How do I stop my lovebirds from mating?

Discourage breeding behavior in your bird. Some birds will display breeding behaviors with their favorite person, such as vent-rubbing, tail lifting, or regurgitating food. Discourage these behaviors by putting your bird back in her cage for a “time out” whenever she displays them.

How often do lovebirds mate?

The pair may mate several times per day. In captivity, a pair of lovebirds will generally bond, build a nest and mate, which is why a novice owner, who wants to bond with her pet bird, should stick with one lovebird and choose to be its companion.

Can lovebirds have more than one mate?

Lovebirds can be particular about their companions, but two female lovebirds can bond and become a pair — it frequently happens when two female birds are inadvertently housed together. Two male lovebirds can also bond. Meanwhile, even paired male and female lovebirds must get along as cage mates to breed.

Do male birds fertilize eggs while they are inside the female?

Birds reproduce by internal fertilization, during which the egg is fertilized inside the female. The male brings his sperm to the female cloaca. The sperm fertilizes the egg. Then the hard-shelled egg develops within the female.

Can a female cockatiel lay eggs without mating?

In wild birds and breeding birds, egg laying is a natural, seasonal process. However, female pet birds can also lay eggs, even without the presence of a male. While egg laying can occur in any breed, it is most common in cockatiels, lovebirds, budgies, canaries, and finches.

How long after mating do birds lay eggs?

After mating, the sperm travels to the ova for fertilization. Eggs may be laid in just a few days or it may be several months before eggs are ready to be laid and the final brooding of the nest begins.

Why does my lovebird keep laying eggs?

Chronic egg laying occurs when a female bird lays more than the normal number of eggs for its species or lays repeated clutches of eggs. Chronic egg laying can happen even without a mate. Although those factors can encourage a female bird to lay eggs, chronic egg laying tends to be triggered by hormone imbalance.

Can lovebirds lay eggs without mate?

While female lovebirds can lay eggs without a mate, you may also have a pair of lovebirds. The first step would be to try and figure out the gender of your birds. If you have a male and female pair over 6 months old, then your lovebird eggs may very well be fertilized!

How do you know if your lovebirds are mating?

When you see your female lovebird shredding paper into long strips with her beak and putting them in her back, she is displaying nesting behavior. It means she is ready for mating and is practicing nest making! When your bird displays the nesting behavior mentioned above, you can be sure it’s a female.

Can 2 female lovebirds live together?

Two female lovebirds should not be put together in the same cage. Female lovebirds tend to get very territorial when defending their chicks or rivalry with other lovebirds of the same gender. Female lovebirds should only be allowed to interact in a common location if they have good temperaments.

Can a Lovebird lay an egg without a mate?

Many novice breeders have this question in their minds at some point of time. A female lovebird will lay an egg with or without a mate, when she is around 9-12 months of age. Of course, without a mate, the eggs laid will be infertile.

How many babies do lovebirds have at once?

Female lovebirds lay their eggs from five to 12 after mating. Many lay an egg every other day until they have all been laid. Each clutch usually contains between three and seven eggs. On average, lovebirds incubate their eggs for about 23 days. This can vary by a couple of days in either direction.

How do Breeders determine the sex of lovebirds?

Breeders will find out about such pairing when both birds start laying eggs (10 or more eggs in a nesting box ), or no eggs are laid at all. Of course, eggs laid by two paired females will be infertile. DNA Sexing: If you want to make sure that the lovebirds are the correct sex, you could use a DNA service to test it.

What is the incubation period of lovebird eggs?

Usually, a hen (female lovebird) lays a clutch of 4-6 eggs, in a gap of 1-2 days. She then broods over the eggs, usually after laying the whole clutch. The incubation period is between 21-23 days, after which the chicks are hatched. There may be exceptions too. The chicks may even hatch out by the 24th or 25th day.