Anyone really familiar with lovebirds?

[ashleyr]

So my sister has a lovebird and his/her name is Chi-Chi I'm thinking s/he is a peach-faced but I just want to know if I'm correct. Any way to tell the gender of these guys too?

I'd really really like the help if anyone can offer it. Also, his/her previous over gave his/her mate away to someone. If I do find out the gender would s/he make get along with that new bird?

 

[Rosa moschata]

The common lovebird species (Peach-faced, Masked, Fischer's) are not sexually dimorphic, and thus you can't tell "just by looking" if they're male or female. You'll hear some people say you can observe some characteristics that tend to indicate "most likely male" or "most likely female" but none are 100%. To know for sure, you'd have to have it DNA sexed.

You are half-correct about the identity of the lovebird -- it's actually a Peach-faced / Masked hybrid. They are sterile, so no need to worry about finding an opposite-sex mate for breeding -- it won't happen even if you do. And I wouldn't even worry about getting a mate if the bird is friendly, anyway. People think lovebirds need to be kept in pairs because they recount the origin of the name "lovebird" -- pairs will often sit so close together it was thought that they'd "die if kept alone." That's not true. Single lovebirds can make great pets if they are people-friendly. If not, certainly they can enjoy interaction with a bird-buddy, but it doesn't have to be of the opposite sex, and it doesn't have to be in the same cage, and it doesn't have to be another lovebird.

Let your sister give the bird some time to get used to its new home. Keep the cage in an area with lots of human activity. Tell her to offer favorite treats by hand so the bird gets to know her better. If after a month or so it becomes apparent that this bird wants nothing to do with people, THEN consider a possible bird buddy. But not as a cage-mate -- at least, not right away. More of a cage-neighbor. If, after having both birds for a while, your sister thinks they get along well enough to share a cage, then a NEW and larger cage should be bought -- one which neither has claimed as its own, and thus will be "neutral territory." And keep in mind that should she decide on keeping two in a cage together, that will mostly nix the possibility of either being a friendly hand-tame pet.

 

[ashleyr]

Alright thank you for responding I have absolutely no clue about caged birds! He does have parakeet neighbors that he likes to mimic and its super duper cute. He's not friendly with people though which is sad :/ he came like that

 

[Rosa moschata]

Give him/her time. If the budgies take food from your hands through the cage bars, let that be a lesson for him/her to learn. Don't push -- let the bird come to you when ready.

 

[RattleCan]

As Rosa said, there is no sure-fire way to tell your lovebird's gender without DNA testing. If you'd like to know for sure, I recommend you pay a visit to Avian Biotech's website. They can mail you free DNA collection kits and you just mail them the DNA plus $20 or so and they'll let you know what gender the bird is. My own lovebird is a cinnamon-pied peach faced and her color is sex-linked, so it was possible to know she was a female as soon as she got her colors just because of her genetics.

I also second that it's unnecessary to get another lovebird. They do have a tendency to bond to a single entity, and whether that entity is you or another bird is your choice. Just know if the bird is friendly now and you get it a partner, it's very possible the bird might not like you anymore (Not all birds do this. Just depends on the individual personalities!). If it's friendly as is, I'd say just let it bond with you and it shouldn't need a bird companion at all. My lovebird is very bonded to me and very friendly albeit being a grumpy butt when she doesn't get her way. A few months back I obtained a male budgie and he lives in a separate cage next to her. She loves to headbob and dance for him, it's rather cute to watch, and she even started laying eggs after the budgie came around. But I wouldn't quite say she's bonded to him. She still likes me more >_<

 

[Lophura]

A fun trick that can determine sex in Peach-faced (aka Rosy-faced). Give the birds access to paper, the females will likely shred the paper and place in the their rump feathers. In 25 years, I've never seen a male do this. Also, the females of all species tend to be slightly larger than the males and with experience, one can feel the pelvis differences as well. Otherwise, as stated by others, there is no visual coloration differences in most species.

Some of our lovebirds:

 

[Rosa moschata]

Hybrids may attempt the above, but their rump feathers aren't capable of holding nest material. So after a few attempts, they'll carry it in their beaks. Still, if you want to know for sure, a blood test is neither expensive nor difficult.