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Post by robert on Jan 11, 2009 16:24:51 GMT 10
If a particular breeder of just about any other parrot ,who sold weaned parrots,to the companion parrot market,for want of a better word,but made no attempt to hand raise them,well naturally ought to bought up at a parrot or bird meeting.One ought not to mention names of cause,in case of libel.But it is the responsiblity of such societies to warn prospective buyers of such breeders. Thankfully it happens,AND so it should.BUT it just does not happen with Lovebirds.This makes me really angry,that the treatment here, of lovebirds does not itself generate appropiate anger.It is as if,why would anyone want to keep Lovies,except for mutation breeding,breeding new mutations ,ornamental pets,and especially showing them. Lovies have every right to be socialized appropiately as any other parrot. I am angry here not just of such breeders,but of the societies who say nothing,but yet make a song and dance about it when this happens to other birds. from Robert and Precious
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Post by bickitrainer on Jan 11, 2009 18:55:29 GMT 10
I agree Robert. Lovebirds just don't seem to be as special as the rest of the parrots...  |
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Post by robert on Feb 14, 2009 11:45:47 GMT 10
Some people might wonder,why I so strongly promote the magazine Bird Talk on this forum.Initially it was because,because I can find great material on keeping Lovebirds as companions.It is there. I can point to pages ,so so, many times.Also the established Lovebird Societies are largely Show Societies.Though I must admit at least the American Lovebird Society is trying www.africanlovebirdsociety.com Other bird Societies might tell you in private Lovies can make great companions but then go to talk about another species,as companions.If anyone thinks I am making this up,then honestly we must live in different worlds. Also the desire to keep Lovies as Companions is expanding. But where does one find about this on the net. It is largely through you tube videos and web sites. Notice the material in the links section. I feel so strongly about this that if I go to a bird society and hear about some expensive parrot being stolen or escaped,I want to walk out.The only person I can blame if I don't,is myself. I am responible for that. I also believe it is important to have parrot specific material on them as companions. Just because something applies to a given species,does not mean it applies to another. Australia is clearly way up there, in promoting the breeding of lovebird mutations and in developing new mutations.Or at least shews a big interest in that. I just wish it shews the interest elsewhere as well. from Robert and Precious |
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Post by linda040899 on Feb 14, 2009 20:47:04 GMT 10
From an American point of view, I see the problem is double-fold:
1. Money. From a breeding standpoint, your breeders have to socialize babies (hand feeding, alone, will not produce a quality pet bird) and that takes time. Lovebirds are not considered an expensive species so they have to sell a lot of them to even break even. Pet shops here in the U.S. don't want to have too many lovebirds in stock because it takes socialization to keep them tame until they can be sold.
2. Education/lack of information. After reading many, many, many introductions on my own forum, I can tell you that a lot of lovebirds come into their owners lives by accident. Someone gave them a lovebird. They found a lovebird. They received a lovebird as a gift. I get new memberships from individuals who are seeking information because they want to get a lovebird, but those are in the minority. The biggest problem I see is that new owners are not equipped to deal with the special behaviors of lovebirds! There really are no good books on the market that effectively deal with this, either.
There seems to be some sort of "status" symbol in owning larger parrots, as they are definitely in demand......until new owners find out what those larger parrots can be like once they are adults and display adult behavior. A hormonal male Blue Front Amazon or a nesty female Military Macaw definitely require skill to handle and not become seriously injured. Many owners also never realized just how noisey a larger parrot can really be! Here in the U.S., there are a lot of larger parrots that end up in rescue as a result of what owners didn't know at the time of purchase.
I really don't know what the answer is, Robert, other than just continuing to make information available so that those who are owned by lovebirds know how to best care for those treasures who came into their lives by whatever means.
