Breeding Fischer’s lovebirds: Mutations
Breeding Fischer’s lovebirds (Agapornis fischeri) can be a rewarding experience but requires careful attention to their care, environment, and breeding process.
Steps to Successfully Breed Fischer’s Lovebirds:
- Pairing: Fischer’s lovebirds are monogamous and form strong pair bonds. To breed them, you need to have a compatible, healthy, bonded pair. If you introduce two single birds, they need time to bond before they are ready to mate.
- Breeding Age: Lovebirds are sexually mature by 10-12 months old, but it’s recommended to wait until they are at least a year old before breeding to ensure they are fully developed.
- Housing:
- Use a spacious cage or aviary where the pair can feel comfortable.
- Provide a nest box measuring about 12x12x12 inches (30x30x30 cm). A wooden nest box with a concave bottom works best for lovebirds.
- Line the nest with soft materials like shredded paper, coconut fiber, or straw for the female to build a comfortable nest.
- Diet: Nutrition is critical for breeding lovebirds. Their diet should consist of:
- High-quality seeds or pellets.
- Fresh vegetables and fruits like spinach, broccoli, carrots, and apples.
- Protein-rich foods such as boiled eggs, sprouted seeds, and cuttlebone for calcium.
- During breeding, the female needs extra calcium to prevent egg-binding.
- Mating and Egg-laying:
- After successful mating, the female will lay 4-6 eggs, one every other day.
- The incubation period lasts about 21-23 days. During this time, the female will incubate the eggs, and the male will feed her.
- Hatching and Care of Chicks:
- Once the eggs hatch, both parents will feed the chicks.
- The chicks will leave the nest after about 6-8 weeks, but they will continue to be fed by their parents for a few more weeks.
- Weaning and Independence:
- After about 10-12 weeks, the young birds will be fully weaned and independent.
- It’s important to separate them from the parents after weaning to prevent aggression.
Breeding Fischer’s lovebirds:
- Lighting: Ensure proper lighting for your breeding birds, with at least 10-12 hours of light per day, especially in winter.
- Hygiene: Keep the breeding cage clean to prevent diseases. Remove old food, clean the cage regularly, and provide fresh water.
- Observation: Monitor the behavior of the birds closely to ensure they are bonding and not showing signs of aggression.
Breeding Fischer’s lovebirds requires time, commitment, and attention to detail, but with the right care, you can have healthy and happy chicks.
Fisher’s falls in the group of lovebirds with white eye-rings.
Their closest relatives of masked lovebirds are fishers, which are only slightly smaller. Males and females have the same coloration.
Their natural habitat is northwest of that of the masked lovebirds that are separated by jungle. They are found in northern Tanzania, southeast of Lake Victoria. Their natural habitat is the savannahs of the highlands at altitudes of 1000 to 1700 meters.
Their voices are louder and more strident than those of masked lovebirds.
Fishers are very sociable and adaptable in the wild. There are accounts in Forshaw’s book of them taking over abandoned weaver nests. Like masked lovebirds, they breed in colonies.
When it comes to feeding and care, fishers have very similar requirements to those of masked lovebirds. They appear to be even slightly less susceptible to lower temperatures. However, the danger of frost damage to their feet remains and they too should winter in a frost-free area.
To find the correct ring size:
https://www.wwbirds.co.za/dir/parrot-ring-sizes-in-sa/
Breeding Fischer’s lovebirds mutations:
Fishers are easily available and a few stunning mutations are available, such as Yellow black-eyed, Dominant edge, Recessive pied, Dominant pied, Mottle, Slatty, Bronze fallow, and Pale fallow.
Photos courtesy Ronny de Smet
If you like Breeding Fischer’s lovebirds, you might also be interested in breeding masked lovebirds.
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