It's the time of year for baby birds and the Bird Resort is handfeeding some of the most adorable babies you've ever met! Since we have one pair breeding, we have offered to handfeed some chicks from other clutches who would otherwise be parent raised and less suitable as loving companions. Our chicks are handfed and abundance weaned. They are cuddled and loved and are very tame. Our lovebird babies are strong, healthy and curious.
If you would like to buy one of our babies, you can put down a 50% deposit and come visit them until they are fully weaned and ready to go home. Please note that under no circumstances will we allow a bird to go to a new home unweaned. This could jeopardize the health and well being of our chicks and would be irresponsible of us as breeders.
A variety of information is provided below, and pictures of our chicks available at the very bottom of the page. For additional information not covered on this page, please e-mail us at thebirdresort@gmail.com and we would be happy to answer any inquiry as best we can.
Why Choose a Lovebird?
Lovebirds are full of energy and spunk. They have all the personality of a large parrot in a tiny package. Lovebirds need as much space as you can provide, but they can easily be accomodated in condominiums and apartments. Lovebirds are not as demanding as large parrots and don't seem to mind being left alone for the day with a good supply of toys and food to keep them entertained. They can have a piercing call when excited or afraid, so if you have a very low tolerance to noise, a Lovebird may not be the bird for you. When handfed and tamed, they are happy to be with you, curious and loving. While Lovebirds have a reputation for being aggressive, people who have hand-raised and well loved lovebirds will tell you they are an absolute joy to be around. Sometimes females get grumpy during mating/nesting periods, but extra love and plenty of distractions can help get through their hormonal times.
One Lovebird or Two?
Lovebirds are social creatures. While it is a myth that these birds will die if they are not kept in pairs, they do like company. If you can provide a Lovebird with the attention it needs to be happy, then you become its flock member. If you want a Lovebird but know that you will not be able to provide it with all the love and attention it would get from a mate or flock member, then your potential pet is best kept in a pair to avoid depression and excessive boredom. The potential problem is that the birds become mostly bonded with each other and begin to ignore you. This can be avoided by keeping the birds in seperate or divided cages so they can enjoy playtime together, or by reinforcing your part in their lives with consistent and frequent one-on-one playtimes with you and each bird. Lovebirds kept in pairs are most happy in male/female or male/male pairs. Two females housed together will often become aggressive with each other during hormonal mating/nesting periods. If you want a male/female pair, it is best to get unrelated pairs to prevent inbreeding. If you want a specific gender, you need to be prepared for additional DNA Gender Testing costs because there is no way to be 100% sure about gender just by an external examination.
Why Buy a Handfed Bird Rather Than Parent-Raised?
Handfed birds have been pulled from the nest at around two weeks of age. They are syringe-fed a formula that gives them all the vitamins and minerals they need to make them strong and healthy. The chicks see us and develop growing connections between people and food, then cuddles, and then trust. These connections will continue for life and start you off with a bird who is already comfortable with people, and just need to get to know you. Parent-raised birds stay in the nest and are weaned by their parents. While they can interact with people, it is limited because Lovebird parents will often abandon their young if the chicks are handled too soon and too frequently. A bird who has never interacted with people needs to build a trust with each individual they meet which can be frustrating and stressful for excited new owners and young birds in a new cage/environment.
What is Abundance Weaning?
Our chicks are abundance weaned which means that we never force them to eat hard food before they are ready which can cause unhealthy weight losses and inconsistant eating habits. When they stop wanting the food, we continue to offer it and make sure they are eating properly and consistantly before we stop offering the meal. When chicks decide that they are ready to venture toward hard food, we offer a wide variety of mixed fruits and vegetables so that later in life they feel comfortable enough to try new and different treats. Birds that are offered only one food during the weaning process are often stubborn when it comes to trying new foods and sometimes they will never try to eat anything new. Our chicks are primarily weaned onto Tropican Lifetime Pellets by Hagen but they also get Zupreem and Tropimix in their mix. These foods provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to keep your bird healthy and are available in most pet stores in Ontario. A bag of this food is included in the cost of your lovebird so they can continue eating well.
What are the Benefits of Buying From the Bird Resort?
The benefits of buying a lovebird from the Bird Resort are:
-Your baby is weaned onto pellets, not a junky seed diet
-You have a 30 day health warranty, providing you take your bird to a vet and the bird is quarantined from all other pet birds.
-You will receive 1/2 price Boarding for your lovebird from the Bird Resort for life
-a $20 discount on DNA Gender Testing if done when still at the Bird Resort
-You know that your bird has been abundance weaned and introduced fresh fruits and vegetables.
What are the Costs I Can Expect?
The price of one of our lovebirds is $100 which includes the bird, a bag of food. a hatch certificate, and 1/2 price boarding voucher. They need a high quality cage with suitable bar spacing and size which normally costs around $120-$300+. To decorate your bird's new home with an appropriate selection of toys and perches, you will probably need around to $100 and you can expect about $15+/month upkeep for food and extra toys. Vet bills are a minimum $70 cost just to see the Doctor and birds should be examined yearly to avoid disease and promote health and longevity.
Is a Lovebird Right for Me?
1) Am I sensitive to loud noises?
2) Am I financially prepared for a bird?
3) Have I researched Lovebirds and their needs?
4) Is there an avian vet in my area?
5) Am I prepared to commit to this parrot for 15+ years?
6) Do I want a Lovebird or a decoration for my room?
7) Do I mind cleaning and understand that birds are messy?
8) If something happens to me, is there someone who can take the parrot permenantly?
9) Am I prepared to give this parrot enough attention to satisfy its social needs?
10) Do I have pets in my home that might be a potential threat to the Lovebird?
11) Have I researched poisonous plants and unhealthy foods for a Lovebird?
12) If I already have birds, can I give this bird enough attention?
13) Are my children going to harass or torment the bird?
14) If a child is going to be the main caregiver to the bird, are they truly prepared for this commitment?
There are many more questions to ask yourself so this is the tip of the iceberg, but if Lovebirds are sounding more and more loveable to you, check out our chicks below!
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