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Pictures Successful First Time Parents

ranonimcab

Sitting on the front steps
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Joni
Ok so this is a long story but I'll hit the high points. 2 yrs ago I started with 3 lovebirds, 2 babies about 10 weeks old and an older girl I rescued. As time went on we had some accidents, lost a couple, gained a couple, lost a couple. Recently I was down to 2 females, they got along well enough to be out together but live in separate cages. One was an old old Lutino peach face. She had had babies a couple times, lost a mate, and was pulling out her feathers alot. I'm happy to say I was able to get her feathers growing and her happy and active again. She and my now 2 yr old female that I got as a baby bonded and shared a cage for awhile until my baby matured and I had to separate them.

A couple months ago they were out together. The old one was not nearly as aggressive as the young one so when they were out I had to watch them. I guess at sometime while they were out the young one bit the old one on the back of the neck. I couldn't see the bite until it was too late and my old lady passed away. That brought me down to one very sad and depressed 2 1/2 yr old female. Her name is sweet pea and she is a dutch blue.

So new chapter, I got in touch with a breeder and was able to get a 4 yr old male exactly the color I wanted. Sweet Pea has laid eggs before and had been dying to be a momma and I was ready after tons and tons of research to breed. Skittles came to me on Aug 27th of this year, he is a true clown and beautiful with his vibrant colors (green with the red head). I bought them a huge new cage that has a divider and extra doors to place nest boxes. When I brought him home I thought ok when he is out of quarantine I'll keep the cage divider in and let them be that close to get to know each other awhile. Sweet Pea had other ideas! The first night they spent on the divider sleeping together, the next morning sweetpea managed to push the divider over and climb in with her new hubby. It's been a love story ever since. 5 days later they got down to breeding and had 5 eggs. Of the 5 eggs 4 hatched. I seriously have no idea what happened to the 5th egg! It just disappeared one day! I have never found even a piece of shell which is saying something since Sweet Pea cleaned out the nest of the old shell each time a baby hatched. I have decided to coparent the babies and let mom and dad feed them while I just handle the babies daily. Momma and daddy are doing a wonderful job, cleaning the nest and caring for the little ones who are now 3 and 4 weeks old. It's an awesome thing to watch!

I didn't handle the babies the first 2 weeks only opened the box every couple days to make sure everything was good. The little ones are curious and active and healthy. They like to be held and love to check out your face when you make the right noises to them. And they chatter like crazy in the mornings to be fed. Nature is amazing when you just let it occur at its own pace.

I have a couple questions, how much should the babies be walking, crawling, scooting at this age? Should I ever start to offer them food? I do a total clean of their box weekly and momma is always bringing in new nest materials and throwing out old. I moved them to a larger nest box because the little parakeet box was getting super tight! The new box has glass on one side letting in light and exposing them to the outside world. Momma is fine with it but the babies are still hiding after a couple days in it. Is this ok? Should I cover up the window or leave it uncovered?
 

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Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
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Nature is amazing when you just let it occur at its own pace.
Not to be rude, but ¨nature¨ is going to see the birds in Namibia.

how much should the babies be walking, crawling, scooting at this age?
Not much. Without human intervention they would only have access to the insides of the nest until they fledge. Mimicking that the best we can allows for best results. When they´re out and snuggling on you, they´re not walking so that´s fine.

Should I ever start to offer them food?
I would stick to your original plan and let the parents do it all. In a week or so, you can offer some millet while out of the nest with you. Be sure to offer plates of veggies for the adults to show the young during the fledgling stage, it´s important the chicks see their parents eating well so they too eat well.

The new box has glass on one side letting in light and exposing them to the outside world. Momma is fine with it but the babies are still hiding after a couple days in it. Is this ok? Should I cover up the window or leave it uncovered?
I would cover it for sure. Simply sticking a piece of paper to the outside of it should suffice.
 

ranonimcab

Sitting on the front steps
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Joni
Not to be rude, but ¨nature¨ is going to see the birds in Namibia
Your right that was rude to say and uncalled for. Just helped me remember why I'm not part of these forums.
 

Sparkles99

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Well, I hope you stick around. I agree that parents are best to raise babies. :)
 

Emma&pico

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Your right that was rude to say and uncalled for. Just helped me remember why I'm not part of these forums.
@Zara wouldn’t have meant it nasty at all she probably means if it was upto nature lovebirds would be in there “natural” home and not in cages etc we can only offer the best life we can but it’s not natural for them at all and they would probably love to be in nature flying for miles I really don’t think you should take it wrong way and please definitely don’t leave @Zara is lovely and a massive help to anyone with lovebirds

your babies are gorgeous any more pictures of the parents etc
 

Aviphile

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DeeDee
I don't know I think it is a personal choice. Lots of breeders pull the eggs and the parents never even see their babies. I do know that Kashmir Csaky co-parented some of the hyacinths that her birds had and did it successfully.

 
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