How do love birds feed their babies
When Do Baby Lovebirds Leave the Nesting Box?
By Juliana Weiss-RoesslerIf you’ve decided to breed lovebirds, getting a pair to mate is just the first step of the adventure. Setting up a male and female in a nesting box and having them mate is relatively easy, but all bird owners should be prepared to help care for the babies that their lovebirds produce. Part of that care involves knowing when the baby lovebirds will be ready to leave the nesting box.
A Baby Lovebird's First Week
Newborn lovebirds should not be handled by humans during their first week as they are very fragile. It is best to leave the mother and her babies alone during this time, as the mother will be able to provide the babies with the food they need. During the first few feedings, she will provide them with a clear liquid filled with nutrients and enzymes to aid in their digestion. After that, she will regurgitate food from her dish for the babies to eat.
Hand Feeding a Baby Lovebird
Chicks can be hand fed roughly 8 to 10 days after hatching, but if you are not already experienced in hand feeding baby lovebirds, you should not attempt this. For those owners who do have experience, don’t remove one baby at a time as this will cause the mother to reject him. Instead, remove all the babies and place them in a brooder or other warming enclosure. Most babies adapt well to hand feeding, and this process can help them bond with humans.
Leaving the Nesting Box
Baby lovebirds will begin to develop feathers over the course of several weeks. During this time, they also will begin exploring the nesting box or whatever enclosure they are being kept in and will practice flying. Their mother will begin weaning them during this exploratory phase, and after about 8 weeks they should be fully weaned and eating on their own. At this point they will be inclined to leave the nesting box, and if they stay too long the mother may harm them because of her instinct to nest again.
After the Nesting Box
If you own young lovebirds, you may need to have a vet clip their wings so that they don’t accidentally fly away. After they have become fully independent, you can move them from the nesting box or brooder and keep them in their own cage.
Make sure that each bird has enough room to beat its wings without hitting the edge of the cage. Some owners choose to give or sell some of their lovebirds to other bird enthusiasts, so that their home does not become overcrowded.
References
- Parrot Feather: The Basics of Lovebird Breeding
- Mresource: Lovebird Pets
Writer Bio
Juliana Weiss-Roessler has been writing since 2000. She worked as the head of the Web content department for the star of an Emmy-nominated reality series. Her ghostwriting has appeared in "PARADE" and "People." Weiss-Roessler is a blogger for Resumark and an editor for Pink Raygun. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Florida.
How to Take Care of Baby Lovebirds (with Pictures)
Taking care of baby lovebirds can be very difficult. When young, they are not especially hardy. Feeding them incorrectly or keeping them at the wrong temperature can easily lead to the death of a baby lovebird.
Lovebirds can either be left with their mother or hand-raised. Hand-reared birds are typically better socialized and get along better with people. However, hand-rearing takes a lot of time. Birds need to be fed around the clock when they are little, which most people are not able to do. Therefore, many breeders may also choose to leave the bird with the parents.
There are circumstances where lovebird parents may be unable to take care of the babies. Some inexperienced parents simply don’t know what to do and may even end up not caring for their babies properly.
If you’ve ended up with a baby lovebird for whatever reason, we’ll take a look at how to properly care for lovebird babies.
1. Wait for the Eggs to Hatch
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If you’re planning on hand-raising your baby lovebirds, you’ll likely be keeping a close eye on the eggs.
You will need to be there when they hatch, so it is essential that you notice the signs of impending hatching.
Lovebirds tend to lay many eggs after mating, but most don’t hatch. In fact, only about 10% to 20% of a clutch will hatch. Sometimes, none of them hatch at all. Occasionally, the mother may lay dozens of eggs before one hatches.
There are many signs that lovebird eggs may be about to hatch. The eggs will start out as white and then slowly change to grey. This will begin slowly, changing from a light grey to darker grey over time. This is a sign that there is a baby growing inside the egg. Only eggs that are actually fertile will turn to a very dark grey color.
The mother will incubate the eggs for about 23 days. You should count from the day that the mother began sitting on the eggs. The mother will usually sit on them continuously. She won’t move and may appear fluffier than normal as she tries to keep the eggs warm and toasty. She will likely become aggressive as well.
Sometimes, the bird will even be aggressive towards the male when he comes to feed her.
Right before the eggs hatch, you will hear small crying sounds from inside the egg every now and then. This assumes the mother is letting you get close to the eggs, as they are often very territorial at this point. You shouldn’t have to do anything with the actual hatching process. Allow the babies to hatch as they are able.
2. Caring for Newborn Lovebirds
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Newborn lovebirds need a lot of care. They are very small and delicate at this age, so they aren’t able to adjust to mistakes. For this reason, we highly recommend not attempting to care for newborns by hand-rearing them unless you are already experienced or have a vet you can call for help if necessary.
Their survival rate is much better if left with their parents.
