute little ones .. I want those two to trust me and play with me .. they just afraid when I go near them

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on May 03, 2018:

@Aishu Thank you. :) Lovebirds are really amazing pets.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on May 03, 2018:

@Farah Hi! :) Yes, a mix of white and gray eggs is normal. The white ones are new and the gray ones are old (and probably contain chicks in them). Lovebirds keep the eggs which are fertile, they drop the ones that aren't.

Please buy a new male lovebird for your female. A couple ensures health, the male will feed the female and also look after the chicks when they are older.

Please keep the cage in a shaded area, warmth is good for chicks, but extremely hot temperatures aren't good for the adult lovebirds.

Farah on May 02, 2018:

I had pair of lovebirds and somehow the male escaped after the female laid two clutches of ten eggs in a space of few days (five each). I can not really guess the time difference between when the other clutch arrived. Its a mix of white and grey eggs. is it normal? is the female able to take care of the young alone? do lovebirds keep the eggs if they are fertile and healthy or do they still drop them? its pretty hot here like 40c and I have kept them out at a height in the veranda. is temperature alright for the chicks when they hatch?

Aishu on April 23, 2018:

Loved to read your post.. :)

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 20, 2018:

@Anthony Emmanuell

No, please don't give any leaves or any other parts of plants like ginger, onion or garlic. They may not show side effects now, but later they may get sick or die.

Spinach, celery, coriander and leafy vegetables are only suitable for them.

Good luck! :)

Anthony emmanuell on March 19, 2018:

Hi I already bought the baby-formula to feed the baby livebirds yesterday the first one was born still 6 more to go -I have a question working in my jardin the other day y put the cage close to my ginger plants and when I came back I do not know how they manage to eat a lot of the leaves then I cut a bunch and put it inside the cage and it was a frenzy i had never seen like me in a candy store in a few minutes the whole bunch desapired and they all are still alive can you tell me what it is about with ginger leaves I do have a couple other plantas when I have to do yard work they seem to love it these plantas normally have nice flowers but they do not eat the flowers neither the leaves they love like crazy the stern normally around 1 or 2 inches around they just go and eat that thing till is completely dry out my parrot red headed live that plant to I just chopped and put it in his water bowl and it is like candy -I pay attention for side effects but they are eating nirmal fruits and vegetales but for some reason this plants make them all nuts I my try myself to figure it out what is the excitement about I my be into something big -like a new drug jijijijiji I will call it lovebird-drug jijijiji

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 08, 2018:

@Lissa Hi! :) That's so sweet to hear. Have you been noticing aggressive behavior in Errol since Elvis came or is it from before? How old is Elvis? I hope they become friends. Thank you so much for your wonderful comments and for sharing this with me.

lissa on March 08, 2018:

Thanks so much for your insights - beautiful. We have a girl, peach face and brought home a new purple baby for hopeful mate or companion - so opposite to yours we think. Haven't sexed little purple baby (named ELVIS). Our peach face is definitely a girl, ERROL (named by my daughter) -and she has become aggressive. I am afraid to handle her like I use to. In any event - I adore her and they are both getting to know each other, live in separate cages, we let them out to fly around the house. Errol is the boss - Elvis is still a baby so hangs on my shoulder - but am hoping they will be friends. They have been around each other for 6 weeks now - am waiting for Elvis to get that little bit bigger so he can defend himself since Errol (girl), can be full on. Her paper tail sculptures are amazing. Your article gives lots of insight. Cheers. We live in Sydney Australia. Best, Lissa

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 02, 2018:

@Margaret Hi! :) Thank you so much! Do you have any lovebirds?

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on March 02, 2018:

@Rose Hi! :) Aww that's so sweet. Give Nora some time I am sure she will not be scared of your fingers.

Margaret on March 01, 2018:

Great story and good information.

Rose on December 03, 2017:

Hi Sakina

We rescued a peach faced lovebird, a female who we called Nora. She was hand reared and would step up on her previous owner’s finger. She became very clingy and once escaped out of her cage and flew to find me. She likes to be on my head, shoulder, chest or arm but is scared of my finger.

She was rubbing herself on the fluff at the top of her swing and we decided she was lonely!

So we bought her Jones....Nora Jones.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 27, 2017:

Aw that's so sweet! Thank you so much! Mumu and Lulu are mates, but they do fight every day. They patch up the next second, LOL. :)

Kanishma Ray on November 05, 2017:

Omg your pets are so cute! Mumu is so cute, I love when boys are aggressive and jealous

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on September 23, 2017:

@Fatima Mohammad

Hi! I loved hearing about your lovebirds. :) Pitu, Pitku and Tutu are so cute. Are they all of the same age? And do you have two female lovebirds and is Pitu male?

