For centuries, people living in different parts of our planet are happy to breed parrots. There are such lovers in Russia. In their free time, people of various professions teach these birds "conversation" and various tricks. For citizens, such leisure activities serves as a kind of substitute for close communication with nature, bringing genuine joy.
Especially popular among fans of feathered pets are lovebird parrots, care and maintenance (photo of birds see below) which do not require much effort.
These parrots are a real decoration of the room. They are cheerful and very mobile. And their breeding, in addition to great emotional pleasure, expands the volume of knowledge about wildlife.
Genus characterization
Lovebirds, or Agapornis, are very popular house birds. In the order of parrots they form a separate genus.
Each of the representatives of nine species of inseparable parrots has a stocky body decorated with plumage of a predominantly bright grassy color. However, some subspecies have feathers of blue, pink, green, red or yellow color. The beak of these birds is thick and strongly bent. It, depending on the species, may be straw or bright red. Lovebirds are similar in size to sparrows or bullfinches.
Their very name confirms that birds forming one pair are distinguished by a special affection for each other. These parrots are always next to each other, but the opinion that one of them dies after the death of his partner is wrong.
Lifestyle
For those who wish to decorate their leisure activities with such birds as lovebirds, it is recommended to study the care and maintenance of these birds in advance. You need to know what the way of life of these birds in the wild is.
In their homeland, which is the territory of Madagascar and Africa, lovebirds keep in small flocks, living close to the water. Such parrots fly quickly, making sharp cries in the air. Lovebirds' diet includes small seeds and various berries that they find on trees, in bushes, or directly on the ground. Ptahs and animals feed on insects and larvae, which makes it possible to feed them when kept at home with chrysalis pupa and flour worms.
Lovebirds prefer forests and savannas, in whose territory they settle between the roots of trees or in hollows, as well as in the bases of large bird nests (storks, herons, etc.), arranging "separate apartments" there. The female is engaged in the construction of the house. It also has the responsibility of hatching eggs. Males take care of feeding females and chicks. In clutch of parrots is from 4 to 6 eggs. After 19-21 days of hatching, chicks are born.
Parrots at home
For 20 years, lovebirds placed in a cage can live. Maintenance and care are simple. Ptahs are undemanding not only to the conditions created for them, but also to the composition of the feed. Lovebirds living in cells or in aviaries can be successfully bred. The best seasons for this are autumn and spring, when there is still no heat, but daylight hours are already long enough.
If you lovebird parrots live in your cage (we are considering the care and maintenance), keep in mind that these birds do not get along with other birds. This type of parrot is aggressive and can destroy even those birds that are larger in size.
Types of Lovebirds
Two subgroups are distinguished from the genus of these parrots. The first of them includes lovebirds having a white periorbital ring. In the second group are birds that do not have a similar color.
In total, nine species of lovebird parrots are distinguished . These include Fischer’s lovebird and gray-headed, black-cheeked and strawberry-headed, orange-headed and masked, green-winged, pink-cheeked and black-winged.
Parrot cages
If you like lovebirds, the content and care of which you decide to carry out in your home, then there will certainly arise a number of questions, the answers to which you can find in this article. First of all, you need to think in which room the cage with birds will stand. It should be borne in mind that this should be a room with good ventilation, bright, warm and dry, in which there are no drafts.
Urban residents most often keep lovebirds in their apartments or build enclosures for them in attics. The one who has a personal plot, in the warm season, has birds directly in the open air, and in winter transfers them to a warm room.
So, if lovebirds appeared in your house (we are interested in maintenance and care), it is best to slush them in an all-metal cage. It is also desirable that it be nickel-plated. Parrots can be kept in combined cages, which consist of a wooden frame and iron bars. Such structures are cheaper, but at the same time they are afraid of damp, short-lived and can become a refuge for external parasites of parrots.
Where else can lovebirds be placed? The maintenance and care of these parrots is carried out in cells made of synthetic materials (getinaksa, organic glass, etc.). Such facilities are hygienic, beautiful and not affected by chemicals. However, they are flammable, and are also afraid of high temperature and hot water. But in general, they are quite comfortable to carry the birds, which are lovebirds, care and maintenance. The reviews of the owners of these birds confirm that their strong beaks are not able to destroy such materials.
Equally important is the shape of the cell. Her right choice allows the most rational use of the territory for the maintenance of birds. So, the lovebirds, the care and maintenance of which we describe, should be placed in rectangular cells with a flat roof. This will put the buildings on top of each other, which will significantly save space in the apartment. It is also worth keeping in mind that if parrots-lovebirds are placed in a round, multifaceted or curly-shaped cage, care and maintenance will become difficult for you. Such a structure is difficult to clean, and parasites will start in the dirt accumulated in it.
Cage equipment
What should be provided for in a facility containing lovebirds? Care and maintenance must be carried out in cells with pallets (extendable bottom). This design will greatly facilitate the work of cleaning the house for birds. It is best if the pallet is made of iron or sheet aluminum. The plywood bottom will quickly decay from the water scattered by the parrots.
