WattaBird! How do you pair African LoveBirds?

When I started getting interested in the African LoveBirds Breeding, one of the questions in my mind (among a lot of questions that a newbie have) was, “How do you pair LoveBirds?” 

Back then there are not much articles in the internet discussing this topic. I have to invest in buying books from the local bookstores (National Bookstore or PowerBooks), to get my reference materials. There are also not much books available in the bookstore and if you find some, mostly (if not all) are written by foreign authors. In most cases, their setting is totally different and may not be applicable to the Philippine environment and climate. You also don’t find exactly the topic you need.

As simple as this topic might be (back then), you have to buy the book for just this simple question. You cannot browse some books, since mostly these types of books are sealed. Yes, you can request the sales person to remove the plastic, but for this very simple question, that will be too much of a hassle.

The explosion of the internet and blogging in particular made it easier for sharing information. 

This article will try to share information about “How do you pair LoveBirds.”

If you want to get into Breeding African LoveBirds, it is best that you have the passion and you have to be committed to your breeding program.

Learning about African LoveBirds will equip you with knowledge which will come in handy for different circumstances that may come along your breeding journey.

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“If You have any questions, suggestions, or topics to discuss,  please leave a comment below.”

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How do you pair African LoveBirds

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African LoveBirds in the wild flock together and pair randomly. They are monogamous and will stick to their mate for the rest of their lifetime, which is around 10-15 years.

Before we proceed, I would like you to remember that African LoveBirds are monogamous and breed with the same mate for the rest of their lifetime. LoveBirds form a strong bond with their mates. In the event that the mate dies, the partner will exhibit some form of grief and depression. You will observe your LoveBird looking around the cage for the missing mate. In some cases, your LoveBird will also lose appetite, will not be as active as before, and in some cases will show aggressive behaviour. The grief period does not usually take long, which may take about a few weeks. You have to support your LoveBird during this period.

Breeding African LoveBirds to get the desired mutations will be based on the Breeders preference. 

Here are some points that you can consider:

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Things to consider for your African LoveBirds Breeding Pair

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1. Know what mutation you want to breed. Do you want to produce Opaline LoveBirds? Euwing LoveBirds? New mutation? Etc. This will be your basis for getting your breeding pair. Sample: Breeding Pair: OPALINE (c) x NON-OPALINE (h)  PARENT: COCK IS OPALINE (DAD) PARENT: HEN IS NON-OPALINE (MOM) Offspring: All Sons are SPLIT-OPALINE Offspring: All Daughters are OPALINE Please refer to this link for the Opaline Breeding Chart.

2. Understand the characteristics of the mutation you want to produce. Verify the breeding charts to check what mutations you can use for your breeding pair. There are a lot of possible pairing combinations that will give you possibly the same result. Have this pairing combinations handy to help you make an informed decision, if the exact breeding pair you need is not available.

3. Get your African LoveBirds breeding pair from a reputable Breeder or well-known Aviary. This may be more expensive, but you will be sure that you are getting good quality for your LoveBirds breeding pair. If you have budget constraints, ask around from Friends, Facebook Group, or from your local African LoveBirds club. They can recommend a good Breeder or Aviary.

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Pairing your African LoveBirds

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1. Preparing your African LoveBirds Breeding Pair Buy a cage with divider. This is my preferred method as you don’t need to transfer both to a separate breeding cage. If you don’t have a cage with divider, use two separate cages and place them side by side. Place each of your African LoveBirds in separate sections (separated by the divider). This will help both get acquainted with each other. Note that the Female African LoveBirds tends to be territorial and might reject the Cock if you placed them immediately in the same cage. It is also best to have a Cock that is older than your Hen. If you don’t have this option, you need to be patient if the Cock is younger, because the Older Hen will resist and tend to bully the Younger Cock.  Therefore, never rush placing both LoveBirds in the same cage. You have to be patient and allow both LoveBirds to interact and get acquainted.
2. Introduce your African LoveBirds After a couple or a few days, you can remove the divider and let them mingle. Observe for any forms of aggression or rejection of the potential partner. This phase will allow both LoveBirds to form a bond. Bonding period depends on the age of both the African LoveBirds you are trying to pair. Younger African LoveBirds tend to develop a bond much faster. More mature African LoveBirds tend to be territorial and may take a while to bond. You have to be patient during this phase, until the pair develop a bond.
3. Bonded Pair Once you have a bonded pair, the courtship has started and soon your African LoveBirds will start to mate. You can already put some nesting materials in the cage. Soon enough, you will notice both LoveBirds tucking in these nesting materials into the nesting box. Next thing you know, the Hen will lay eggs and eggs will hatch in due time.

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"The main objective of WattaBird.com is to promote African LoveBirds Breeding as a hobby, share breeding experiences, tips, techniques, best practices, and most importantly, to promote camaraderie among LoveBirds Breeders." - WattaBird.com

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Reference: thezoologicalworld, wikihow, animalsmom

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