Closed Ring in Lovebirds

Congratulations!!! At last you have purchased a healthy lovebird. The next thing you should look at is their closed ring. All young birds born in captivity at a breeder’s wear a closed ring showing, among other things the year in which they were born.

A closed rings hold not be confused with a tag, which can be put on the leg of an adult bird to help identify it among other similar birds of the same species. If the bird is not wearing a closed ring, then it might have been imported (illegally) or caught illegally.

You should be particularly wary if the bird you are being offered belongs to a protected species or a species that is subjected to legal restrictions with respect to how the bird should be kept and ownership transferred to others and is not wearing a closed ring.

A missing closed ring does not always automatically means that something illegal is going on. If the breeder is not a member of a bird association, ten he will not be able to get these rings for his lovebirds. In such cases, it usually means that the bird was bred by a hobbyist or by accident.

In exceptional cases, it sometimes happens that the young birds have grown too fast, as a result of which it is no longer possible to fit them closed rings without actually hurting them. You should nevertheless be particularly careful if the bird is not wearing a closed ring.

Tips for Introducing New Lovebirds in the Cages of Lovebirds

If you have bought one or couple of new lovebirds and want to introduce them to an existing group in an aviary, it is best if you keep your latest acquisitions away from the other birds, either in a spacious cage or in a separate aviary for a couple of weeks.

If the birds turn out tube ill, they will then in any case not be able to infect the others. This period of quarantine may not be enough, however. If you have any doubts you can seek a veterinary surgeon- preferably one that is specialized in birds- to take a look at the birds, so that you can treat them before you put them in with the other birds.

In this way you can also find out whether the birds are eating enough and what type of feed they prefer. Once a bird has been released into a big aviary with other birds, it becomes almost impossible to do this.

Do not forget to ask the breeder what kind of and which brand the bird is used to. The move to a different environment is in itself already quite a dramatic experience for a bird and if you then also change its diet there is a great risk that the bird will become ill.

Later on, when the bird has got used to its new living environment, you can gradually introduce the new feed if you so wish. It is better to keep a bird that has been used to living in a (breeding) cage in a small cage inside the aviary. This will allow the bird to gradually get used to its environment and reduces the risk of the bird flying against the wire mesh in a panic.

After you have released the bird, you will have to keep a close eye on it during the first couple of days, as it might not be accepted by the other birds in the aviary. If you are aware of the fact that this might happen, you will be able to take the appropriate action if and when it does.