pros/cons of a pair of lovies?

Hey guys! I adopted a baby lovebird a couple months back, and now that my school has started up again, and also now that I have a job, I feel like I am not giving him as much attention as I would really like to. He is still out of his cage a good 3 hours a day usually, but on weekends much more, but I think maybe he would like a friend to give him company?

I have heard good and bad things about keeping two together, and until I get a DNA test to see if HE is a he, I just want to know some stuff.

What are the pros? Will he be entertained and not mind my absence?

What are the cons? Is it 100% certain that he will bond with the new friend and they will both hate me?

Thanks!!

Lovebirds are extremely hormonal little birds and they will attempt to nest in anything that could be vaguely seen to resemble a nest-box (that could include feeding cups). Having said that, though, my personal opinion is that I would never keep a single lovebird on its own. I've always kept mixed-gender pairs for exactly the reason you suggest. They find a great deal of comfort and bonding in a friend, especially at roosting time. If you've ever watched paired Lovies getting ready for bed at night, you'd see immediately that friendship is very important in their social structure.

Having said all that, though, I've never owned a tame Lovie. All mine have been aviary birds kept in a large flight cage simply for the fun of watching them be their pretty, hilarious selves. Many people would say you won't 'tame' a Lovebird that is part of a pair, especially of a bonded pair. I can't speak to that, as I said. I can say that my Alexandrines are a bonded pair and also strongly bonded to me. We have no trouble getting along together, all three of us, and the Beaks have been together since before I owned them. During the three weeks that my Barney was lost (he flew away!), the change in Madge was significant: she was incredibly depressed and stopped singing and playing and barely ate. On his return, she was back to her usual bouncy self. I think this shows how deep and meaningful birdy friendships can be, even outside the bond with their owner.

In the end, you'll have to make up your own mind. Hopefully, other members will chime in with different opinions to give you some ideas to compare. This, as always, is just my 2c worth.