How to Buy a Lovebird in the United States | PetzLover

Which lovebird should you buy: peach-faced, Fischer's or masked?

• Eye ring: Chewy's editors explain that Fischer's and masked lovebirds belong to the eye-ring group, with a white ring around the eye; the peach-faced is not in that group.
• Names: the masked lovebird is sometimes wrongly called the black-masked lovebird, Chewy notes.
• Voice: Merck describes lovebirds as having sweet voices that are not usually loud. Wendy Edwards of Carolina Flight Aviary, quoted by Chewy, finds Fischer's and masked lovebirds calmer and not as loud as peach-faces.
• Colors: peach-faced lovebirds have been bred into hundreds of color mutations, Chewy says, and rare colors cost more. Color does not change care or temperament.
• Talking: VCA calls lovebirds generally poor talkers, though full of chatter.

Do lovebirds have to be kept in pairs?

No. Chewy calls the idea that a lovebird will die without a partner the most common myth about them, and says most breeders and lovebird owners insist they be kept as single pets. The Vet Desk takes the other view, that lovebirds should ideally be kept in bonded pairs but can live alone with enough attention.

• One bird: VCA says young single birds bond closely with their owners. It needs your company every day.
• A pair: VCA says most lovebird pairs can be housed together successfully but often bond more strongly to each other than to their owners.
• Adding a second bird later: Chewy warns this can be dangerous, as an older lovebird might kill the newcomer. Introduce birds slowly, in separate cages first, with an avian vet's advice.
• A male and a female will breed. VCA gives clutches of 3 to 7 eggs, so confirm both birds' sex by DNA before you house two together, and decide what you will do about eggs.

Are lovebirds aggressive toward other birds?

They can be. VCA says lovebirds can be very territorial and aggressive when frightened or threatened, and will chase larger bird species and even the family dog or cat. The Vet Desk describes them as fairly territorial and defensive of their home and mate, and says they may fight with other parrot species.

• Give each species its own cage. Chewy advises not housing cockatiels with lovebirds, for example.
• Supervise any time out of the cage with other birds or pets.
• Do not rely on species to predict temper: breeders quoted by Chewy disagree on whether Fischer's or masked lovebirds are the more aggressive, though they agree Fischer's are more aggressive than peach-faces.
• Chewy says taking a lovebird away from its cage to play can reduce territorial behavior.

How can you tell a male lovebird from a female?

Not by looks. VCA says there are no obvious external differences between male and female lovebirds, and blood testing is used to tell them apart; Chewy advises having your lovebird DNA-sexed. Ask the seller for a DNA certificate, or have your avian vet test the bird.

Sex matters for a pet. Chewy reports that breeders consider males the better pets, while females can be aggressive, territorial and prone to excessive egg laying. Chewy advises keeping a female that starts to nest busy with non-shreddable toys and away from dark areas, and warns that a bird you suspect is egg-bound needs an avian vet immediately.

Where can you find lovebirds for sale, and what should you ask?

Lovebirds are sold by pet stores, home breeders and owners, and adults come up through bird rescues; Phoenix Landing, in the mid-Atlantic and Jacksonville, Florida, lists a $50 adoption fee for lovebirds. On PetzLover you can browse lovebirds for sale near you and save the search for alerts.

1. Which species is it, and if it is a color mutation, which one?
2. When did it hatch, and is it fully weaned?
3. Is there a DNA sexing certificate?
4. Was it hand-fed, and is it handled every day?
5. Has it been housed with other lovebirds, and with which sex?
6. What does it eat now?
7. Can I see it, and the parents if you bred it, before I pay?

Breeders who follow how to sell lovebirds will have these answers ready.

How much does a lovebird cost?

VCA gives a minimum cage of 2 feet wide, 2 feet tall and 3 feet long for lovebirds, larger than the 18-inch cube The Vet Desk gives for a single bird, so buy the bigger cage. Rare colors cost more, and a lovebird sold far below local prices with shipping only is a warning sign.

Is it legal, and how do you avoid health problems and scams?

• CITES: the treaty lists almost all parrots on Appendix II but leaves the peach-faced lovebird, with the budgie, cockatiel and ring-necked parakeet, out of the appendices. Fischer's and masked lovebirds are on Appendix II, which matters only for imports and exports.
• State rules: for example, California's restricted-species list (14 CCR 671) names the monk parakeet as its only parrot, so lovebirds are not on it. Other states and cities set their own rules, so check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency.
• Never release a lovebird: the World Parrot Trust records feral peach-faced populations in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.
• Health: book an avian vet exam within 7 days, as VCA advises, and keep the bird apart from other birds until it is cleared. The CDC notes birds can carry psittacosis without looking sick.

The Better Business Bureau warns of fake bird sellers who take a first payment and then invent shipping or crate fees. See the bird in person, pay by credit card where you can, as the FTC advises, and never by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. Use the Report Scam button on any suspicious listing.