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baby lovebird not growing properly

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baby lovebird not growing properly

Postby bobbivik » Fri Mar 29, 2019 1:08 am

HI
I have these two lovebirds that are nesting for the first time and have had two baby lovebirds.It was all going well until i noticed that her babbies were not growing as fast as my other pairs babbies and their only a day apart (the new pair's baby being the youger one).
Im not sure whats going on here and i would like some help please, like should a help them or is it that the morther isn't looking after them properly.

Thanks
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bobbivik
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 14
Number of Birds Owned: 7
Types of Birds Owned: senegal parrot, lovebirds
Flight: Yes

Re: baby lovebird not growing properly

Postby Pajarita » Fri Mar 29, 2019 9:56 am

It's impossible to figure out what is going on from your post. Somebody who knows about breeding lovebirds needs to go to your home and observe the lovies personally to be able to answer you. And, I don't want to make you feel bad but, obviously, you do NOT know enough to be breeding because, if you did, you would know what the problem is - and, actually, if you did, there would be no problem. People have this extremely romantic idea that putting a male and female together and giving them a nest is all that is needed and, although that works in the wild, it doesn't work in captivity. I can tell you what comes to my mind:
1) you are breeding birds that are still too young (just because a bird is sexually mature, it doesn't mean it's ready to breed - 12 year old girls are sexually mature but one would not want them having babies, right?),
2) the mother is sick
3) the mother is overbred and depleted
4) you are not providing the right kind of food (but I doubt this is the reason)

Again, not being there, it's impossible for anybody to tell what the problem is.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: baby lovebird not growing properly

Postby bobbivik » Fri Mar 29, 2019 5:10 pm

oh ok i'm sorry
I have been breeding lovebirds succesfuly for about 5 years and this is my first problem.
And i have hand raised lots of lovebirds to.
and im sorry for my bad way of wording and not explaining my self properly.
im just worred about the new pairs babies because my orignal pair's baby has its eyes open and is looking healthy and all that.but my new pairs babies are the same age as the other pair's babbies, but they still don't have their eyes open and they are much smaller.
i don't know if this helped, if not just forget this hole thing.

Thanks
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bobbivik
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 14
Number of Birds Owned: 7
Types of Birds Owned: senegal parrot, lovebirds
Flight: Yes

Re: baby lovebird not growing properly

Postby Pajarita » Sat Mar 30, 2019 11:05 am

How old are the birds that are not feeding correctly? Did you wait until they were two years old or did you start breeding them at one year of age? Do you know that you should always pair a proven bird with a first timer? Are the birds kept at a strict solar schedule so they only breed during the season or are they kept at a human light schedule and made to breed off-season?

With all due respect, just because you bred birds for five years without a problem, it doesn't mean you know what you are doing. A knowledgeable breeder knows what to do (diet, humidity, flight for abdominal muscles, etc) before, during and after the breeding season so nothing ever happens. I used to breed song canaries (not for sale, mind you!) and never had a single problem, except once when the mother got sick and I had to handfeed the babies (not that it actually works out well with such small species because they all grow up with eating disorders from not getting the food often enough - no human can feed as often as the parents do). Another thing, the fact that you handfeed lovebirds is an indication of your lack of knowledge on the species because aviary species (which lovebirds are) revert when they reach sexual maturity - the imprint bond doesn't last on them, only on companion species, unless you keep them all alone as a human pet -a cruel practice which gives them chronic stress and shortens their lifespan considerably.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


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