Pairing? How does it work?

MutatedFungi

New member
Nov 13, 2016
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So in nature multiple birds are able to fly off and find a suitable mate, however in captivity this isn't always the easiest to achieve.

So how do you as breeders pair them up, to have the best results?

Any pros or cons to these methods?

I am in no shape or form ready to breed, I am just curious.
 

Dinosrawr

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Aug 15, 2013
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Avery, a GCC born on March 5th, 2013 & Shiko, a blue IRN born on February 25th, 2014
I'm no breeder, and I never plan to be, but it does depend on the bird. The birds themselves choose who they will pair up with. This is why when you often see breeders selling a pair, they're sold as a "proven pair", meaning they've successfully reproduced together more than once. It isn't as simple as throwing them together, you're right. But ideally you do want to pair birds with similar temperaments and who have been healthy for years prior to breeding, and once you match them it's supervising them carefully to see how they react with one another.
 

texsize

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Oct 23, 2015
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Not a professional breeder.
With my cockatiels I had 2 male birds that were bonded to each other. The female bird that ended up in the cage with them they showed no interest in. I bought a male whiteface and he was put into a cage with 2 hens a lutino and a cinnamon.
The whiteface ended up paired with the cinnamon, I was wanting him paired with the Lutino.
It became obvious that the Lutino was the bird that made 3 a crowd.
I had to remove her from the cage.
I have had 2 clutches from this pair and I am going to do what I can to keep from having any more babies.
It's a wonderful thing to watch. To see how fast they grow. A real miracle.
But you need to dedicate a good deal of time to it.
I don't know how I will be able to say goodbye to the babies but I HAVE TO or I will be hip deep in cockatiels. I love every one of them and I have to say goodbye.
texsize
 
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MutatedFungi

New member
Nov 13, 2016
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  • Thread Starter
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Not a professional breeder.
With my cockatiels I had 2 male birds that were bonded to each other. The female bird that ended up in the cage with them they showed no interest in. I bought a male whiteface and he was put into a cage with 2 hens a lutino and a cinnamon.
The whiteface ended up paired with the cinnamon, I was wanting him paired with the Lutino.
It became obvious that the Lutino was the bird that made 3 a crowd.
I had to remove her from the cage.
I have had 2 clutches from this pair and I am going to do what I can to keep from having any more babies.
It's a wonderful thing to watch. To see how fast they grow. A real miracle.
But you need to dedicate a good deal of time to it.
I don't know how I will be able to say goodbye to the babies but I HAVE TO or I will be hip deep in cockatiels. I love every one of them and I have to say goodbye.
texsize
I can see how easy it is to get attached to teils especially with their friendly nature and cute antics.

Very interesting how parrots can be so human like in choosing a mate, unlike other animals that you'd only need a male and female for.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J321AZ using Tapatalk
 

YNAfan

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Dec 20, 2016
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VA
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Pairing with smaller species (Australian parrots) is quite easy, introduce the pair to each other in the same day to large cage and watch them bond . This process is very tricky though when pairing larger parrots . CAG is easy by nature and they usually less fussy about mate selection, in the other hand, Amazon parrots and Cockatoos are known to kill their mates in a heart beat and aggression escalate in breeding season. Experts suggest introducing the pair to each other in adjoining cages but not to touch each other to avoid biting. Monitor all signs of good pairing by watching behavior change and if birds stay in close proximity then you join the cages and give final check of behavior before final stage, when both go to same cage. Larger parrots are expensive and hard to get by so it makes sense to slow down and give them time. When it comes to breeding birds patience is one of the most important factors along with good management of birds. I hope this helps.
 
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Eve2

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Jan 30, 2017
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I used to breed cockatiels. I put the birds in an aviary with extra nest boxes and let them choose their own mates. Cockatiels will breed none stop if you let them, that isn't good for them so when the chicks were raised I took away the nest boxes. Some chicks I hand feed but I never took all the chicks and let the parents raise them themselves. I also removed the chicks when they were ready so there would be no inter-breeding.
 

itzjbean

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Jan 27, 2017
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I think there are many ways to go about introducting birds together to bond. Mine were already bonded before I got them, so I'm not experienced with setting up breeding pairs, but I think the general rule is, you want both of the bird's safety to be your priority. As mentioned above, larger species like Amazons and Cockatoos can easily kill their mates, so I think it is best to introduce them to each other by putting each one in cages next to each other, gradually working up to introducing them into a larger cage. They should always be monitored in case things get hostile. It is also totally dependent on the bird, too. Some brids have no interest in bonding to antoher bird, while others will bond very easily.
 

Mangotango

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Apr 22, 2017
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I have had my cockatoo, Mango, for six years. She is about 12, well raised and loved when she needed to be rehomed due to the owners health. She is wonderful,and we have had few problems.

Since she hit puberty she has been in a Constant heat. No temper, no biting, but she is begging for sex from anyone she knows. If you pet her long enough, she will vomit to prove she can feed her young. She lays eggs frequently. I did not adopt her with any intention to breed, (though she is a gorgeous umbrella, DNA, sexed, hand raised) and I do have a lifestyle that could accommodate that if I needed to. She can't be spayed. She has lots of love and interaction, showers with us. She knows shhh! And will start talking for what she wants.

I feel a huge responsibility for all my creatures Happiness. She seems for years to be needing something in a big way. I have read above about advice on how to introduce. I have read about the violence. I am putting in an avian flight area for her. Does she really want a mate? I know she thinks I would be happy to do it, but truly I am just a female human.

Before I get the lecture, I am asking so I can plan if needed, so she can be fulfilled. She did not ask to be born to humans away from her jungles. If I can get some good honest feedback, and she really would be happier with a mate, I would proceed with tons of research, advice from experts, and a carefully planned execution. I would not let her be bred, unless I knew I could provide wisely and well.

Also possible, she only wants Human babies...
 

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