1) Buy a cage suitable for the size and number of birds you are planning to purchase. Eg. One small sized cage is okay for one bird, but a medium size cage is ideal for two.
2) Ensure that the cage has all the necessary accessories: water dish, food tray, perches, toys, cuttle bone, and mineral/vitamin supplement (optional).
3) Buy lovebird/cockatiel seeds and/or pellets, and spray millets
4) Put the bird’s cage in a location with even, room temperature. Do not put it near areas with strong fumes (ex. kitchen) or open window to avoid fluctuating temperature. The temperature of the room must be warm and constant (about 25 degrees Celsius).
5) Turn your car’s heating on when you are bringing the bird home. If you are traveling via other forms of transportation, ensure that the bird will not be exposed to cold.
6) Be prepared to dedicate your time and love to your baby! Lovebirds can live up to 15 years if cared for properly.
After you buy the lovebird:
(They will usually be sent home in a box that we provide, but you can also bring your own carrier cage if you have one.)
1) Let the bird grow accustomed to its environment. Leave it alone and do not stress it by playing with it, trying to teach it tricks, or forcefully feeding the bird for at least the first three days.
2) When playing with the bird, ensure the windows are closed. You can let it explore your house and get to know your family members. Do not let your other pets startle it or your children to grab the baby bird.
3) Remember: When handling the baby lovebird, be gentle, cup it instead of making it feel restrained in a tight grip.
4) Have fun 🙂
Daily Essentials:
For a young, newly-weaned baby lovebird, put the water tray at the bottom of the cage. As it grows, you can slowly adjust its drinking habits to a bird water bottle (that can be purchased in any pet store). This will save you a lot of trouble cleaning out the water dishes every day.
We recommend feeding baby birds only fine lovebird/cockatiel seeds and spray millets as well as well-formulated pellets. You can transition them to a mixed diet with fruits and veggies after they are about 4 months old.
DO NOT change its diet suddenly. A rapid shift in diet can be very dangerous, even lethal. If you want to let it adjust to a new type of food, do it gradually over 2-3 weeks by mixing the new food with the old and slowly increasing the proportions of new to old food.
Change water every day (or two days depending on the cleanliness of the tray). Alternatively, you can teach a baby lovebird to use a water bottle. Replenish the food whenever you see necessary.
Occasionally give your bird a dish of water so they can bathe in it! They absolutely adore baths.
Habits and Living with Other Birds:
Do not put baby lovebird in the same cage as your other pets (ex. other birds) when you first take it home. Separate them at the beginning (putting two cages side by side) until they grow accustomed to each other. After a few weeks, you can try to put them together but monitor their interaction to watch for any signs of aggression. Sometimes, birds can be territorial when introducing another bird into their cage. This is less of a problem for baby birds that are raised together.
Environment:
Ensure that the bird is a room with stable temperature at around 25~27 degrees Celsius.
Avoid exposing the birds to strong fumes (ex. air freshener, cooking, paint fume) but maintain proper ventilation.
Things to avoid:
Constant sunlight exposure, insecticides, close proximity to open windows or fireplaces, unwashed fruits/ vegetables, especially those sprayed with pesticides.
In general, avoid chemical sprays in the home as lovebirds’ respiratory system can be very sensitive.
Warning: Ensure that when you are opening the window, the cages are closed so no birds will escape.
Lovebird Haven 