It is also necessary to place poles in the cage. Their diameter should be such that the lovebirds could not completely grasp them with their fingers (1.5-2 cm). The best parrots for parrots are those made of straight and even twigs of deciduous trees. If the twigs were brought from the forest, then before placing them in a cage, they should be treated with boiling water from parasites. Do not use plastic poles. They are harmful to birds and contribute to the formation of corns on their legs.
Also in the cage should be a feeding trough and a drinking bowl. They should not be placed side by side to avoid wetting of the feed, as well as under the poles, as in this case bird droppings can get into the contents of the containers. For drinking bowls and feeders can be used in various containers (jars, salt shakers, ditches for photographs, etc.).
At the bottom of the cell must be sawdust or a layer of clean river sand. Do not put newspapers on it, because printing ink is harmful to birds. Plain writing paper is not suitable for these purposes . Lovebands very quickly tear it into small parts.
Cell location
Where should the building be located in which the lovebirds will live? Care and maintenance will be optimal if the cage is placed at eye level. It should be a place near the wall. Only in this case will the birds feel safe. The cage should be installed away from batteries, refrigerators, monitors and televisions, computers and microwave ovens. All of these devices can harm the bird.
Ensuring Healthy Sleep
If your apartment has lovebirds, care and maintenance at home will require them to create comfortable conditions in the dark. For this, the cage with parrots needs to be covered. This will allow the lovebirds not to shy away from sudden light, for example, from the headlights of a car passing under the windows.
Owners of parrots should know that birds need to sleep in the summer of 10 hours, and in winter - 12. People need less time for a night's rest, therefore, covering the cage, you can safely continue to watch TV.
If, despite all the precautions, something scared the lovebirds at night, then you need to turn on the light, open the cover and wait until the bird calms down.
Sunbathing
What measures should be taken to ensure that the lovebirds living in your house are healthy? Care and maintenance (see photo below) must be carried out, taking the cage with them in fine weather to the balcony or the street.
The sun's rays, falling on the bird, contribute to the production of vitamin D in its body. During this procedure, part of the cell should be covered with a blanket. This will give your feathered friend an opportunity to hide in the shade. When the parrots take sunbaths, it is necessary to protect them from contact with wild birds, which can become sources of infectious infections for pets.
Bathing
Lovebirds can take water procedures as much as they want. It is only necessary to ensure that during bathing the birds in the room are warm and there are no drafts. Parrots can also be worn in the bathroom. They will be happy to run under the gentle pressure of the soul.
Food
The usual food for lovebirds is 2-3 teaspoons of grain mix, which is given to the birds during the day. It is worth remembering that young parrots eat more, but you need to make sure that they do not overeat. Their portion should not exceed four teaspoons per day. To feed the birds in the cage, you can hang millet spikelets or honey crackers. In this case, the volume of the mixture will need to be reduced.
In addition to the main grain feed, it is recommended that lovebirds give fruits and vegetables. They are rubbed on large graters, hung in the form of garlands, attached to a cell on a clothespin, etc.
It is recommended to offer porridge from millet and buckwheat, barley and rice to lovebirds. They are boiled in water without added sugar and salt. You can add a little grated carrot, honey, vegetable or fruit puree to the porridge. Useful for legumes due to the rich content of protein in them. However, they must be pre-soaked in several waters and boiled for an hour.
Parrots can get all the necessary vitamins, minerals and fiber from fresh herbs, which should also be present in the diet. Ptahs with pleasure eat leaves of spinach and young nettle, dandelion and lettuce. Lovebirds can also be given shoots of wood lice, which grows in moist places. Parrots need only high-quality food, which is free from dust and impurities.
Breeding
Lovebird parrots (care and maintenance, breeding of these birds we describe) - amazingly beautiful birds. Experienced and persistent lovers can even try to bring out their new varieties, characterized by unusual feather coloring.
The most successful of all in the cells is the pink-cheeked species of parrots. It is more difficult to achieve this from Fisher's mask and lovebirds. According to bird lovers, it is most difficult to get offspring from other species of these parrots. But in any case, the owner of the birds needs to know what kind of lovebirds require care and maintenance.
Reproduction of birds occurs subject to certain conditions:
- careful preparation for the nesting period;
- the correct selection of the pair;
- nesting support;
- the manifestation of attention and care for parrots while hatching eggs and feeding chicks;
- compliance with all rules for the care of offspring.
Lovebird diseases
Parrots kept at home do not have contact not only with the outside world, but also with other birds. In this regard, they are not prone to frequent ailments. However, for those owners who do not know what lovebirds need care and maintenance, diseases often arise. So, poor-quality feeds cause poisoning of the bird. Irregularly performed cleaning of the cell contributes to the appearance of parasites. Cold baths and drafts lead to colds. The presence of birds in poorly ventilated areas causes them to be poisoned by toxic gases. And if lovebirds are constantly overfeeding and kept in small cells, where there is no way to fly and move a lot, then they have obesity, etc.
It is quite difficult to rid a budgie of an ailment. The treatment of birds is complicated by the fact that the symptoms of the pathology do not appear immediately, but when it is too late. Due to the fact that the diseases of the lovebirds are fleeting, the bird dies. That is why it is so important to ensure proper care and maintenance that will become the prevention of many pathologies.