Lovebirds or lovebirds are known as love birds, because, as their name suggests, these sweet birds are famous for Stay with the same partner for life. This endearing characteristic, as well as its colorful plumage, cheerful song and friendly character, has led many homes to accept this small bird as a pet.
Now, when we want to adopt a new member of the family at home, we must previously inform ourselves about the needs that this has. For this reason, many owners wonder if you can have a single lovebird, because, as you will read in this article on our site, social needs are as important as providing food if you want to have a happy and he althy lovebird.
Inseparable, male or female? - Which to choose?
Generally, it is difficult to distinguish males from females by physical characteristics, since domestic lovebirds almost do not present sexual dimorphism At most, we can differentiate the females, as they are slightly larger and have a broader beak, but even so, it is still not a completely reliable method. Therefore, many lovebird breeders, with the intention of differentiating them, routinely use DNA sexing, since it is the safest tactic.
However, females and males do show behavioural differencesGenerally, females tend to have a more reserved and territorial nature because in their natural habitat they are in charge of building and defending the nest. On the contrary, males tend to be more affable with people and do not have the need to fight in case a third lovebird appears to compete with them for their home.
However, despite the fact that this trend exists, we must not forget that what will really determine whether or not a lovebird is nice will be how it has developed and whether it has had contact with humans since it was little.
If you are considering adopting a lovebird, you may also be interested in reading this other article on Lovebird Care - Everything you need to know.
Is it better to have one or two lovebirds?
Inseparable lovebirds in the wild, on the continent of Africa, often live in flocks within which they form monogamous pairs, although contrary to what is believed, certain freedoms are given when interacting with other lovebirds beyond their partner.
As you may have already deduced, for these parrots, as well as many other bird species, social interaction and bonding with others is absolutely necessary for their well-being, since these animals spend a large part of their time interacting with others; they cuddle, scratch each other, comb their feathers, etc.
Does this mean you can't have just one lovebird? Not necessarily, because if you think you can spend enough time with your inseparable, he can create a nice bond with you and have his social need met. But in case you can't give him enough attention throughout the day, the answer is no, he can't be alone, because it will seriously harm him emotionally and mentally. He alth.
You should also consider whether you can always spend the same amount of time on it. Well, if due to personal circumstances you gradually stop providing him with the company he requires and to which he had become accustomed (think that they can live from 10 to 15 years), he will end up getting frustrated due to lack of attention and he will feel lonely And unfortunately, if by then you consider introducing him to a partner, it may already be too late, because your love interest will not have properly socialized with others of his kind, which will give rise to many disputes.
In case you consider having a partner, you should know that they do not have to be male and female. The inseparable ones can perfectly create very strong ties regardless of gender Now, it is always recommended that they meet when they are children, since as adults it will be more complicated (especially, as we have mentioned, if they are not used to being with others of their kind).
But lastly, if you're worried that your agaporni papillero will stop loving you when you have a new partner, you shouldn't worry either, because if you've raised as a child, he'll still have the same affection for you as always, only now he'll have another companion to entertain and socialize with when you can't be there for him.
What happens if a lovebird or lovebird dies?
There is a well-known myth, which says that when the partner of an inseparable person dies, he/she does so soon also due to a que dies of grief However, this belief is not entirely true, because in nature when a lovebird loses its partner, it finds another in the flock.
Now, this is not exactly the case when you have a lovebird as a pet, because it cannot find another partner. What does this mean? In this case, the death is not directly related to the death of his partner, but due to the lack of activity and social relationship he had with him. Consequently, this deficiency can in the long or short term cause you lack of appetite and make you feel apathetic, a fact that consequently weakens your immune system and poses a risk for you to contract a disease. In addition, it must never be ruled out that it may not contract the same pathology from which the other lovebird has died.
How long can a bird be alone?
Therefore, if you have wondered how long your bird, which was used to living with a companion of the same species, can be alone, this will depend on how long point you can compensate for the void that your partner has left you, and therefore, if you see that your social needs are not met, you should consider taking in another inseparable and introduce him little by little so that you can become friends.
