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About

I’m Mariëlle, a web developer with my own ICT business. I own a lovebird called Apache, after the Apache server I use for my work, although sometimes she can be as loud as an Apache helicopter.

Apache is a violet masked lovebird, with quite a personality that makes her adorable.

How I got Apache

In early 2019 I got my lovebird through my brother who realized he couldn’t look after her properly and asked if I wanted to be her new owner.

I didn’t have any pets on purpose, since I was working 40+ hours a week at points (not including all the traveling). However early 2019 I started my own business, so I would be home a lot. Thus Apache became my adorable pet from then on.

My lovebird Apache after taking a bath.

The mistakes I made

Apache laid her eggs in the hut made by my mother.

I thought I knew a lot about lovebirds already. As a child we had a few. One sadly passed away because of egg binding problems. Another one fell off a perch at a very young age and broke its neck. We didn’t have any more birds after that. Until now.

As I was researching more about lovebirds and how to properly care for them, I was proving myself wrong about my knowledge. So I decided to dive deeper into the topic. I wanted a proper environment for Apache. I wanted to understand her behavior. With everything I learned I changed things for the better in Apache’s cage, diet and how I interact with her. 

One of the mistakes I made is giving her a cotton nest (my mother made it for her). It triggered in her some hormonal behavior. I was scared every day that she would have an egg bump and that I could lose her! I really didn’t want that! So I had to teach myself what to do with a broody lovebird. 

I had given her other cotton toys. When reading what could happen if she swallowed too much of the fibers, I took them away and changed them to something safer.

She used to be on a 100% seed diet and I’m still trying to convert her to a much healthier diet which has fruits and vegetables. Recently has accepted pallets in her diet, so that is an improvement.

She had smooth and plastic perches.

All of it changed to the better the more I learned!
Apache studying if a piece of apple is safe to eat.
Apache studying if a piece of apple is safe to eat.

Why I made this blog

With this blog I want to help others avoid the mistakes I made and show them what I did to fix them. I want to help by giving you advice to have a happier and healthier lovebird.