What’s not to love about love birds? Here’s some fun information to know about the love bird.
How can I spot a love bird?
In order to witness a love bird in its natural habitat, you’ll have to travel all the way to Africa where a variety of love bird species can be found. Love birds come in many bright, vibrant colors, but most have at least some green feathers. Part of the parrot family tree, love birds look like their large relatives but come in a much smaller package. Usually around five to six inches long from head to tail, this bird is thick-bodied and short. Love birds have a pretty big beak for their size and large round eyes, usually with a white circle around them.
It is difficult to distinguish a male love bird from a female love bird because both sexes have bright, colorful feathers and undistinguishable reproductive features. Like some other parrots, love birds will groom each other and remain as physically close as possible when sleeping or resting – thus the name love bird.
How do I care for my love bird?
Especially when hand raised, love birds can be the ideal pet for any family. With an inquisitive and playful demeanor and stunning beauty, love birds are easy to, well, fall in love with. But it’s important to take the time to understand how to properly care for a healthy and happy love bird.
Despite the name, love birds do not have to be kept in pairs, but they do need plenty of space. When thinking about a cage for your love bird think size and location. Love birds need enough room to spread their wings without hitting the sides of the cage or any toys they may have. Size also comes into play when thinking about perches for your love bird’s cage. Remember to provide a variety of sizes of perches so your pet can exercise its feet and avoid arthritis. Be sure to place your love bird’s cage by a window so it can soak in that lovely sunshine and get its daily dose of vitamin D. But while sunshine is important, so is sleep. Your love bird needs about ten hours of shut eye every day. To help provide the darkness they need, you can purchase a cover for the cage at most local pet stores.
Your lovebird should have a fresh water source every day. They love to bathe, and it is an essential part of their health and grooming. If your bird gets bored, it may start to pluck out its own feathers in frustration. To halt this behavior, be sure to pay lots of attention to your love bird and switch up its toys every once in awhile. After all, the last thing you want is bald love bird.