The newborn should be placed in a nesting box. Two unhatched eggs should be used for support, as the baby shouldn’t be allowed to roll around much at this stage. They need support, and the eggs provide that support.
Feeding
You should allow the female to feed the baby as she sees fit. You should notice her bringing the baby food in her beak. She will bring the baby whatever you provide her, so be sure you’re giving high-quality food items. Things like corn, apple, seeds, banana, and spinach are all good options at this stage.
If you’re hand-rearing the babies, you will need to provide a formula. You should make it thin, but not so thin that the babies aspirate on it. You’ll need to check the baby’s crop to ensure that it is full. This is how you ensure that the baby is getting enough to eat.
Feed the baby with a syringe, ensuring that it is warm but not hot. It should be just below body temperature to prevent burns.
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Temperature
Warmth is also necessary for the lovebird’s health. The baby should be kept at around 88 to 92 degrees F. Generally, the mother will take care of this. However, we do recommend covering the cage with a pillowcase in the summer or a baby blanket in the winter. This will help ensure that the baby is kept warm enough and prevent drafts.
You should use a brooder to keep the lovebird warm if the mother is not caring for the babies.
Dirt & Noise
Cleanliness is essential to prevent disease, as baby birds are susceptible to infection. You should spot-clean the cage daily and provide fresh food regularly. Newspaper is a great option for the bottom of the cage. The female will shred some of this for the nest, but it is also very easy to spot clean.
Otherwise, keep the area around the cage peaceful and quiet. You don’t want to stress out the parents or the babies at this stage. Stressed parents may not care for the babies properly. It may also interrupt the baby’s sleep, which can affect their health.
3. Supporting the Parents
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In many cases, the babies should be kept with the parents. While hand-raised babies may be friendlier at first, you can tame any bird once it gets older. Leaving the baby with parents that are taking care of it properly will likely result in better outcomes than hand-rearing. Lovebirds evolved to take care of their children.
The parents should remain well-fed. Don’t switch their diet around much from what it is before, as this can cause unnecessary stress.
Freshwater should be provided at all times, as should high-quality food. Be sure to clean the water daily to prevent illnesses for both the parents and the baby. Clean the bowls thoroughly each time you change them.
Cover the cage’s base with paper. The female will enjoy tearing it up to line the nest, which is also important for the baby’s wellbeing. It is also much easier to spot-clean, which you should be doing at least daily. Preferably, you should be checking the cage multiple times a day and cleaning it as necessary.
Provide the parents with attention and ensure that you socialize with them as normal. If they become bored or frustrated, they may develop stress-related behaviors. They may be particularly prone to these while caring for a baby, so it is important that you aim to support them as much as possible during this difficult time.
When the baby gets older, you should let the parents out for playing, assuming this was their routine previously. The parents may get a bit distracted while out, so don’t keep them out of the cage for very long.
Otherwise, the babies may suffer. Of course, by the time the babies are two weeks old, they only need to feed every 4-6 hours. Therefore, the adults should be perfectly fine being out of the cage for a bit.
Your lovebirds should be getting at least 12 hours of rest time at night. Be sure to darken the room during this time so that they can sleep. Otherwise, they may become stressed due to sleep deprivation. They will awaken and feed the baby as necessary at night on their own.
4. Accept That It Doesn’t Always Workout
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Sometimes, despite doing everything as perfectly as possible, some of the lovebird babies will not survive. Occasionally, a baby will be born too weak to do much at all. Other times, the parents will make a mistake in their baby’s care.
Infections and similar issues are also common, but the baby may pass so quickly that they don’t show symptoms.
When a baby passes away, you don’t always know the cause. Often, a baby will just not seem to thrive and pass after a few hours. Other times, the baby may suddenly go downhill. You can guess why the baby didn’t make it, but even vets usually can’t tell for sure.
Many people will lose multiple babies. Just as many babies may pass away as survive. In some cases, a whole brood will pass away without warning. This is most common with inexperienced parents, as they are usually not very good at taking care of their babies. Most birds will lose their first few babies, so prepare emotionally.
Conclusion
A baby lovebird is always an exciting time. However, it can also be stressful. In many cases, it may not work out as well as you may hope. Many babies do not make it – and not because of anything the owners do. There are many reasons why a baby may not survive.
We highly recommend not breeding your birds together unless you can deal with a few babies passing away.
There are many things you can do to ensure the baby’s success, though. Supporting the parents and crafting a good environment is paramount. You should keep things calm and quiet. Spot-clean the cage regularly to prevent diseases and provide the highest quality food possible. Keep an eye on the baby, but understand that there isn’t actually much you can do in most cases.
Hand-rearing has become more popular in recent years. These birds grow up tame, so they are often friendlier. However, this is a huge responsibility. If you aren’t experienced or have access to someone who is, it is likely that the bird will be better off with the mother—even if she is inexperienced herself.
