Fisher’s lovebirds are probably the most colorful and fun small parrots. They come from Madagascar, and are also widespread in Africa. In addition to their bright appearance, they attract the attention of a person because they get used to the person well. Intelligent birds will give you many bright moments and the pleasure of watching them. By the way, do you know why they are called Fisher lovebirds? Everything is very simple - in nature they live in large packs and choose a mate for life.
One or a couple
First of all, you need to decide how many birds you will acquire. Of course, they will not perish if they are held one at a time. Fisher’s lovebirds are very interesting not only for their strong bonds, but also for their behavior. The joint construction of the nest will especially please you. Males and females do not carry twigs in their beaks; they stick twigs in their feathers. Very interesting is their ability to split thin willow twigs into fibers and twist nests out of them. Another nuance is that the birds have very strong beaks with which they can injure each other, and at the same time they are very jealous. However, Fisher’s lovebirds live very peacefully with their couple.
Appearance
The size of the birds is very small, from 10 to 17 centimeters. That is, they do not need too large a cage, this is acceptable for a small apartment. Outwardly, they are very beautiful, the color of the plumage is bright with a predominance of green. However, the head, neck and chest are often painted in different colors, due to which the lovebirds are similar to Christmas decorations. Often these parts of the body are blue and red, green and yellow. In addition, the fact that the birds are very unpretentious and easy to breed, leads to the fact that breeders are increasingly paying attention to them. Thus, the color palette is enriched with various shades of blue and gray.
Gender of birds
How do you know if a male or female lives with you? This is an important question: will Fisher’s lovebirds make a couple and bring out the chicks. How to determine the gender? At home, almost nothing. Outwardly, they are exactly the same. You can find out their gender either by observing the behavior, or by DNA analysis. But the difference between young and adult individuals is immediately apparent. On the basis of the beak, young animals have several black feathers, which disappear with age.
Food
In fact, small lovebird parrots do not need a large amount of food, which means they will not present a large load for the family budget. These parrots are very fond of soft and juicy grass, so even in winter you need to grow it at home in a pot. In addition, you will need seeds of shrubs and trees. They are very fond of corn and wheat, at home you can sprout various seeds to diversify the diet of your birds. You will be curious to know that tiny and charming birds in their homeland are considered dangerous pests that ruin the fields.
The basis of nutrition at home is grain mixes for medium-sized parrots. However, Fisher’s lovebird should not be fed with normal baby food. Missing items make up for fruits and vegetables. It can be peach and banana, carrots and kiwi, apricot and cherry, cabbage and plum, grapes, as well as any nuts. In addition to sprouted herbs (oats), they need to give dandelion and parsley. But the birds should not overeat. They need to give 2-3 teaspoons of food for a day.
Cell requirements
The larger it is, the better your pet will be. However, the minimum dimensions are 80x30x40 cm, provided that you have one parrot living. For a couple, a cage of at least 100x40x50 cm is required. The optimal shape is a rectangular or square one. The cage must be equipped with drinking bowls and two feeders for different feeds, dry and wet. In addition, you need to put a bath for swimming. Stairs and bells need to be arranged so that they do not interfere with the flight of the bird. And if you plan on the appearance of the chicks, then additional space is required for the equipment of the nest.
Bird nesting
The most interesting sight for the owner is the construction of the nest. In general, if you have Fisher’s lovebirds, breeding will be the most exciting hobby. The female herself will begin to build a nest of thin branches and soft feathers. The breeding season lasts from May to July. In total, 4 to 6 eggs will hatch in the nest. For three weeks the female does not get up from her masonry, but the male guards and feeds her.
Growing chicks
The crumbs are born blind, covered with rare fluff. Even their beak is completely yellow, and only after two weeks it begins to redden gradually, becoming similar to the beak of adult birds. Chicks fledge in a month and by this time they are ready to leave the nest. But a few more weeks the male will continue to feed his offspring. By about a year, they are ready to create a couple and bring babies out on their own. Their life expectancy is from 15 to 20 years, so you will have time to enjoy chatting with your feathered pet.
Making the final choice
In fact, there are a lot of different breeds of decorative birds on the market today. Among them there are budgies and large macaws, cockatoos and stunning loris. Even the lovebirds themselves on the market are a dozen species. But Fisher’s lovebird can be considered the most quick-witted, friendly, bright and amazing. The price of these birds is 1000-1500 rubles. As you can see, the cost is quite affordable.
The manual lovebird is very sociable, he is sincerely glad that the owner has arrived and is very bored if nobody is at home for a long time. In addition, it should be said about literacy. In fact, lovebirds talk only if they are not paired. But a lonely bird with the proper level of communication can well learn a few dozen words. However, it should be remembered that for this it is necessary to acquire a very small chick, not older than a month old. Older individuals will learn less well. But even in comparison with budgies, the lovebird training will go on about twice as long, so evaluate your pedagogical capabilities.
To summarize
Fisher’s lovebird is, of course, a very vivid representative of the feathered family. If you choose a pet for your child, be sure to pay attention to them. These are unpretentious birds, caring for them is not at all difficult. Along with this, it should be noted that smart and sociable, they will bring a lot of joy to their master. Children will be especially pleased with such an acquisition, a small pet will not become too burdensome, even a first grader will be able to look after it. After a certain period of time, the lovebird will become a full member of the whole family.