How to Breed Lovebird Parrots

When people think of lovebirds, they often associate them with a romantic love. This small, colorful bird species has 9 different varieties. If you're raising a lovebird and looking to find a mate for it or planning to buy a pair and breed them, it's important to know that they require a lot of attention and responsibility. This is especially true because lovebirds form lifelong bonds with their partners. However, with proper pairing and care for both the birds and their eggs, breeding these adorable and beautiful birds can be relatively simple.

Learn About Lovebird Parrots. Breeding lovebird parrots can come with risks, especially if one of the pair dies. Understanding the nature of lovebirds and their breeding process will help you make informed decisions for both you and your birds.

• Unlike other animals, lovebirds form lifelong pairs and continue to live together for nearly 15 years. The monogamous behavior is essential for their social structure and stability of the group.
• Note that if one lovebird dies, its mate may exhibit abnormal behavior, similar to depression. Lovebirds dislike being alone.
• Lovebirds are very affectionate creatures. You can enjoy watching the pair interact with tenderness, sometimes feeding each other to rekindle their bond after periods of stress or separation.

Gather Materials to Build a Home for the Birds and Create the Right Conditions for Breeding. Wild lovebirds typically live in tree hollows, rock crevices, or dense bushes. You need to buy the right materials to provide them with a cozy home where they feel comfortable and can successfully breed.

• Buy a birdcage with a minimum size of 45 x 45 x 30 cm, with bars spaced no more than 2 cm apart. Consider purchasing a square or rectangular cage to give the lovebirds a place to nest.
• Place various branches of different sizes inside the cage for perching, and add toys to keep your lovebirds happy and active.
• Install separate bowls for food and water, ensuring they are not placed near the bottom of the cage.
• Clean the cage and food/water bowls daily to maintain the birds' health. Disinfect the cage once a week.

Select a Pair of Lovebird Parrots for Breeding. Choose the best lovebird pair for breeding to ensure their health and the health of their offspring.

• Check to ensure that the pair you choose are not closely related. DNA testing may be necessary for this.
• Ensure the pair has not bred more than twice; otherwise, they may suffer from health issues.
• Avoid pairing different lovebird species, as this may result in hybrid offspring that do not belong to any specific lovebird breed.
• Male and female lovebirds usually look alike, so you may need to take them to a vet to determine their gender.
• You can contact bird-keeping groups to find a place where you can buy lovebirds of the same breed as the one you are raising.

Choose a Good Breeding Lovebird. Selecting a healthy lovebird as a mate for the bird you already have, or a strong pair of lovebirds, is crucial for maintaining the health of both the parent birds and their offspring. Here are the characteristics to look for in a good breeding lovebird:

• Round body shape
• Good mobility, able to walk and stand well
• Broad chest and back
• Round and firm breast
• Sharp, neat tail
• Large, wide, and rounded head
• Bright and expressive face
• Large, round, and sharp eyes
• Even, vibrant, and clean feathers
• No defects in the feathers
• Clean, thick, and strong legs with straight toes, free of scars
• Clean, large beak, without any scars.

Check the Health of the Lovebirds. You cannot allow the pair of lovebirds to meet until you are certain both are healthy. Take them to the vet to ensure they are fit to breed.

• Inform the vet that you intend to breed the lovebirds.
• Ask the vet any questions you may have about the lovebird species, their health, or the breeding process.

Consider Isolating the New Lovebird. If you're bringing a new lovebird home to breed with your existing bird, consider isolating the pair for a few days. This ensures both birds are healthy, and prevents the female from becoming defensive or rejecting the male.

• If you plan to breed the pair you already own, there's no need to isolate them.

Let the Lovebirds Meet. Once you're sure both lovebirds are healthy, you can introduce them. Take it slow, as the birds may need a few days to get used to each other.

• Place the two cages next to each other before putting them into the same cage.
• After a few days apart, place the birds together in the same cage.
• Provide nesting materials inside the cage to encourage the pair to start building a nest.
• If one of the birds shows aggression or rejects the other, remove the aggressive bird.

Look for Mating Signs in Lovebirds. Lovebirds are prolific breeders, and you may observe several signs indicating they have paired up. These mating signs include:

• Affectionate behavior towards each other
• Aggression
• Jealousy or hormone-driven excitement
• Carrying nesting material in their feathers
• Building a nest.

Provide Adequate Nutrition for the Birds. Lovebird parrots that are nesting require a nutritious diet due to the stress of breeding. Do not feed them just seeds, as this will not provide enough nutrition for both the birds and their future chicks. You can feed them the following foods:

• Cooked pasta
• Pearl barley
• Frozen vegetables
• Seaweed pellets
• Whole grain brown rice
• Apples
• Leafy greens
• Cereals, toasted bread, or biscuits
• Cuttlefish bone

Look for Bird Eggs. The only way to confirm that your lovebirds have mated is by finding their eggs. Typically, the female lovebird will lay her first egg about 10 days after mating and will begin incubating after laying the second egg.

• Check the nest every morning to see if any eggs have been laid. The female usually lays eggs at night. She may lay one egg every two days, totaling 5-6 eggs.
• Note that two female lovebirds living together in one cage can lay up to 10 eggs without any male fertilization.

Allow the female bird to incubate the eggs. A female lovebird typically incubates her eggs for around 25 days. Ensure that the female bird has a continuous incubation period of at least 10 days.

• Remember, the female will only leave the nest to relieve herself, drink water, and have a little food. Typically, the male will feed the female during the incubation process.

Check if the eggs are fertile. It's not uncommon for bird eggs to be infertile, especially when the pair is too young or too old. After allowing the female to incubate the eggs for 10 days, you can check if any of the eggs are infertile.

• Be very gentle when handling the eggs.
• Examine each egg by holding it up to a light source, such as a flashlight, to look for a membrane, which indicates that the egg is fertilized.
• You can also test by placing the egg in a shallow dish of warm water before it’s about a week from hatching. After soaking the egg for 5 seconds, check for a membrane.
• Keep in mind that it's normal for eggs to be infertile or for embryos to die within the egg.

Wait for the eggs to hatch. The bird eggs will likely hatch after approximately 21-26 days of incubation. Make sure not to handle the eggs or the chicks during their first 6-8 weeks of life.

• The mother will feed the chicks for 6-8 weeks with the nutritious food you provide.
• Remove any unhatched eggs or dead chicks from the nest.