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Post by meandem on Feb 15, 2009 7:22:06 GMT 10
Lovebirds make an unreal pet. The little one that I gave to my brother (BABE) is getting spoilt rotten and in return makes my brothers life a better one. Without going into too much detail, my brother has had a really terrible life and just last week, his girlfriend just died - out of the blue - so Babe has been a blessing. He/she gives uncoditional love, and that is so much what my brother needs right now. Mine must be happy here, because I got 10 babies the first time, which was only about 8 weeks ago, and I checked them daily, as of today I have four new babies which have been born 3-4 days ago. Lovies rock as far as I am concerned, I think more people should own them.  |
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Post by robert on Feb 16, 2009 10:54:52 GMT 10
Linda,I don't know the answer either.But I do know some things help. I do know that Rodney and Tamara Money of www.trueloveaviary.blogspot.com not only handraise their babies,but also socialize them,wean them on a variety of foods,get them dna sexed, and vet checked, before they are sold.Trueloveaviary is not the only place in the United States,that does that great work. I have heard of no one in Australia that does that. Breeders would defend themselves ,by saying,I couldn't do that. Clearly there are people who do.Obviously the people who do,must ,must,must,(deliberately done) have a special fondness for Lovies. Also I agree with you,that a lot of people buy other people lovies as a gift.No doubt,Valentines day is a day where that increases.The people who do this,are extremely unlikely ,to buy Lovies that have been properly socialized.The perpetration of their bad reputation,increases. Education not doubt also helps,like you said.It is important for anyone to research the bird they want to acquire,before they buy. Thanks Again. from Robert and Precious |
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Post by linda040899 on Feb 16, 2009 12:44:29 GMT 10
Unless I have a life/death situation, all my parent birds raise their own young. I do what's called co-parenting. I let the parents do what they to best and I enjoy the little ones as I get them used to the human touch. My parent birds will wean the babies onto any food I offer so I simply feed a varied diet. I've found that birds that know they are birds first can learn to be great pets with fewer behavioral issues later on. Keep in mind that this is my own personal experience.
Education is the only answer to humans getting along with animals as companions, and I'm not talking just about birds. Those who are slaves to lovebirds experience a relationship with their birds like they won't have with any other bird. Lovebirds are unique in the world of Psittacines, which is why I love them so much.
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Post by sypher on Feb 16, 2009 18:39:54 GMT 10
My first birds were lovebirds. I bred both parent reared and handreared chicks. Even after owning the expensive parrots, I have just bought 8 lovebirds. I am also in the process of getting a breeding colony. I think they are awsome parrots and I look forward to breeding them again.
Shaun
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Post by robert on Feb 16, 2009 18:41:55 GMT 10
Linda could you please give a description of co-parenting?Hope all right to ask this?
from Robert and Precious
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Post by linda040899 on Feb 16, 2009 21:42:18 GMT 10
Co-parenting means that the babies remain with their parents to be fed, fledged and weaned. Starting at around the age of 3 weeks, I take babies that I want to be tame out of the box several times/day to socialize with them. I handle them, cuddle with them and let them explore outside the nest while they are with me and when they are able to move around. I find it's really the best of both worlds and I don't have any of my parent birds that have a problem with this, at least not yet.
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Post by robert on Feb 17, 2009 10:45:50 GMT 10
Thanks Linda.
from Robert and Precious
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Post by crdj81 on Feb 21, 2009 20:44:01 GMT 10
Lovebirds-what they lack in size they make up for in personality. I have always kept hand raised birds I currently have two one I've had for many years the other is just about to be weaned. I tend to find they can have their own personality. I have raised many little ones and found that some or the most sweet little birds and others can be mean little buggers just waiting for that oppotunity to latch on to your finger. Hand raisng for companion birds I have found they are best raised alone, choose your baby wisely if they are nippy when young in the nest than they are more likely to be a biter and I try to take them from the nest just as their flight pins are showing feather colour I find their feeding is really easy. I never recomend taking babies that are newly weaned as they don't seem to quiet down as easily as say a budgie. The problem can often be that people don't put in the time with them or become disheartened when they don't tame as quickly as they thought. Masked and fisches are less aggressive than peachfaces but that not to say that they won't give you a nasty bite esspecially the girls.
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