Peach-Faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis
The smallest and feistiest of the three parrots unambiguously legal to keep in China. The name is misleading β devoted to its own kind, but genuinely aggressive toward other species, and it must never share space with budgies or cockatiels.
βοΈ Legal status Β· Legal to keep
One of the three parrot species whose captive-bred individuals are explicitly permitted for keeping and trade in China (the others being the budgerigar and the cockatiel). Note that only the peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) is covered β other Agapornis species such as Fischer's and the masked lovebird are not. Confirm the exact species before buying.
Check another species βKey parameters
- Lifespan
- 10-15 years
- Adult size
- 15-18 cm, 45-60 g
- Diet
- Pellets or a seed mix as the base, with vegetables, cuttlebone and grit provided long term
- Temperature
- 18-28 Β°C, avoiding stuffiness and draughts
- Humidity
- 40-60%
β Suits you if
Anyone wanting a high-energy, highly interactive small parrot who can live with the volume and the chewing
π« Do not get one if
Households that already keep budgies or cockatiels; anyone needing quiet β the lovebird's call is sharp and frequent
Starter equipment list
Buy all of it before the animal arrives, not after.
- Cage: 60Γ50Γ60 cm minimum for one bird, with horizontal bars for climbing
- Plenty of chew toys β lovebirds are among the most destructive small parrots, and without an outlet they will start on the cage
- Several natural wood perches of differing diameters
- Separate food and water dishes, plus a dish for vegetables
- Cuttlebone and grit, always available
- Paper or willow strips: hens tuck nesting material into their rump feathers to carry it, and providing strips satisfies that behaviour
Most common beginner mistakes
- 1 Housing with other bird species β lovebirds attack budgies and cockatiels, biting off toes and sometimes killing them. This is the most serious item on the list, with no exceptions
- 2 Assuming "lovebird" means they must be kept in pairs β the name refers to pair bonding, not to solitary birds suffering. A single hand-raised bird bonds far more closely with you
- 3 Not enough toys β the urge to chew is intense, and with no outlet it goes into the cage, the walls and your furniture
- 4 Stroking the back and tail β it stimulates hens into chronic egg laying. Head and neck only is safe
- 5 Keeping the cage in the kitchen β fumes from overheated non-stick coatings are lethal to birds
- 6 Avocado, chocolate, onion, alcohol and caffeine β all toxic to birds
Common illnesses
| Illness | Common cause | What you'll see |
|---|---|---|
| Psittacosis (chlamydiosis) | Contact with a carrier bird or dust from its droppings | Lethargy, green watery droppings, laboured breathing β transmissible to humans, seek veterinary care immediately |
| Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) | Circovirus infection; lovebirds are a high-incidence group | Deformed and shedding feathers, beak deformity. No specific treatment β strict isolation required |
| Chronic egg laying | Excessive light hours, over-rich diet, being stroked along the back | Repeated infertile clutches, causing severe calcium depletion and exhaustion |
| Feather plucking | Boredom, lack of company, environmental stress | Chest and belly feathers pulled out, skin exposed |
| Bumblefoot / pododermatitis | Standing constantly on perches of one smooth diameter | Red swollen footpads, scabbing, limping |
Frequently asked
Do lovebirds have to be kept in pairs?
No. The name comes from how tightly they bond with a mate, but keeping one alone works perfectly well and a single hand-raised bird is usually much closer to its owner. A pair will bond with each other rather than you, and you should be ready for breeding behaviour.
Can they live with budgies?
Absolutely not. Despite the size, lovebirds are highly aggressive and will injure or kill budgies and cockatiels β severed toes are a common outcome. Different species need entirely separate cages and, ideally, separate areas.
Why does it keep tucking paper into its tail feathers?
That is a nesting behaviour specific to peach-faced lovebirds β hens shred paper and bark into strips and carry them tucked into their rump feathers. Seeing it means the bird is in good condition. Provide some ink-free paper strips.