I think if both Pitku and Tutu are females, then they might be considering Pitu their mate. I feel this. Please let know about the progress. Thank you. :)

@Wiki

Hi! If they're collecting strips of paper and putting them inside the box, it means that is nesting behavior. The female lovebird prepares the nest before laying eggs. After mating, eggs are laid by 7-10 days. Please let me know their progress. Thank you! :)

Wiki on September 23, 2017:

My blue pharhata pair collect strips to the nest from 5 days.i never see him mating outside of nest.how long they get more for laying egg.

Fatima Mohammad on June 22, 2017:

I do have 3 lovebirds.. my father brought them very little, I used to feed them with syringe as their mother flew away. Few months I am noticing 2 of them mate with each other "pitu & pitku", they just shoo away other one "tutu". They all are so adorable like the way you described. Eldest one "tutu" is so angry bird, than other two from an early age can't say it was due to jealousy. "Pitu" is middle one, less clamer than eldest. Youngest one is "pitku" oh i don't like my mother gave it, but I call her "meethi" because she is most clamer than all. Though I am noticing something unusual for 2 days it is really bothering me. As all day pitu & pitku will stay together all day but at night time pitku will remain out of her house and both pitu and tutu will remain inside the box house. I don't understand is it due to summer or some other reason.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on June 13, 2017:

Thank you, Jason. Lovebirds are truly adorable and fun to watch when they play. They're great as pets and very loving. :)

Jason Mackenzie from Perth WA 6000 on May 24, 2017:

What a lovely and adorable birds :) As an animal lover, it is always great to read articles that focus on animals. Keep up the good work :)

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on May 16, 2017:

@Pickles Mom

Thank you so much for the question. It's saddening that the older babies kill the runt. According to me, you should separate the runt and put him/her in a brooder (transparent plastic box with slits at the cover for breathing). This would provide him/her with adequate heat and also be safe. I hope this helps and you're welcome to ask more questions. Thank you! :)

Pickles Mom on April 28, 2017:

I have two sets of breeding love birds, my question re revolves around my one set, Brock and Ava, my Peach-faced love birds who I believe are about 3 yrs old. The are currently sitting on their 3rd brood. First time, Ava laid 7 eggs, 5 were fertile and hatched, but less than two days of hatching, the runt of the litter, (the last egg that hatched, got smothered and killed by the other babies as it was on the bottom of the pile in the nesting box and didn't have the strength to support itself). Same thing happens happened to her second clutch, in which she laid 6 eggs, 4 were viable and hatched and again, the runt only lived less than two/three days before the older bigger babies smothered it in the nest as it was too weak to help itself. My question is....should I be doing something different to prevent this? Can I prevent this? I don't have the means to separate it, and didn't know if the other set of breeding lovebirds would accept this baby or kill it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. PS.....all the birds are reared by their parents....I have not had to hand feed. Thx

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on January 26, 2017:

Hi Jill! Thanks for stopping by and appreciating my work. Yes, Mumu and Lulu are inseparable. Mumu loves feeding Lulu all the time. It grows their bond stronger. They had a chick 2 weeks back, but sadly it died last week. They had only 1 chick after Lulu laid 19 eggs. The 1st 16 eggs were empty without any chicks. I don't know when will they get another chick.

Jill Spencer from United States on January 25, 2017:

A charming hub! I enjoyed learning about the mating ritual. Very sweet-- although the regurgitation bit is sort of gross! Lulu and Mumu make quite a pair. I look forward to reading about their chicks. Best, Jill

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on January 18, 2017:

@simplehappylife

Thank you so much for showing your appreciation and sharing your thoughts with me. These tiny fur balls are very lovable and they love playing around. Seriously, they are so energetic and I don't know how! ☺

Yep! Handling 3 dogs as pets must be a tough.

simplehappylife on January 18, 2017:

Oh my goodness ❤ They are SO PRECIOUS!

LOL! I started visualizing if humans courted each other like love birds. Regurgitating and then feeding us! LOL.

Great article! Super informative :) Makes me want love birds, but I have 3 dogs and that just would not work :(

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 25, 2016:

Thank you so much Phyllis! I am glad that you enjoyed reading my hub.

