Customer Reviews

Lovebirds: Everything about Housing, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, and Diseases: With a Special Chapter, Understa (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Cute pictures and thats all. Bad info...says you shouldn't have a single lovebird! Thats ubsurd. I have one sitting on my shoulder right now and shes definately happy. It is true you have to spend a lot of time with a single lovie but I know its possible!!

This book is TERRIBLE for the first time lovebird owner. I bought this book a couple years back and ended up not following much of the advice because I found an experienced bird person at an awesome bird store. Thank goodness!
Among the blatant lies in this man's book are:
1. Handle your lovebird with gloves.
NEVER handle a parrot with gloves on. It scares them. If you are afraid of being bitten, don't buy a bird.
2. Saying handfed lovebirds are only friendly to the person who handfed them.
LIE. Handfed birds are very friendly and will easily bond with their human flock.
3. (my favorite) "Children must be told that lovebirds ordinarily can't be carried around the room on a shoulder or finger."
Care to explain why my SINGLE lovebird loves to sit on my shoulder and easily steps up for me?
4. They will never learn to imitate.
5. They must be kept singly.
I can't even begin to argue this one. It's ludicrous.
My recommendation? Don't buy this book!
It will only lead to many unhappy, unhealthy lovebirds. This man should have his right to write taken away.

This book is outdated, and much of the information is wrong, and could even hurt the bird, for example saying that lovebirds need grit, or that lovebirds need to be kept with other birds. The attitude towards lovebirds is also very outdated. The author seems to think of them as merely a decoration, like fish, rather than as the companion animals they can be. I would not recommend this book.

This author takes a professional rather than the usual "home pet" approach to bird keeping, and the book is packed with good tips. I find it a good resource, very informative and helpful, and recommend it to everyone who takes home a baby lovebird I have hand-raised. For it's small size and very modest price it contains a wealth of solid info. Although I emphatically disagree with the practices of banding and wing clipping; and don't believe in 'casual' breeding, Mr. Vriends' preventative and first aid info is very good - and EVERY bird owner should put together and keep handy his first-aid kit. Be sure to read the Preface; and the "Understanding..." and "..Species" sections at the back are especially interesting. So are the photos and diagrams. Basically a practical and more well-rounded offering than most of the dozens of books I've bought and read.

As the owner of six new love birds, I found Matthew Vriends LOVEBIRDS A Complete Owner's Manual relatively helpful. I knew little about love birds when I read the book and know a only a little more now. The book did not answer many of my questions, though it raised a few points about love birds I would never have asked. For example, the caption of one photograph says the coloration of the peach-faced lutino lovew bird is sex linked, however, I could not discover which sex was linked. This book is not nearly as comprehensive (or thick) as the title leads one to believe nor is it filled with as much information as other books in the `Barrons' series on parrots including the Senegal and African Grey, however the book is filled with lovely photographs and a number of illustrative drawings.

LOVEBIRDS includes text and maps describing the origins of various types of birds in the family. Vriends apparently owns love birds which he maintains in an outdoor aviary. He includes a good deal of information about keeping love birds in outdoor aviaries, so some of his information such as dealing with frozen toes and vermin that attack birds living aviaries (ticks, rats, mice, etc.) as well as raising love bird babies, may be less than useful for folks like me who keep birds indoors and want to understand "beak fighting" know in advance that clipping their little wings may make it difficult for them to move around an aviary. Although these cute little guys are accused by some of being less than loving, my short experience has shown me that plenty of seed cups and members of the opposite sex alleviates some of the rivalry.

i liked the book because when it explained something it showed a picture of how it should be done. It had a lot useful information in it. It is a good refrence book to have around for anyone who owns lovebirds. i liked how it put in pictures but not to many.

This is my 2nd actual hard copy book on love birds. My other reads have been from internet sources. Overall the book covered what I wanted to know and a little bit more. Gave me a lot to think about before purchasing a parrot.

I investigate books, like this one, at my library, when I have a question. Somebody, was right, BAD BUY, NEVER USE GLOVES-UNLESS Absolutely NECESSARY!!!!! ANY other book, is much better.

Really old, outdated information about lovebirds. Even says it's best to have two lovebirds instead of one as pets which couldn't be more wrong! Diet information is 20 years behind, too. I'd recommend one of the lovebird information forums online instead of this book for up-to-date information on lovies.

Faith, our Peach-faced Lovebird thanx the author, Matthew Vriends
many times over for writing this book. Small in size, easy on the pocketbook, yet filled with a wealth of wisdom about raising & caring for these precious creatures of God.
From hand feeding to housing, playing to protecting, care and concerns, how to, don't do, in simple language, "Lovebirds" is a winner!
The information on illness, disease,& what to do, was invaluable. In fact, we were able to proceed in Faith's best health interest before the Vet's visit.
Buy it, highlight, read, & reread this wonderful owner's companion.