You May Also Like:
- Male or Female Lovebird? How to Identify the Differences
- 9 Types of Lovebird Species (with Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: fandy eka nanda, Shutterstock
Birds feeding chicks
Birds skillfully catch big succulent insects in order to feed their cubs.
This compilation captures caring parents feeding their little chicks. The photos are very touching and beautiful. Just imagine how much work this garden warbler in the photo below needs to feed 5 hungry mouths :)
And this robin is easier, she has only one chick, the rest apparently fell out of the nest, as often happens. She has already managed to find a great treat for him in the form of a fat caterpillar
Another caring mother who caught an insect similar to a cricket for her chicks
And this bird caught a worm and decided to feed all her cubs with it. Everyone got a piece of the delicacy
The most beautiful picture of a sunbird feeding offspring on the fly
Already quite an adult chick demands food from its mother :)
And this photo looks like a painting by some famous artist, the feeding process turned out to be very picturesque
And these baby swallows look not only hungry, but also aggressive - perhaps the parents hunted too long .
..
A mother flamingo takes special care of her chick, checking to see if food has gotten into her pet's beak. Reminds me of spoon-feeding :)
This heron has almost nursed her offspring, very soon they will go on their first flight
This bird looks like a hummingbird, but in fact it is a hook-billed thymelia and another skillful shot of feeding on the fly. Everything happens in a fraction of a second, and the photographer managed to capture this moment.0003
And here's a funny photo I decided to leave to complete the selection - a warbler feeds a chick, which has long outgrown the size of its parent's nest. In fact, this is a cuckoo chick that just threw it into the nest of a strange bird
December 27, 2011 | Categories: Nature, Photo, Other
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16 animals in love from whom you should learn loyalty
Among animals there are real romantics and monogamous people.
They form alliances forever, literally, until death do them part. We admire the love and loyalty of these couples.
Penguins
These birds keep love in their hearts in the harsh conditions of Antarctica. Penguins create married couples for many years. Mom and dad take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the babies.
Wolves
Folklore depicts wolves as crooks and swindlers, but in reality these animals lead a family life full of loyalty and love. The wolf treats the she-wolf very reverently and tenderly, takes care of the female in every possible way, they rub their muzzles, flirt with each other and only death can separate them.
Swans
White swans have long been a symbol of boundless fidelity. The swan recognizes his girlfriend "by sight" and never confuses with anyone. He jealously protects the chosen one and the cubs and, if necessary, will even attack a person. If one of the birds dies, the partner cannot stand being alone and most often dies.
The love of swans is characterized by wonderful qualities: caring for each other, friendship, protection, compassion. Swan devotion is so well described in the literature that the image of two swans swimming with their necks curved in the shape of a heart has become an almost universal symbol of love.
Gibbons
When a gibbon grows up and goes in search of a female, he is ready to wander for years until he finds the one and only. When a couple gets together, it's once and for all. Gibbon alliances are unusually strong. And since male and female individuals are approximately the same size, it is believed that they have equal rights in relationships.
Seahorses
These animals are elegant on the outside and inside. There is more romance in their marriage rituals, touching courtship and love affairs than in Hollywood melodramas. Surprisingly, the male bears the children of seahorses - in a special bag on his chest, where the female lays her eggs during mating.
If a male or female dies, the partner does not look for a new companion and often dies of grief.
Barn owls
For almost a year, the male carefully takes care of his chosen one: he presents her with prey caught on the hunt, diligently builds a cozy house and invites the female to become his mistress. When a couple has offspring, the mother devotes all her time to the cubs, and the father takes full responsibility for providing for the family.
Pandas
Nature rewarded the cutest pandas with all the virtues at once - they are modest and shy, caring and gentle, and they remain faithful to their companions all their lives. Unlike many other species of animals, the male panda tenderly cares for the female, both before mating and after the birth of the cubs.
Foxes
Foxes are among 5% of mammals that form monogamous pairs. Foxes are good parents. Males take an active part in the upbringing of offspring, and also take care of their girlfriends even before the appearance of foxes.
They improve burrows and even catch fleas from females.
Turtles
It was the turtledoves that inspired Shakespeare to write The Phoenix and the Dove. They live only in pairs and are very affectionate towards each other.
Wild Dogs
These animals are only vicious in appearance, they are romantics at heart, respect the institution of the family and take care of puppies until they grow up.
Black Vultures
For Black Vultures, loyalty is a family matter. They not only live in pairs for many years, but also nest together, incubate eggs together and take care of offspring. The betrayal of one of the partners can cause the wrath of the whole pack. Yes, these birds are not as pretty as swans, but they demonstrate the same love and devotion.
Beavers
Beavers are faithful to each other throughout their life, which lasts an average of 25 years. Together they build their house, which protects them from predators. Researchers believe that the beaver is the main one in the family, but the beaver is completely satisfied with matriarchy, so the secret of a long and happy relationship of this couple is in the infinite female wisdom.