Have you had any birds as pets? ☺

Phyllis Doyle Burns from High desert of Nevada. on November 25, 2016:

Sakina, this is a wonderful and very informative article. I so enjoyed reading it. Thank you for sharing Mumu and Lulu. They are so adorable.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 15, 2016:

Aww! Thank you so much for the kind comment DrMark. ☺ Yeah, sure do!

Dr Mark from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on November 15, 2016:

I read through this again and really enjoyed it. I am not sure if I can find a mate for my lovebird but now I am tempted to go out and find a girlfriend for my Pionus.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 15, 2016:

Oh Sure! Thanks for sharing your experience with me Glenn. ☺

Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on November 15, 2016:

Sakina, That would explain it too. Even if my sister didn't touch them, I do recall that we never covered the cage, except at night as we usually did. But not all day while the eggs were there. This incident was back in the early 1960s. When I next talk to my sister I'll ask her if she remembers. At this time I don't have any birds or any pets any more. I had many different animals as pets when I was growing up. I even bread tropical fish.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 15, 2016:

Thank you so much Hamza! ☺ I am glad you loved it!

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 15, 2016:

@Glenn

Do you have any pet birds currently? ☺

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 15, 2016:

@Hatim Thank you so much for your appreciation! ☺

@Ashish Thank you so much, I am very happy about it! God bless you too! ☺

@Glenn Oh! If your sister had touched them, that could be the reason your finch destroyed her eggs. If she didn't, may be she rejected them. Did you always see her again and again at that time? It's best to give egg-laying females privacy and keep them covered; placing them in a dark and quiet room. They don't like anyone "poking around" their stuff.

Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on November 15, 2016:

Sakina, You gave me something to think about, in your prior comment to me, that I never considered. I remember that my sister thought I placed fake eggs in the nest in her cage. So maybe it's possible that my sister touched the eggs to check them.

As you explained, that could be a reason why my Finch destroyed them. I'll have to ask my sister if she touched them, but she probably won't remember since this was almost 50 years ago.

To answer your other question: My Finch started poking holes in the eggs. Then she proceeded to eat the yolk. I really don't remember how long it's been, but could've been three weeks. I think the eggs would normally hatch in 21 days. That's why I was thinking, at the time, that she knew they wouldn't hatch after the normal incubation period had elapsed.

Ashi on November 15, 2016:

@Sakina

Congratulations my dear friend for being chosen for PetHelful :)

Happy Hubbing :)

Bless you :)

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 15, 2016:

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback Glenn! ☺

Oh! That's new...I never heard that before. I guess she knew her eggs wouldn't hatch. Did she break them?

Birds are very picky. They reject their eggs (even with babies), when humans cause disturbance. They need their time and privacy. Was she alone or did she have a mate?

Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on November 15, 2016:

Very well done article and very complete with great examples of your personal experience. It was enjoyable reading and the pictures of your birds are beautiful.

I had a finch that laid eggs one time but the eggs never hatched, and after a couple of weeks she actually started eating them. That was an interesting experience. I guess she knew that they were not going to hatch after two weeks.

Ashi on November 11, 2016:

@Sakina,

Awwwwww I am glad to hear that my words are spreading smile on someone's face :)

Keep Smiling Sakina :)

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 10, 2016:

Thank you so much my friend Ashish! ☺ Your compliments always leave a smile on my face. God bless you too dear.

Ashi on November 10, 2016:

@Sakina,

Awwwww that's wonderful love story of Mumu and Lulu :)

Very nicely written hub. I liked the way you have waved the love story of Mumu and Lulu.

Very good utilization of photos and videos.

Bless You.

Regards,

Ashish

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 06, 2016:

They are indeed! Alhamdolillah. Thank you for commenting Petlawad. ☺

Petlawad on November 06, 2016:

Beautiful article. Beautiful birds.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 06, 2016:

Thank you so much for commenting Yanisha! ☺

Yanisha on November 06, 2016:

Masha Allah :* mumu and lulu are so adorable.... and it looks like some "hatred turned love" story :P

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 06, 2016:

Thank you so much Hussain! ☺

Hussain on November 05, 2016:

They are so adorable! Amazing article!

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 04, 2016:

Thank you so much Jodah! ☺

John Hansen from Queensland Australia on November 04, 2016:

Cute birds.

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 04, 2016:

Thank you so much Samitha! ☺

Samitha on November 04, 2016:

They are soo Cute ❤

Amazing article ❤❤❤

Loved it

Sakina Nasir (author) from Kuwait on November 03, 2016:

Thank you so much sister! ☺

Maryam on November 03, 2016:

Such a beautiful article! They r adorable