Adding another...

[LMPego]

I asked this question in a different way on the main board, but I need some LB experts here...

We have a compulsive egg-laying female lovebird and are thinking of fostering/adopting another compulsive egg-laying female lovebird. Do you think this has the potential to make each of them better or worse?

[Monica]

All I can say is that it's really hard to tell... I don't think it could be worse, persay, you'd be dealing with two... but there's a chance that one or both could turn around... IMO, you should consider fostering the second one for a month maybe, and see how things go. If it doesn't go well, then you can always find the other lovie a new home... if it goes just fine, then it's your decision if you'd like to keep her.

[atalantae]

Hi LMPego.
I have a male lovie. He is 3 yrs old. He got into the masterbation thing. I decided it was time to get him a mate. I was going to get a female but decided against it because I do not want any babies.
I instead got another male.
They get along terrific and now no more masterbation. They keep one another company.
I do not know if it will work for a female but it worked for my male.

Take care and good luck.

[LMPego]

Thanks, guys.
Monica, we had talked about fostering, but the vets assistant doesn't want to do that because she doesn't want Captain to be uprooted again and they can't adopt her out if nobody sees her. I completely understand her point. They would take her back if it doesn't work out, but apparently that's already happened to her. I pretty much talked myself out of it - she seems to have it pretty good living at the vet, actually - but then I turn around and am so drawn to her for some reason. We're still talking about it.

[Monica]

I can see the vets assist's point of view.... hopefully something can be worked out and the lovie finds a permanent home! Or maybe for the lovie to have a second home??? (thinking about Lorie and Molly)

[LMPego]

I was thinking about that, too. Or seeing if we could take her for a weekend and see how she fits in with the household.

[CrazyBirdLady]

If I remember correctly, your hen in an eye ring series lovie? Is this other hen an eye ring as well? If they are different species, especially a peachface hen can be extremely aggressive to another hen. Sometimes hens will bond and honestly, they may even lay eggs together, take turns sitting on them. On the other hand, they might forget all about laying and spend time playing together. Really it's a 50/50 chance. You stated you were thinking about bringing her home for a weekend to see how she fits in, but what about quarantine? I ask because I'm super paranoid about quarantine, especially with lovies as they so many times can be a carrier of a disease, with no symptoms, but can certainly pass it on to another.