Ask Lafeber

Weight Health Lovebird

Hi, my 3 year old male lovebird weighs 45 grams. Is this a healthy weight for his age?

Hi,

Weight is just a number and is not a reliable way to determine good physical health. As with any living thing, there can be a big difference in the size & weight of individuals that are the same species. With birds, the best way to determine physical health is a physical assessment of the breast muscle. A Vet can explain this to you and show you how to feel that area and tell if the bird is over or underweight, or just right. If the bird is healthy, the Vet can also weight him and this gives you a good idea of what his normal weight is. However, fat is not as heavy as muscle, so that number still is not a definitive way to tell if he is healthy.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda