Green Cheek Conure Pair???

[Libby&Zed]

Hi, I have a Pair of Green Cheek Conures. The male is 4-5 years old and the female is 13 months. They get a diet of pellets, vegetables, fruit, mashed eggs, cuttlebone and seed as a treat. As soon as I introduced them the male started feeding the female. They preen each other all the time. The male has been working the nest box for a few days. The female chews the entrance hole and only goes in half way to pull out a piece of bedding to shred it. Yesterday I heard the male making a strange noise inside the box almost like he was calling the female. She went to the box and kept looking inside but wouldn't go in it. The male tries to mate with the female but only puts one leg on her back and isn't doing it right. I have toys in the cage but I have read that some breeders don't add toys to their pairs cage. So my question is; Do the pair seem like they are on the right track? Thanks.

 

[Mizzely]

I don't think I would try to breed a green cheek at only 13 months. They are still maturing at that age. It's sort of like, yes, a 12 year old human can get pregnant, but she isn't really mature enough to promote doing that.

 

[Libby&Zed]

Thanks.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

My advice as a breeder will differ from others here. I never tried to breed my conures until both were at least two years old. I always had them on a diet which included lots of added calcium and lots of soft foods before they had to produce eggs and feed babies. The male sounds like he is on the right track but it may take the female a while longer, due to her young age, to have any interest in reproducing.
I suggest taking the nest box down. I would also separate the pair being that the female will probably soon mate with the male and start producing eggs, way too soon. Give them both toys for now. Keep them in cages that are near each other so they stay friends and familiar with the other. Give the female another year at least and then put them together and add the nest box. I bred these delightful little green cheek conures starting way back in the late 1970's. They were so easy to breed. Lots of privacy, a quiet place for the cage and nest box. No toys needed as they will have plenty to keep them busy!
In the meantime, I suggest reading up on the breeding of conures. Robbi Harris did a great little book back in the 1990's on this subject if you can still find it. I bought a few of my first pairs from her. Also, be ready to hand feed!!

 

[Libby&Zed]

Thanks, I've been reading a lot of sites. I've tried finding books about breeding them but no luck yet. I want to get as much information as I can. I'll take down the box.

 

[melissasparrots]

I think they are on the right track. The female is young and still inexperienced. Plus, some females just don't go into the box until ready to lay. Each pair is different. I do not breed conures, so don't take my thoughts as the final word. I would check with other conure breeders to see how they mate. Not all species mate by having the male climb all the way on top like cockatiels do. I know my parrotlets used to mate side by side with just one leg up. I suspect my amazons and quakers mate like that too, but have never caught them in the act.

 

[Libby&Zed]

I went to take down the box last night and when I walked over to their cage I didn't see her. I looked in the box and she was inside. I waited and she never came out. The male comes out to eat but goes back in. She's still inside this morning.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

I really suggest you get them to leave the box, it's not hard, and take it down. Give the female a chance to develope before you let her lay eggs. The laying of eggs takes a lot out of a bird so young. It takes a lot out of a bird of any age. I always made sure there was a calcium supplement on the food way before I put up the box. My green cheeks that I am currently breeding are 5 and 7 years old. I will only put them together once this year. They are on a really varied diet and breed quite readily. Try to find a book by Robbi Harris. She did a great one on breeding conures years ago.

 

[Renae]

Since they aren’t really doing it properly, that is one less worry about her laying eggs regardless of there being a nest box in with them or not (because it can happen), but hopefully once the nest box is out, they will have no interest in mating. To throw them off a bit more, you can also change everything around inside the cage (once the nest box is out).

 

[KatherinesBirds]

I wonder sometimes what is the proper method with conures. I mean....my painted conure pair....the male climbs on top while they are both in the nest box and when all the commotion is done at 6 am each and every morning, he falls off and hits his head on the box. I think he needs a helmet.
My green cheek pair does it while lying on the bottom of the cage on some paper towels on their sides. They will both figure it out in time I think.