Baby leaving home-sigh

[joan gault]

Hi All
It's been quite awhile since I have posted but I have an urgent question about 1 of my babies leaving home! I have 3 baby lovies who are about 5-6 months and they live in the same cages with each other. I have a lady who wants 1 of them and she sounds like she is going to be a good "new mommie" but I am worried if these lovies are too old to be separated. She has a large cage but only wants 1 bird-I hope to give her the more independent 1 as two of them tend to sleep, eat etc. together and this one is kinda on his own. I probably am having separation fears but do you think he is not too old to go to her? Also I have been letting him out almost every day for hours and she plans to keep him in a cage-will this be a problem for the bird. If anyone has some advice please send it to me before tomorrow.:x >o
Joan

[LauraO]

Joan: It's never easy letting babies go. I have cried and fretted many days and nights over my babies leaving home. Ultimately, you have to make the decision if this is a good home for your baby because you have to live with where he's at and wonder how he's doing. Saying that, I question the fact that she doesn't want to let him out of the cage. Does she want a pet or an ornament? I'm of the mind that all lovies need out of the cage time and if your baby is used to that and he has friends, the change is going to be very big for him and not in a good way. I would try to explain the importance of out of the cage time to this person and if she refuses to change her mind and agree to open up this type of relationship with your baby I would either change my mind or tell her she needs two lovies so the baby doesn't get lonely. Lovies are very social animals and must have human or bird interaction to be happy.

Just my :2cents:

[Janie]

Joan, I do think that a six month old baby will adjust in a new home. Think about all of the lovies that are sold to stores like PetSmart/PetCo and some of them probably sit there for months before anyone buys them. My breeder recently took in a bird for re-homing and found out through the band that this bird is SIX years old. He was sold to my former neighbor about a year and a half ago from a Petland store and they were told that he was a very young bird. He had to have been at least four when they bought him and no telling how long he'd been sitting in a pet store....waiting for a home. He is, btw, doing very well at my breeders house and she thinks she's found a good "forever" home for him. Anyway, my point is, six months is still very young and readjusting to a new home should not be too hard on him. What will be a tremendous adjustment, I would think, is that he won't get to be out of his cage! Do you mean ever or just not as often as he has with you? If this woman works and can only give him out of cage time before and after work, that should still be fine (I think he'll adjust to that change) as long as he has a cage full of interesting toys to keep him busy. Most of our birds on this forum do spend much of the day caged and they are fine with that as long as they are in a "happy" cage and get plenty of attention when their humans are around.

One more thing I wanted to mention......I don't think that your three, together, would work for much longer anyway. I've always heard and read that 3 are a bad number to house in the same cage, even three males together. Eventually, one becomes odd bird out and can be picked on or even killed by the other two. So, I think they would have had to be separated eventually, even if you kept all three.

I feel for you, letting one go. I think that is the main reason I don't want babies! Too hard to give them up when the time comes! Good luck and keep us posted on your little one. :)

[Janie]

I question the fact that she doesn't want to let him out of the cage. Does she want a pet or an ornament? I'm of the mind that all lovies need out of the cage time and if your baby is used to that and he has friends, the change is going to be very big for him and not in a good way. I would try to explain the importance of out of the cage time to this person and if she refuses to change her mind and agree to open up this type of relationship with your baby I would either change my mind or tell her she needs two lovies so the baby doesn't get lonely.

Alrighty! That is exactly what I wanted to say, Laura! :) :) :)

[butterfly1061]

Yep, I agree totally with Laura. If this woman isn't going to let the lovie out of the cage, I'd say no. I wouldn't allow anyone to "jail" a social bird like a parrot if I had babies to re-home. :2cents:

[joan gault]

Good advice from all of you-thank you. She never plans to let the bird out because of the "poop", she lives in an apt. with antique furniture. She seems to have done a lot of research on lovies and she did have one for 3 yrs. which she rescued from the balcony. I also can see that this 1 bird is the odd bird in the cage. Not too much fighting but all of my five babies have paired up but this one. I am going over tomorrow to her house so I can see the cages she has and the set-up. No more babies as this is too hard to part with them. I will keep you all posted. Thanks.
Joan

[Janie]

She never plans to let the bird out because of the "poop", she lives in an apt. with antique furniture

In that case, Joan, I'd tell her to get a couple of finches. I would not sell a bird that has been raised as a pet to someone who will confine it to a cage.

[butterfly1061]

because of the "poop", she lives in an apt. with antique furniture.

If she can't handle a little poop, she doesn't need a pet. I lived in an apartment with three lovebirds and I never had a complaint or problem with anyone. As far as her antique furniture, it sounds like she's more concerned about her surroundings than the well being of a pet. But if you want to place your lovie in confinement for the rest of it's life, that's your call but I wouldn't consider it, unless they are in a breeding program. Lovebirds are parrots and parrots are wild and "social" birds and need free, out of cage time. :2cents:

[Janie]

Heather, while your birds don't get out every day (lord, you would never get any rest on that schedule! :lol) they do all have a cage buddy/mate and are surrounded by a flock. I am sure they are all very happy, in or out of their cages. What bothers me is to image a single little lovebird sitting day in and day out, alone, in a cage. :( I'm sure it happens all the time but it really bothers me. Alot!

[Paulette]

Maybe you could talk her into 2 lovies. Trim their wings so they will likely stay at or on top of the cage and recommend lots of toys and possibly a mirror to keep it company if she chooses only one bird and suggest draping furniture she doesn't want pottied on. I did have a lady at the fair buy one of Hope and Jake's babies and she wanted to know how upset the bird would be if it didn't get let out all of time. It was a semi tame one and I told her to give it lots of toys and play with it when she can. Here again the utlimate cussion and discussion: people are going to do what ever they want to do anyway regardless of what they say. If you are going to sell or rehome your fids you are responsible to educate the buyer as much as you can and then you have to let go. And that is extremely hard for me, this is exactly why I gave a 2 page typed handout with basic needs, dangers, food recipes, lovebird web sites (this site), exactly what my birds are used to,my email and phone numbers so if they have any questions later or need help they can reach me. There is soooo much to know...recommending people to this site is a wonderful start.

[LauraO]

I always ask people if they plan on letting their lovies out and it has to be their honest intention or I won't sell or give them a baby if they don't agree. I can't live with myself if I knew a bird did not have the option of having some freedom. I know this can't be guaranteed but I know both my husband and I fret over this constantly and we can only hope for the best. We have turned down several people and are working out an even more in-depth strategy to give our lovies a better chance.

[Paulette]

Any update Joan?