Redfaced lovebird agapornis pullarius

After buying two pairs of red faced lovebirds from a trader, I brought the birds back and placed them in their new homes, breeding cages measuring 40 x 20 x 16 inches, a nest box measuring 16 inches in length, the width of the cage, was placed in the right hand corner of the cage, the nest box was divided into two sections, the first section was filled with peat, while the second section had a layer of wood shavings and peat placed in the bottom.
After only two weeks, both the hen and the cock bird had began to dig out the peat, and within a further two days they had dug through to the second chamber and had began to build a nest using grass and shredded newspaper.
After a further two weeks the hen had laid two eggs and was sitting tight, because the second chamber of the nest box had a removable lid, I was able to inspect the nest box every day without causing problems or collapsing the entrance tunnel running through the peat in the first chamber
The red faced share a bird room with the madagascans, who have reared two clutches so far this year, with no extra lighting or heating and so far seem very hardy birds
Feeding the birds has proved to be very easy as they love all kinds of fruit like apple, fresh figs, sweet corn and pyracanthaca berries, the only green food they have eaten is chick weed which is picked fresh from the garden when required, a good seed mixture is given which includes a wild seed mixture and rearing food, grit, cuttlefish bone and fresh water are always available to them.
I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the birds became steady and they seem particularly tame, which has helped very much with the nest box inspections.
I am hoping these fertile eggs will hatch so that I can tell you more regarding the rearing of the chicks. Mean while, if anybody else who owns these lovely, rare love birds could share their experiences with the rest of us, we could all have a better chance of saving the birds that have already been brought into captivity.

Editor: congratulations to grant on his success this year (1997) with the two most difficult species of love bird, not only to breed, but to keep alive in captivity.