When to Remove Baby Lovebirds

Tame lovebirds are considered more desirable pets than those raised in a wild or semi-wild environment. Removing baby lovebirds from the nest and introducing them to human handling is a key part of producing well-socialized baby birds who are already trusting pets before they ever go to their new homes.

  1. The Natural Way

    • In a natural environment, without any type of human intervention, baby lovebirds wean from their parents' care when they are approximately 8 weeks old. At this point in time, the lovebirds are able to eat on their own. They should be able to glide through the air if not independently fly. They should have the appearance of miniature adult lovebirds. At this point, the baby lovebirds are physically ready to leave the nest.

    Early Socialization

    • As a breeder, you may choose to begin removing your baby lovebirds from their parents' nest when they are less than 8 weeks old. The purpose of removing the lovebirds from the nest is to begin socializing them to being handled by humans. The more you handle your baby lovebirds, the more tame they will be. You can handle each chick and then put it back in the nest to be cared for by the parents. Handling your birds regularly from a young age will help tame them.

    Hand-Raised

    • Some breeders choose to remove baby lovebirds from their parents care when they are as young as 2 weeks old. If you choose to do this, you will have to take over the feeding responsibilities that previously belonged to the parent birds. This process is called hand-raising and it generally produces the tamest baby birds.

    Considerations

    • Only professional, expert breeders who understand how to keep baby birds warm and well-nourished should attempt hand-raising. Hand-feeding baby birds requires a large time commitment; your baby lovebirds will suffer if you are not prepared or able to meet their needs. Socializing your birds from an early age without fully taking them away from their parents can help ensure the birds will be socialized without losing out on their parents' care. The downside of this kind of care is that some parents do not tolerate baby lovebirds' removal from the nest and become agitated or aggressive if you try to do so. Allowing the parents to raise the baby birds until weaning without interfering can produce healthy young birds, but they may lack social skills and behave as if they are wild.