Blue and Gold Macaw: "I have decided that I will hatch this orange."

[CEM Webster]

Tequilla the Blue and Gold Macaw, Tequila the blue and gold macaw - Home | Facebook, is at "that time of the year" and she has decided, as best we can tell, to try and hatch an orange.

She'd been building nests anywhere she could get out of an easy line of sight, and we'd been taking those away. We gave her an unpeeled orange to play with and now she tends it like an egg.

It seems to make her happy, but we are wondering whether we should take it away.
Or should we provide her with a bit of a nest?

The bottom of her cage is a grill. A small egg would fall through but the orange is slightly larger than an extra large egg and is easily rolled around the cage floor.

 

[Cara]

I think it depends on her behavior. Most people recommend discouraging nesting because birds can become territorial and not so pleasant to live with. I have a male GW that is much happier if he's allowed to nest, so we let him at it. He's often sitting on large acrylic beads or whiffle balls as eggs. He IS territorial and he does rush out if my husband gets too close to his nest, but at least he is quiet. If we don't allow him his nest, he screams and screams.

 

[Hankmacaw]

@Macawnutz Military sat on a Jolly Ball - I don't think she ever got it hatched though.

 

[Begone]

"I have decided that I will hatch this orange."

Good luck!
And why are they saying that parrots are so smart?

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

I am a proponent of allowing them to do what their instincts say they should do. Her hormones say brood an egg. Therefore, I would allow her to keep her orange until she got bored and started ignoring it. Apparently she had enough stuff in her cage she could use as nesting material and that woke up her broody behavior and I would allow her to work her way through that behavior until she was thoroughly done with it.

We humans think our pets are here for our enjoyment, but what about what makes them happy, even if it is awkward or unhappy for us? I don't believe the happiness should always skew one way and what they want to do should be allowed as often as possible, but, of course,with in safety.

I allow my birds to live in mated pairs, lay eggs and brood them. I just make sure as well as I can none hatch and I am successful, most years. My flock of birds seem happy and interact with me without a problem and also with one another even though I have four different species represented. I have instinctual behavior all over the place and I enjoy watching the natural behaviors between the birds and revel in the fact they trust me in their flock as well.

 

[Macawnutz]

Do we get pictures?

I'm all for allowing nesting unless it's causing health issues.

 

[faislaq]

@Macawnutz Military sat on a Jolly Ball - I don't think she ever got it hatched though.

 

[CEM Webster]

Before we added the orange and the towel. Note the absence of nesting material, just wooden blocks that she chews up or regurgitates on. Most food and water bowls, and most of her toys, are all above the level of the top the the green toy box.

 

[CEM Webster]

Tequila and the orange, without a "nest".

 

[faislaq]

How adorable! How long has she been on the orange? Have you had to swap it for a fresh one yet? Doubt she'd want her orange egg to turn green.

 

[CEM Webster]

We swapped the orange after about a week. She is lasting longer this time than she did in the spring, when she actually laid an egg (size of a small chicken egg). She decided the actual egg cramped her natural party style and ate the egg for breakfast after a week.

 

[faislaq]

 

[issajoy]

We swapped the orange after about a week. She is lasting longer this time than she did in the spring, when she actually laid an egg (size of a small chicken egg). She decided the actual egg cramped her natural party style and ate the egg for breakfast after a week.

oh my!

 

[DQTimnehs]

How long has she been on the orange?

Sounds like a new expression - "she's on the orange!"

 

[Archiesmom]

"I shall hatch this orange."

 

[Tim]

I’ll have to get kumquats for the caiques

 

[WallyLoopey]

This thread title made me laugh

 

[faislaq]

I’ll have to get kumquats for the caiques

 

[DQTimnehs]

I’ll have to get kumquats for the caiques

Then people will be asking "How long has she been on the kumquat?"

 

[DQTimnehs]

@CEM Webster It's weird that she ate her own egg but doesn't eat the orange!