Keeping your bird in a communal part of the home where it can see people and interact with them, even from the confines of the cage, is best. A bird kept in a back room by itself will likely be very lonely, craving the attention of its human flock. Prepare an area before you bring the bird home so the transition can be as smooth as possible. When choosing an area, take into consideration such risks as children or other pets knocking over the cage, furnes from cooking, and drafts from windows.
Make your avian veterinarian appointment before you pick up the bird so you can be sure to get it to the venterinarian before the guarantee period ends. Make sure the guarantee allows time for delayed test results as long as those tests were performed during the initial guarantee period. Many avian veterinarians are extremely busy and may have trouble booking you within a short guarantee period. It is strongly advised that you take the pet store or breeder up on any veterinarian checkup guarantee. If the bird gets sick or dies and you didn't take this step, you will have little recourse. The investment in the well-bird checkup is well worth it. As stated earlier, your lovebird is long-term investment. Losing a precious pet due to inaction can be a very traumatic experience. Chapter 4, " Avian Health," covers the types of tests you might want to order.
If you plan to buy your lovebird at a pet store, it will sell most of the items you need to bring your bird home. Buy the largest cage you can afford, and make sure it has appropriate bar spacing. The bars should not be so wide apart that the bird could push  its head between them, possibly trapping and injuring itself. Lovebirds enjoy climbing, so a cage with some  horizontal bars is best. Choose a square or rectangular cage, rather than an oval or circular one. Be sure to get a cage with a grating on the bottom that separaates the bird from the bottom of the cage. This helps keep the bird from eating old food that has dropped to the floor, a particular problem if fresh foods fall there and sit for a few hours while you are  at work or otherwise out for any extended period. Note that lovebirds cannot be left alone for a weekend the way some other types of pets can be. They will often tip over their food and water and be left with nothing until you return. Their fast metabolism makes it impossible for them to go without food or water for even a couple of days. Having a friend or neighbor check on your bird daily is best.
LOvebirds also love to swing and play, so be sure to buy a nice assortment of toys and a swing. Toys with brightly colored beads, bits of chewable wood or leather strips, and bells tend to be their favorites. Be aware that some toys made for birds may actually be dangerous. Avoid copper bells and toys with zinc chains or links as these can cause heavy metal poisoning (see chapter 4, "Avian Health"). Buy more buy toys than you need for the cage so you can rotate them occasionally and keep your bird interested in its enviromment. Toys should also be replaced if they become permanently soiled or damaged in such a way that they could present a hazard to your bird. You should realize that many toys labeled safe for birds may not be safe for your bird. Your bird's size and level of destructiveness will determine if some toys should be avoided (see Chapter 5. "Safety Issues"). Also purchase some extra bowls. Most cages come with two or three bowls. A bird should get water, seed, pellets, and some fresh foods each day, so extra bowls will make your life easier. In fact, you should get twice the number of bowls you need. This way, if you are too busy to wash bowls one morning, you have some extra clean ones ready to put into the cage. If you are buying directly from a breeder, be sure to purchase the cage.
If you are buying directly from a breeder, be sure to purchase the cage and accessories and set them up before you bring the bird home. The breeder may even have have a good suggestion about where to find the best cages and toys.
The most important question to ask the seller of the bird is, "What is the bird eating now?" If possible, purchase the same type of seed and pellets so that the bird has an easier transition. You can change these later by slowly adding the new foods to the old ones. However, you do not want to force a bird to make a dietary change while it is already going through the stress of transition to a new home. Many breeders will supply a week's worth of the current seeds and pellets the bird is eating to help with the transition.
When your bird arrives home, put it into its new cage and let it get comfortable with the surroundings. If it begs to be taken out by hanging on the side of the cage or running along the doors, go ahead and handle it for a few minutes at a time. However, you should continue to put the bird back into its cage regularly so it gets used to its cage regularly so it gets used to its new space and starts to eat. In fact, it is a good practice to resist always taking your bird out when it begs for attention. This way, you do not create a situation in the future where the bird squawks persistently if you are busy. Some lovebird owners note that their birds play quite sweetly with them for about half an hour and then seem to get a little nippy or agitated. Lovebirds have a very fast metabolism and can become a bit irritible if they do not get back into the cage to eat and drink water. They generally should be given a break to refresh themselves after about an hour of playing.
Observe your bird's behavior and vitality closely for the first three to four days. Replace the paper daily so you can watch for changes in feces and aldo see if the bird is really eating. If you have any doubts about whether the bird is eating or not, contact the pet store or breeder immediately to discuss your concerns.