Why Your Lovebird Is Shredding Paper and Tucking?

Most of the newbie lovebird owners don't know the reason why their lovebirds shreds paper and tucking. In general lovebirds think that they are born with an objective to shred and take every opportunity to do so. Some times, you can notice that the females will often tuck strips of shredded paper in their rump feathers. In some flock, males will also tuck the shredded paper but they're not so good in carrying the shredded paper. Both these lovebirds are carrying the shredded paper mainly with an intention to strengthen their nest by carrying more nesting material back to the nest.

Reasons for Beak Grinding in Lovebirds

Most of the lovebirds do grind their beaks daily. This made some of the lovebird owners to get worry about this act. Do you know why birdies do this? They will grind their beaks before going to sleep. The sound of beak grinding would be like the nails down a chalkboard thing.

Some of the lovebirds owner think this behavior is method of calming down. It is true! Moreover, your bird is grinding the beak as a sign of happy and contentment.

Sometimes the lovebirds will grind their beak as well as squinting, which mean your bird is tired, but happy.

Grinding beak also conditions lovebirds beak. This act of beak grinding behavior is similar to that of a kid sucking their thumb. Although it's a weird grating sound, it is an act of self-stimulation behavior. If you're having more than three lovebirds, it is really hard to figure out which one does that.

Let's you know your lovebirds are happy, and keeps their beaks in good shape by grinding them in a perfect manner.

Common Lovebird behaviors

Most of the owners think that lovebirds should be kept in pairs. It is untrue! In fact single lovebirds often make the best pets.

As a owner you should know about the meanings for each and every behavior of your lovebirds.

The common behaviors observed in lovebirds are Beak Grinding, blinking, wing flopping, head bobbing, head bowing, Paper shredding and tucking, puffed feathers, tail rubbing, head on back, body couched, wing spread.

If you notice any of these behaviors, you should know what your lovebird is telling you. I'll discuss in detail what it means in the ensuing days.

Hatching Lovebird Eggs

Most of the lovebird owners (Newbie) are really don't know when their lovebirds will lay eggs. Normally a female lovebird will start to lay eggs after 10 months of age. Breeding lovebirds is very EASY task for the lovebird breeders. But it is very difficult to find a new home for the young ones because the young ones can't be placed along with their parents for a long period.

The hatching period of lovebird eggs is usually 18-20 days of hatch. The clutch size would be 4-6 eggs. Both male and female will nest the eggs in a phased manner. It is not advisable to perform nest inspection because both the parents would be aggressive. If you're so keen to see the eggs, it always advisable to see the nest only after both parents are away from the nest.

If you want to hand feed the young chicks, it is advisable to pull hem out from the nest only after two weeks old.
For further information, please consult the following pages:
1. Menu For Your Weaned Lovebird Chicks
2. What do you Feed For the Peach-faced Lovebirds?

Baby Lovebird Diseases

Do you know at what age the baby lovebirds should be separated from its parents? Baby lovebirds should be weaned (separated) from its parents at the age of 14-18 days.

I have heard so many stories of baby lovebirds being attacked by parents after this age. Some of the parents are even worse to peck the chicks until it gets bleeding. Apart from mechanical injuries received from the parents, baby lovebirds are suffered from few more dreadful diseases.

You might have noticed a sudden death among the baby lovebirds after getting separated from the mother. You might think it is due to lack of parental care. NO... It is your deficiency of providing proper temperature in the chicks cage. So do provide proper lighting to provide enough heat. You can place them in a large "brooder"-which you can make by putting a few inches of Carefresh Cage Liner in a plastic reptile container. You can get this stuff in all pet stores.

Other common disease of baby lovebirds are pachecos (PD), which nothing but Herpes infection. The symptoms of this disease is blisters which will burst and bleeding is noticed at the site of burst. Moreover, the lovebird chicks may be affected by this condition because the parents may transmit this virus.There is ever possibility of liver failure in this condition.

The affected lovebird will defecate blackish fecal material with offensicve smell. It is really difficult to cure this condition. The only way is culling the parents or retire the pair from breeding.

Other Common Baby Lovebirds Diseases

Other common baby lovebirds diseases include-

• Favus (ringworm)
• Knemidocoptic mange (scaly face)
• Hypovitaminosis A (nutritional roup)
• Candidiasis (thrush, oidiomycosis, moniliasis)
• Trichomoniasis

As a lovebird owner, you ought to know about these baby lovebirds diseases. This will help you to provide better lovebird care for the entire flock. You should remember that enough care should be given to the baby lovebirds because it is very important to make them as a perfect parents in near future