advise needed please.

[johnbonce]

Hi, I have a pair of eclectus parrots 5 & 7 years of age. The female has recently started sitting under the cage and pecking at the carpet around it. Do you think it is worth putting a nesting box up as I am yet to see the male feed her or actually mate. Any help or advise would be great.

Cheers
John

 

[Boysmom]

You may get very few responses to this question, as many are against breeding, especially after recently watching the parrot confidential documentary. There are so many parrots in rescues and sanctuaries that many people feel very strongly against breeding more to just possibly end up in a rescue.

It sounds like you are a novice breeder seeking advice, so I don't mean to seem negative to this question, I am merely explaining why you may not get any responses that are positive to breeding at this time. Please go and watch parrot confidential, there is a thread here with links to watch the program, then decide if you still wish to breed.

I have not bred birds, but did foster some breeder pairs in the past. They were older birds and did not breed while in my care for a year. With that said, I couldn't tell you if you should or shouldn't offer a nest box. I think that is a personal decision on your part, as to whether you wish to encourage breeding of your pair or not. Good luck with whatever you decide, and welcome to the forum.

Have you handfed baby birds before ? Are you willing to sacrifice months of handfeeding around the clock ?

 

[johnbonce]

hi and thanks for your response, now I can see why I never got any responses Ive handfed from 3-4weeks onwards but not Eclectus parrots, and I was only asking as ive never experienced this kind of behaviour before so was just wondering what peoples thoughts were. I don't want to just put a nest box up because then the female could just sit in the box for 23 hours a day and nothing else. I will certainly watch the documentary. thanks again for replying

 

[Boysmom]

Your very welcome John. I didn't want you to feel rejected with your question, as most people just won't respond. I felt an explanation as to why you won't get many responses was the kind thing to do. I am relieved to know you are trained in handfeeding, so your babies will have a chance for healthy survival. You may want to put in a nest box and see if it encourages them to begin mating, if it doesn't and the female just sits in it for endless hours, you can always remove it. I have read that the nest box does encourage mating in birds, but I have no experience with breeding, I have only read about it.

 

[johnbonce]

im very grateful you took the time to explain why as I would have been sat checking back all night wondering why no one had replied. I think I will give the nest box a shot, like you say I can always take it away. Also im on searching the internet for parrot confidential as im in the uk and cant watch it on catchup, hopefully find it somewhere and watch it tonight

 

[Boysmom]

A lot of people here on the forum overseas are having difficulty being able to view the documentary. Good luck on finding it viewable in your area, and please post where you find it, if you do, to help others find it also. Keep me posted as to how the mating and nest box goes.

 

[johnbonce]

Ive found a link to download it
Nature.S32E03.HDTV.XviD-AFG…avi (445,90 MB) - uploaded.net

and i will keep you updated on the progress

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hi John.

If I were you I would NOT provide them with a nest box, UNTIL you see the male feeding the female AND you see them trying to make.

 

[johnbonce]

Hi John.

If I were you I would NOT provide them with a nest box, UNTIL you see the male feeding the female AND you see them trying to make.

Oh ok thanks do you know of any reason why the female would be sitting underneath the cage? its very dark underneath the cage, do you think it could just be her hormones?

 

[MikeyTN]

If you were to provide a nest box you would see the female start plucking her belly. Sometimes this is how the plucking issue start. Ekkie babies are one of the tougher ones to hand feed if you don't have the experience. Some may be required to do crop feed. By providing a nest box does not guarantee you to have babies as the females may reject a male.

 

[MikeyTN]

Hi John.

If I were you I would NOT provide them with a nest box, UNTIL you see the male feeding the female AND you see them trying to make.

Oh ok thanks do you know of any reason why the female would be sitting underneath the cage? its very dark underneath the cage, do you think it could just be her hormones?

Females will lay regardless if she have a mate or not and they go into dark places to nest. The thing is if you don't want her to, you do not allow her to go underneath cage or anywhere where she can nest.

 

[johnbonce]

Ok, im going to hold of providing a nest box until I see more solid evidence that the pair have bonded, can anyone shed any light on the sitting under the cage where it is dark and trying to pull up the carpet?

 

[johnbonce]

Hi John.

If I were you I would NOT provide them with a nest box, UNTIL you see the male feeding the female AND you see them trying to make.

Oh ok thanks do you know of any reason why the female would be sitting underneath the cage? its very dark underneath the cage, do you think it could just be her hormones?

Females will lay regardless if she have a mate or not and they go into dark places to nest. The thing is if you don't want her to, you do not allow her to go underneath cage or anywhere where she can nest.

Thanks Mikey, I think I will buy something to block up underneath the cage as I dont want her laying clear.

Thanks

 

[MikeyTN]

Its not about laying clear eggs. If you don't want then to breed you don't provide her the oppotunity unless you have the intention of breeding then I hope you know what your doing.

 

[johnbonce]

Its not about laying clear eggs. If you don't want then to breed you don't provide her the oppotunity unless you have the intention of breeding then I hope you know what your doing.

I understand your concern and i am appreciative of your feedback but Im not that irresponsible to keep a pair of any animal if i didn't know what I was doing.

 

[Jewelz]

You may get very few responses to this question, as many are against breeding, especially after recently watching the parrot confidential documentary. There are so many parrots in rescues and sanctuaries that many people feel very strongly against breeding more to just possibly end up in a rescue.

It sounds like you are a novice breeder seeking advice, so I don't mean to seem negative to this question, I am merely explaining why you may not get any responses that are positive to breeding at this time. Please go and watch parrot confidential, there is a thread here with links to watch the program, then decide if you still wish to breed.

I have not bred birds, but did foster some breeder pairs in the past. They were older birds and did not breed while in my care for a year. With that said, I couldn't tell you if you should or shouldn't offer a nest box. I think that is a personal decision on your part, as to whether you wish to encourage breeding of your pair or not. Good luck with whatever you decide, and welcome to the forum.

Have you handfed baby birds before ? Are you willing to sacrifice months of handfeeding around the clock ?

Well said Boysmom. There are WAY too many birdies already out there needing good homes......

 

[johnbonce]

also that post isnt meant to sound cocky or anything by the way

 

[JerseyWendy]

John, your female definitely sounds like she's ready to do her "thing". Males mature slower than the females.

What does your pair act like in the cage? Do you have a platform perch in there? I know many Ekkie breeders use a rather good sized shelf where they can "make out" easier than just on a perch.

Once you see them "making out" AND see the male feeding her, then I'd add the nest box.

If you added it now, my guess would be your female won't hesitate and start using it, but the male is either not ready yet, or too inexperienced at this point.

 

[johnbonce]

they sit close together when they are settling down for the night, during the day they do there own thing, she is definitely more dominate than him, i didnt think of the shelf platforms, i will have a look on the net and locate one, i dont have a decent pet shop near by. I was always hesitant on putting the nest box up at this stage as you say she will just sit in there all day and not bond with my male.

Thank you for your comments by the way

 

[MikeyTN]

I know what you mean and I didn't take it offensive... Good luck to you!