Lovebirds are the proof that personality has nothing to do with size. They weigh next to nothing, fit in the curve of a hand, and carry the temperament of a bird ten times larger — bold, opinionated, and absolutely certain of what they want. The name is no accident: a bonded pair will preen, feed and sleep pressed against one another for hours, and a hand-raised single will pour every bit of that devotion onto its person instead. Living with a lovebird means living with a small creature of strong feelings. Boarding one well means respecting those feelings — the love and the feistiness both — rather than expecting a tiny bird to be a placid one.
If your lovebirds are a bonded pair, they board as a pair, full stop. We never split a couple who've chosen each other — the stress of separation hits a lovebird hard, and there's no boarding benefit that could justify it. They keep their own cage, their own arrangement, and the comfort of a partner through an unfamiliar week. A single, deeply bonded-to-you lovebird gets the opposite consideration: a bit more of our attention and presence to stand in for the company it's used to, because a lone lovebird that's been left entirely alone can wind itself up quickly.
Lovebirds come from warm parts of Africa, and although ours are well acclimatised to Canadian living rooms, they still notice a chill more than the hardier parrots do — and an Ontario shoulder season can swing. We board them in a draught-free spot and keep the room comfortably warm and stable, away from cold windows and the path of any vents. A fluffed-up, lethargic lovebird tucking its head is a bird telling you it's too cold or unwell, and because the two can look alike, we watch warmth and behaviour together and adjust before a small bird loses ground.
For all their sweetness, lovebirds can be scrappy. They're famously territorial about their cage and their mate, and a hormonal lovebird will defend its corner with real conviction. We don't take that personally and we don't crowd it — we let the bird come to the front on its own terms, avoid reaching uninvited into a cage it's guarding, and keep its space its own. Read with a little respect rather than met with force, even a bossy lovebird relaxes, and the affectionate side reappears. We keep their diet exactly as it is at home, fresh greens and all, and watch the daily details closely on a bird this small.
Lovebirds tend to be busy and chattery from the start — a settled pair will be back to their constant low conversation within a day, while a single takes a touch longer to decide we're acceptable company. You'll see all of it in your daily photo letter. Lovebirds are a much-loved little bird around Newmarket, and with only two households held each week, the popular weeks book early, so an earlier letter means an easier confirmation.
First time boarding? Our note on preparing your bird for a stay walks through drop-off, and spotting and easing stress is especially useful for a small, intense bird. Lovebirds sit in Tier II on the rate card, and you're welcome to write us a letter with any questions.
Tell us about your bird and the dates you have in mind. We reply within a day, usually less.
