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Agatha is chewing paper through grate

Lo_

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Hi guys!
I've noticed the past week or so Agatha will go to the bottom of her cage and stick her foot through the grate, grab the paper towels, and then chew on them through the grate. Just a few days ago she got a new wood toy and has been grabbing the shavings too and chewing them even smaller. Is this nesting behavior? I am ignorant when it comes to hormones/behaviors of female birbs, I need to do some reading for sure.
 

Ripshod

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My GCC Buddy just loved chewing paper, just as my whole flock do now. I don't think it's a nesting behaviour necessarily so I ripped the covers off an old telephone directory and let them have at it.
Many of us live with chewers and have moved our favourite books away from our flocks.
 
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dollfish

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Yes, not necessarily hormonal behaviour but you need to look at more factors to determine this.
 

Lo_

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My GCC Buddy just loved chewing paper, just as my whole flock do now. I don't think it's a nesting behaviour necessarily so I ripped the covers off an old telephone directory and let them have at it.
Many of us live with chewers and have moved our favourite books away from our flocks.
Yes, not necessarily hormonal behaviour but you need to look at more factors to determine this.
Thanks guys. She just pulls all the paper towels up and ends up pooping on the tray and moving the grate around o_O gonna have to secure it somehow!
 

iamwhoiam

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I have birds that do that, too, and they are not being hormonal but just like chewing and ripping up the paper. I lowered Keno's (cockatoo) grate but she can still reach down with her foot and pull up the paper. Most of the ripped up paper winds up on the floor. She likes throwing the papers out of the cage.
 

keirieski17

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I have a budgie who loves chewing her paper. I think for her it can be hormonal behavior, especially if I see she’s chewing it very methodically and to the point where it’s been completely destroyed only an hour or so after replacing it
 
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iamwhoiam

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Oooppss...as per my post...I lowered Keno's tray, not the grate. hahaha...would be much easier for her to reach the paper if I lowered the grate.
 
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Lo_

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Oooppss...as per my post...I lowered Keno's tray, not the grate. hahaha...would be much easier for her to reach the paper if I lowered the grate.
I don’t think that I can lower the tray on this cage, unfortunately. Agatha is having to reach down with her foot as it is haha
Ollie never did this, and neither did Percy , Echo, or Neptune (budgies) and she’s my first female so I was just like oh no :lol: Seems to be normal, so I won’t worry about it :D Just need to secure the grate with quick hooks or something so she can’t escape the cage when she moves the grate and tray
 

Lo_

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I have a budgie who loves chewing her paper. I think for her it can be hormonal behavior, especially if I see she’s chewing it very methodically and to the point where it’s been completely destroyed only an hour or so after replacing it
Gotcha, makes sense. She usually only goes after it once she’s got wood chips down there. I think that’s her real goal, but the paper is a bonus sometimes haha
 

dollfish

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I have just thought of something. Just place rocks in the corners and the middle so your birb is not able to pull it up and get poo all over itself from the newspaper.
 
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