BrdyLover0
Checking out the neighborhood
- Joined
- 7/28/21
- Messages
- 3
I need help troubleshooting getting a first time nesting pair to utilize the nest box instead of their chosen half moon empty food/water dish.
(Trying out showing concave nest to her with onservation hatch door off for now)
The nest box is a Vision Hagen Co. plastic nest box with concave nest spot. It can be installed inside or outside the cage. It has a secondary ventilation hole besides the entry and a perch. It also has room for hen and growing chicks to move around.
The hen is 6 1/2 years old and the cock is 5 years old. Just as reassurance to any more experienced breeders, I have responsibly owned budgies for over 10 years now and this situation has caught me off guard.
[Alittle Background on My Budgie Ownership: ...
I have only ever had two bonded females at one time. My first two females lived to be 6 (Kahuni) and 7 (Nani) years old. This current bright green female (Kahili) was the new companion for my lonely 7 year old Nani for the last year of her life. The seven year old unfortunately succumb like her first friend to one of the common health issues in budgies, a suspected crop tumor.]
I have had the nest box installed for a week and they come near to eat millet (an enticement to try and have them explore) but have yet to enter.
Instead, the novice female hen chose at first a vertical cuttle bone holder with small cup at bottom. I added the half moon dish to encourage her away from it and prevent the cage floor being tried as the next alternative.
Should I let her nest in the half moon cup and wait until the first egg is laid, then carefully transfer it to the nest box to show her where to lay the possible other eggs?
They have already begun to mate for the first time once visibly to me Tuesday, July 27th. I want to be prepared and provide the most ideal environment for a nest in the possibility of fertilized eggs.
I have done extensive reliable research already on all topics related to budgie breeding over the last month just to be prepared. I also have two avian vets to consult with and understand the risks (due to their age and being first time budgie parents) and how to be prepared to take emergency action if needed.
I have been converting them to more of a consistent veggie and fruit diet add on over the last two months to compliment their preferred seed (Kaylor of Colorado) seed blend/pellet (Zupreem Fruit Blend previously Roudybush Maintenance Crumble). They have access to a cuttlebone and mineral block, and I have begun to offer hardboiled egg with finely crushed egg shell for protein and extra dietary calcium. I have them interested in tasting sprouted seeds. I also have a calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3 supplement arriving from Amazon today.
Please do not judge me, I didn't plan this and feel embarassed not knowing my one female was actually a male this whole time. I was told when purchased from a local small pet shop that the male was thought to be female and having never had the color mutation she/he is before I believed this to be true. Both birds were purchased from Kahoot's pet store in California and came from local responsible breeders. They were both between 12 and 14 weeks old, fully weaned, friendly, and fed veggies along with seed at the pet store.
I was only prompted to investigate further when I noticed more intimate relationship blossoming in the last three weeks than just friends. Before now, they have always acted like two female friend budgies. Included current photo taken today:
(Left- "Kekipi" Sky Blue, Opaline, Male)
(Right-"Kahili" Bright Green, Normal, Female)
They have never tried to mate until this year, that I noticed. I now know there was a fake mating attempt once this past April and full courting/bonding led to mating this July. Possibly due to my new adopted rescue cockatiel's presence and the humid weather conditions??
