Just Introduced my IRN's To Each Other. Tips?

[Anna]

Well, It's done! After quarantine and a couple of weeks staring at each other through the bars I finally got my Shrek into my aviary with my new blue girl Fiona. She is only a year old so I wont be breeding them this year, but I'm so excited! I'm going to let them get used to me and each other and thier new space for this year and get them into a routine so that when they breed I will hopefully be part of the furniture and that will make checking the nest box less stressful for all concerned.

Day one of introduction to the aviary was interesting. I put in fresh food as well as seed and of course the water (two dishes, one for bathing and one for drinking). The food dishes sit next to each other as do the water dishes so the food doesn't soil the water so bad. Let both birds lose in the aviary at the same time and sat back to watch. Shrek decided to hog the food bowls and Fi was not allowed near them till he had spent an hour eating his fill and picking out the best bits (ratbag). Is this normal behaviour? I was a little worried because he wasn't letting her have much of the fresh food so I put another bowl of fresh food in there for them and he seems to have calmed down.

He is also not used to other birds as he has been in his own space for quite some time. When Fi (she is an aviary bird all her life) tried to preen his tail he freaked out! It was hilarious! Will he calm down and get used to her? I hope so. Any tips? They share one seed dish and I was planning on taking the other treat dish out after a month or so when he has had time to calm down. Would it be better to leave it in?

Sorry for all the questions and the long story, but this is my first time at this with IRN's. Im so excited!

 

[lene1949]

To be honest, I would leave breeding to the professionals. There is much more to breeding birds, than just putting a pair together... Just my opinion, sorry..

 

[Anna]

This is my first time breeding ringnecks. I learnt about bird breeding at the age of 7yrs when I used to help my mum daily with her lovebirds and she taught me through answering my never ending questions. I have previously bred lovebirds, budgies, finches, cordon bleu waxbills (not easy to do) quail and doves. I may not know everything there is to know about breeding ringnecks yet but I have had practice with difficult birds. Lovebirds are a pain because they need higher humidity and can be picky with choosing thier mate and vicious when they dont like thier mate. The Cordon Bleus are know for abandoning thier babies/eggs, killing them or only warming them and not feeding them etc. They need several nest sites and pick thier favourite and I still ended up hand feeding some of thier young in a homemade brooder. I have also handfed various parrots and doves and I used to be a member of the wildlife rescue in my area.

I have a year in which to complete my research that I started at the beginning of this year when I found the female. My findings suggest that ringnecks are easier than the waxbills I had and harder than budgies, maybe on par with the lovebirds, we shall see.

Is there anything I need to watch out for and provide for them? Anything specific to them? I have already bought the nest box to put in next year, its exactly the same as the one that the breeder of my female used so she grew up in one. I also know which nesting material he used and that is what I will be using. I feed them seed, pellets, fresh fruit and vege and mealworms and other bugs that I breed for my spider. As well as alot of other stuff i make for them. They have a bath so I'm sure they will be able to regulate nest humidity when the time comes and if they dont feel safe and happy then I'll know it soon and fix it.

How does one become a professional anyway? Where do they start? Are they born?

So maybe leave the judging till you do your research.... Just my opinion... sorry..