Umbrella Cockatoo Quirks?

[Cockatoo]

My umbrella too, Angel, loves cardboard boxes, so I put one in her cage for her to make a "nest" out of. She's a hugely outgoing bird, who always wants to be out of her cage, but when there's a box in her cage and I approach her, she ducks into the box and doesn't want to come out. Is this normal behavior?

 

[pacoparrot]

I wouldn't encourage this behavior. It usually comes along with aggression. My female Eclectus does the same thing but will defend her "nest"

 

[Molcan2]

I wouldn't give her any dark spaces to hide in, its going to encourage egg laying behavior, esp right now. Breeding season for Toos is from Nov to March in the US. Encouraging nesting behavior is just asking for trouble. Toos are notorious egg layers, some have to be spayed in order to stop (very risky surgery). Egg laying in Toos can lead to prolapses, calcium deficiencies and the death of a bird. The behavior of hiding in her 'nest' is natural. Breeding behavior should be discouraged. During this time, no excessive petting, avoid petting down the backs, and don't allow any nest making. In the wild Toos bore out holes in trees to nest in, a box very closely simulates this.

 

[Cockatoo]

Thanks so much! I've removed the box, and she seems pretty miffed at me right now, but she'll get over it, ahahaha. I definitely don't want her laying eggs, because one of my 'tiels died from being egg-bound.