hatch mates

[tomkat]

Hi all,
I need some advice on 2 peachfaced lovebird my partner bought me. They are 5 months old and we bought them from a lady who handraised them. I also have to bonded lovebirds already who don't want alot to do with me and this one was meant to be my little buddy but my partner couldn't resist buying one and bought them both again thinking one for him well his is very in love with him but my little guy keeps getting out of his cage by squeezing threw the bars to get to his mate. the lady told my partner to keep them separate but they where in the same cage when he saw them and there wasn't another cage around so are the arlready bonded and is it cruel to try and keep separating can someone please help as I don't want to upset them.
when I separate them he doesn't go till his buddy starts calling him and passing at the bottom of his cage.

[Lucky Feathers]

Originally Posted by tomkat

Hi all,
but my little guy keeps getting out of his cage by squeezing threw the bars to get to his mate. the lady told my partner to keep them separate but they where in the same cage when he saw them and there wasn't another cage around so are the arlready bonded

First off, if the bird is getting out of the cage through the cage bars, then your bar spacing is way to big. It can be very dangerous for a bird to have a cage with bar spacing that is to big. For a love bird I wouldn't put them in a cage with bar spacing any larger then 5/8 of an inch.

If you want to separate them that is up to you - if they are caged together they more then likely are going to bond to one another more then you, but if you do separate them you have a much higher chance of them bonding to you and having a little buddy. Even bonded birds can be separated - they will be upset at first and start calling for one another and such, but it should die down after a little while. You can always cage them separately, but next to each other so that they are in different cages, but can still see one another.

[tomkat]

Just thought I would let you know we bought cheeky charlie a new cage I was concerned about him getting hurt threw him getting out.I have faced there cages to each other and I'm going to see how they go over the next few days if they start to get upset I will just have to put them together and accept it.
thanks for your advise

[xafsmom]

Ok first...

If they're hatch mates and 5 months old, they simply have a clutch bond. It's natural for birds to want to be with their clutchmates. However...

It's not cruel to separate them. It would be FAR more cruel to allow them to remain together, breed and produce babies with congenital defects. I've seen congenital defects that range from missing crops, to wrong side esophagus, to missing limbs, to having legs hinged on wrongly... to babies that literally have no ability to survive and go through a slow, agonising death (or fast one, if someone's merciful). Clutch after clutch after clutch. Or, of course, you could just shake the fertile eggs each time so they don't hatch. Rethink what's cruel.

Now, if you separate them, and let them remain in their cages in the same room, AND give them some play time together, then it's the best of both worlds. They get bird/bird time, and can still remain buddies with their human owners.

They will whine and cry for each other for about 2 weeks. They will settle in fine after that without any problems.