Lemon broke out of her cage

Yesterday eve. while I was cooking, the cage with both birds was in the balcony. Lemon managed to push out the feeder and the spring door did not close. She flew away through it :(:(

Now I have Lime left but he looks so sad. After what happened yesterday he was trying to get out of the cage from between the bars and also from the feeder. He tried to do this inceassantly for 2 hrs. Tom (my husband) and I where considering opening the cage for him and let him free. It was heart breaking!

Now we splitted his cage in 2 placed water and seeds also in the empty half and left the door open, so maybe she'll come back........but I doubt.

http://petoftheday.com/talk/picture....pictureid=1478
Lemon and Lime

http://petoftheday.com/talk/picture....pictureid=1486
Lemon

http://petoftheday.com/talk/picture....pictureid=1479
Lime and Lemon in bkgd

Tom also told me we should consider getting him another companion. Don't lovebirds take only a partner for life?

What do you think we should do? I would appreciate your views.

Thanks

Karen and Tom

Karen - I'm so sorry that Lemon flew away. Keeping the cage open for her for a day or two is not a bad idea. Just make sure that Lime's doors are very secure.

If Lemon does not come home, please don't let Lime fly away. There is no guarantee that they will find each other and that would be very sad. I believe it would be a good idea to find Lime a new companion. My lovebird took to her new companion several years after her first cagemate (who was also a female) passed away. You might even consider bringing Lime to the pet store in his cage to see if he responds particularly to any of the other lovebirds.

I hope that Lemon finds her way home. I feel so sad about this news. :(

Cathy

:( Oh dear how so so sad.. Maybe Lemon will come back to her Lime.. Good Luck

I'm so sorry for Lime, and so sorry for you. I do hope Lemon comes home! Prayers...

I will pray for Lemon to come home! Hey, little birdie, it's not safe out there! Come home where you are loved and protected!

So far Lemon did not come home.

I hang the mirror again in Lime's cage yesterday, (never wondered I would need it so fast!) and this morning I was awaken by Lime's beautiful singing. The mirror seems to be working wonders, Lemon was the loudest of both, but this morning Lime is really exihbiting himself in front of it.

Yesterday he was very quiet but this morning he seems to have awaken anew!

Hope Lemon finds many seeds and lots of enjoyment in flying free, hope she's safe and well.

I would like to thank everyone for your guidence and prayers. Please know though you're on the other side of the world, it still felt very conforting. Thanks, Karen

Hi Karen,

I was thinking about you and Lime this morning and came to see if you had any luck. I'm sorry that Lemon didn't come back. I hope that she found another home that is as caring as yours, or a flock that she can be with. My yellow lovebird, Teacake, is a bird that apparently got away from her home and then flew down to a little boy in his backyard. He and his family kept her for about a month but she bit everyone so they decided they couldn't keep her (she can be very affectionate, but also a bit of a little beast and you have to know how to approach her or you WILL get bitten!) They brought her to the bird sanctuary where I volunteer and I took her home from there - about 12 years ago now!

If you don't get a new companion for Lime, you might want to consider working with him to make him YOUR companion. Male lovebirds are notoriously easier to work with than females. I'm glad he's singing now. They are such beautiful little birds!

With love,
Cathy and the FLock

Hi Cathy,

I thank you for your concern. I think I might have mislead you here. I've always refered to Lemon as the F and Lime as the M, but I'm not sure. Both birds came to me as my husband brought them from a bacardi advert being filmed in Malta and they where used as props. Due to their behaviour it seemed authomatic that Lemon was the female since she was the chatter box, was dominant on Lime and even bigger in size. But I don't know for sure. Lime on the other side can be easier approached, he doesn't fly away when I approach the cage.


The choice of making him my companion is appeling, but I would like to know if I go on holiday for example, or on a new job and can't give him that much attention, will he suffer? I went to Gozo for 4 days and when I came back I found Lulu with a small part of her chin without fur. She stresses herself in our absence and it always happens with her. In fact we have decided if we go back to Gozo we will take her with us.

I never know what is worse, to leave her home in her environment, with mum to care for her, or take her with me. But definately I will be taking her with me next time and see what happens.

Sounds like Lime might be male. Best way to tell is when he shreds the paper. . .does he put it under his tail feathers or just let it drop? Only the females put the nesting material under their feathers.

As far as leaving him on his own when you go away, yes, they do miss us a lot because we have become their substitute companion. That is why all my birds have a companion that they share their cage with. But that's not always possible and you have to decide what is best for both you and Lime. If he is approachable and seems sweet-natured then it might be nice for you to be able to handle him. Another option is to get a hand-reared, young lovebird who you can handle and then he will learn to interact with you from the new baby. If you decide to work with him alone and not get another lovebird, then let him have his mirror and leave some music on for him if you are going to be gone for long periods of time during the day. When you go away on vacation, see if you can find a pet shop or pet boarding place that specializes in birds so that he will have other birds there with him while you are gone.

Keep me posted on what you decide.

Sending love,
Cathy

P.S. Teacake and Edla say "Screeeee!"