Separate cages or is one cage ok?

[LadyFlo]

Hi, Mango (male) is 4 1/2 years, and Peaches (female) is 9 months. They have bonded. Mango feeds her and preens her. Sometimes Peaches will give him a head scritch too. They very much enjoy each other’s company and will snuggle together on me when I’m watching tv. I do my best to not give them any hidey places and am told to wait till she is at least 2 before mating. (I don’t particularly want babies but ….) They have separate cages at night and when no one is home.

My question is: Is ok for them to share a cage or better to keep them separate at night. They are free most of each day unless we go out.
Thanks

 

[April]

Ill tag some Lovie folks for you @Zara @Emma&pico

 

[Emma&pico]

@Zara your best answer indie and pico were friends outside but never shared a cage
Mango and apple pie but they were inseparable

you could try to watch to make sure both are eating have two of everything will help reduce fights two feeding bowls etc

 

[LadyFlo]

@Zara your best answer indie and pico were friends outside but never shared a cage
Mango and apple pie but they were inseparable

you could try to watch to make sure both are eating have two of everything will help reduce fights two feeding bowls etc

Thanks

 

[Zara]

(I don’t particularly want babies but ….)

But what?
If you do not have the knowledge, funds, access to vet and other resourses, then breeding should be off the table.

If your birds are bonded, which can happen as young as just 4 or 5 months, then my belief is that they should be allowed to live together to avoid stress or depression. Remember that lovebirds are a species that can become feather pickers when stressed.

Your hen is 9 months old, so as long as she wants to, then mating is not a problem. The problem is when the male gives her attention and she does not want it.

Coming back to breeding, it is a simple switch of eggs for dummy eggs and it's like magic - no chicks. I have a sibling pair that are now 6 years old. They have laid many eggs in their life but for obvious reasons, they have never bred (and never will). If you can't get dummy eggs, take any eggs laid, boil them, allow to cool completely then put back.

 

[LadyFlo]

But what?
If you do not have the knowledge, funds, access to vet and other resourses, then breeding should be off the table.

If your birds are bonded, which can happen as young as just 4 or 5 months, then my belief is that they should be allowed to live together to avoid stress or depression. Remember that lovebirds are a species that can become feather pickers when stressed.

Your hen is 9 months old, so as long as she wants to, then mating is not a problem. The problem is when the male gives her attention and she does not want it.

Coming back to breeding, it is a simple switch of eggs for dummy eggs and it's like magic - no chicks. I have a sibling pair that are now 6 years old. They have laid many eggs in their life but for obvious reasons, they have never bred (and never will). If you can't get dummy eggs, take any eggs laid, boil them, allow to cool completely then put back.

Thank you, Zara. The but is that eggs happen. No, it’s not my intention to breed them which is why I questioned them living together. They definitely want to be togethe. Again thanks for your response.

 

[Zara]

The but is that eggs happen

If you are worried about the complications of a young bird laying an egg, remember that allowing daily flight, and giving a varied diet can drastically reduce egg laying complications. My sibling pair bonded right out of the nest, and were mating at just months old, but the first egg came at about 14 months - still not a good age for breeding, but as I wasn't allowing breeding it didn't matter and she was healthy enough to lay the eggs with no issues.
This is a good article to save for reference;

https://nilesanimalhospital.com/files/2012/05/Complications-of-Egg-Laying-Activity.pdf

I highly recommend dummy eggs, they will make the switch quick. You don't know what your hen will be like with eggs, some can be quite nippy and charge at you like an angry rhino, so the dummy eggs reduce going in there twice.

They definitely want to be togethe.

I think you should let them. Just monitor closely while you transition them to be sure there's no fighting, and the female is happy and not being pressured by the male. Adding two bowls as said by Emma above will help. I have just had two birds pair up, so I am also in your shoes of closely monitoring them to be sure there's no bumps in the road.
Having lots of out of cage time during the pairing process can help with positive interactions for them as they'll have space to get away from any nips.