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They can make excellent pets, but if you want a true companion, it is probably better to own just one.
Two of them, unless trained early on to interact with you, will usually become enamored with each other and not be as attentive or tame. Hand fed babies are easily trained to be calm and gentle. They are not known to be good talkers and their sounds can be loud at times, but they make up for it in their entertaining antics. There are different types, with the peach-faced being the most common. Masked lovebirds, which have white eye rings, are also often kept as pets. They are all beautiful with their bright feathers and many color variations and patterns have been developed. If you have a chance to attend a bird show, you will be fascinated by the many colors and varieties. Intelligent and inquisitive, they are remarkable cage escape artists. They will destroy woodwork as quickly as their larger cousins, and paper is not safe, if you own a peach-face. A paperback book can quickly be reduced to strips. Females will chew narrow strips of paper and tuck them in their rump feathers. They will take them back to the cage and build a nest with them. When a pair are defending their nest space they can become defensive. However, they usually make good parents and can be quite prolific, with the ability to produce a dozen chicks a year, given the chance. The eggs are laid every other day, with four to six eggs being the average number. They hatch after about 23 days. To keep them healthy, lovebirds should have only two or three nests a year. Since no birds are allowed to be imported, responsible and conscientious breeding is important.
Toys, puzzles and companionship are the keys to keeping your lovebirds happy. They often enjoy a swing in their cage. The toys help keep the bird's body healthy and their mind sharp. Most like to be a part of the family activities, whether you are reading a newspaper or doing household chores. They also like to share mealtimes with you, but they, like all parrots must never be given avocado, chocolate, or sugary treats. Lovebirds enjoy a varied diet, including pellets, fortified seed, fruits, vegetables and pasta. Offer calcium in the form of a mineral block or cuttle bone.
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