Q. My mother has a female lovebird 9 years old who shows symptoms of wanting a mate. We tried to get a male from our local pet shop and we were told that the only way to ensure we get a male is through surgery. Can't we tell any other way?

A. The store owner is right; you can only learn the sex of a young lovebird by performing surgery. As for adult lovebirds, there is no differentiating their sex in terms of coloration or size. Only an expert can tell the difference between adult male and adult female lovebirds - and that's on the basis of how they behave.

You know you have a pair - a male and a female - when they start to preen each other and appear to be "in love".

If you eventually get a mate for your bird, also get a larger cage. And ideally, make a room or a screened-in porch bird-safe so that they can have some freedom during the day.