Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Julie O. has a lovebird issue,

 

Hello Catherine & Mitch

 

We have a peach-faced lovebird named Kiki (she told us her name, it’s the only word she speaks) that was rescued nearly dead from starvation and dehydration on a busy Los Angeles street about 5 years ago.

 

We don’t know her actual age, but she looked to be fairly young then.

 

In the past two years, she has started laying infertile eggs.

She had an egg cycle at the end of February 2021, and now in early April she’s at it again and yesterday laid a second egg in this cycle.

 

She’s a velociraptor right now and is trying to mate with anything she can get her little hiney near.

 

We began a 72 hour light therapy session because she has started losing weight and also started plucking her neck feathers and a spot under her wing.

 

 

The vet said her blood work and poop tests all came back fine, and her heart is strong, she has a good (voracious) appetite and still plays with tons of energy.

 

My question is should we refrain from having her regular afternoon stick and target training during the light therapy?

 

She has a weirdly accurate internal clock, and when training time rolls around, she gets very excited and yells to be let out so she can play fetch the ball and flight recall with stick and clicker.

 

Training is precisely 13 minutes, whereas she then asks for her dinner. Even during her egg cycles she expects this training time and asks for it, loudly.

 

Only when she is less than 6 hours away from actually laying an egg and her belly is huge will she not want to play because she’s visibly weighed down and logy.

 

Otherwise, she always wants her training time.

 

 

Thank you for all you do and your awesome advice.

 

Dear Julie,

 

Thank you for taking on this little bird.

 

We are sure her life has been forever enriched by your being there for her.

 

How Pet Bird Keepers Get The Lighting Thing Wrong

 

This time of year is the hardest on all of our little birds. We have 3 boys right now all raging. 

 

Our cockatiel Barney has turned into an eagle and is more than willing to snap at a finger if approached. He is entering his second day of light treatment lockdown.

 

It is truly only 13 minutes?

 

Then go ahead and do it and return the little one to her cage along with her dinner. 

 

The training will keep her mind off having babies.

 

From our experience, 3 days under the light, then one day of confusion wondering if it worked, then seeing it has, and back to being a silly little bird.

 

Please let us know how it goes.  

 

Regards,

Catherine