fiddlejen
Well-known member
- Mar 28, 2019
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- Parrots
- Sunny the Sun Conure (sept '18, gotcha 3/'19). Mr Jefferson Budgie & Mrs Calliope Budgie (albino) (nov'18 & jan'19). Summer 2021 Baby Budgies: Riker (Green); Patchouli, Keye, & Tiny (blue greywings).
When budgies mate. Do they face each other? Or, not?
So the reason I'm wondering about this. Jefferson seems to really like standing on other people's tails.
This started quite some time ago, and I'm pretty sure the first time was accidental. (And ever-so-cute. Whilst exploring their new cage, Calliope had stopped in front of him going up the ramp, but he had kept walking, right up onto her long white tail. So then he stood there cheeping at her to get out of his way, whilst his feet on her tail were holding her in place....)
Over the months Jefferson seems to have discovered standing on Calliope's tail is a reliable way to start a fight... which is a reliable way to get my attention. Maybe they're out of food, maybe he thinks I've forgotten their lettuce, or probably they don't like my choice of TV show, or etc.
Also when all birds are out & atop cages, Jefferson likes to try to pick fights with mild-mannered Sunny too. Taking advantage of his quick movement and her relative slowness, Jefferson happily walks up as far up her tail as he can get before she spins around. (Then he jumps away quickly, saying "Who me? It was someone else, wasn't me!")
So this leads to my question. Maybe Calliope has gotten used to Jefferson atop her tail, I'm not sure. But this weekend I noticed him standing there on her feathers... and chirping... and she was just chirping away back at him. Not fighting at all.
And this makes me wonder, is the tail-standing behavior actually mating behavior? Well I don't plan to breed them & I've read all the threads about replacing eggs if they occur, & etc. Plus we're as anti-hormonal as we can be, not anything else I can improve in that regard at this point.
So really I am just curious at this point. With Jefferson standing at the base of where Calliope's tail meets body, and them just chirping away at each other... well her tail's in the way right? So that can't be actual mating, but is it Prelude? Or, is it just Calliope saying "Whatever," & she can't be bothered to fight about it?
So the reason I'm wondering about this. Jefferson seems to really like standing on other people's tails.
This started quite some time ago, and I'm pretty sure the first time was accidental. (And ever-so-cute. Whilst exploring their new cage, Calliope had stopped in front of him going up the ramp, but he had kept walking, right up onto her long white tail. So then he stood there cheeping at her to get out of his way, whilst his feet on her tail were holding her in place....)
Over the months Jefferson seems to have discovered standing on Calliope's tail is a reliable way to start a fight... which is a reliable way to get my attention. Maybe they're out of food, maybe he thinks I've forgotten their lettuce, or probably they don't like my choice of TV show, or etc.
Also when all birds are out & atop cages, Jefferson likes to try to pick fights with mild-mannered Sunny too. Taking advantage of his quick movement and her relative slowness, Jefferson happily walks up as far up her tail as he can get before she spins around. (Then he jumps away quickly, saying "Who me? It was someone else, wasn't me!")
So this leads to my question. Maybe Calliope has gotten used to Jefferson atop her tail, I'm not sure. But this weekend I noticed him standing there on her feathers... and chirping... and she was just chirping away back at him. Not fighting at all.
And this makes me wonder, is the tail-standing behavior actually mating behavior? Well I don't plan to breed them & I've read all the threads about replacing eggs if they occur, & etc. Plus we're as anti-hormonal as we can be, not anything else I can improve in that regard at this point.
So really I am just curious at this point. With Jefferson standing at the base of where Calliope's tail meets body, and them just chirping away at each other... well her tail's in the way right? So that can't be actual mating, but is it Prelude? Or, is it just Calliope saying "Whatever," & she can't be bothered to fight about it?
