Kalypso laid an egg

[NBGwen]

Look at how tiny it is I am 99% sure it is not fertile. She lives with her bff Pi, the male budgie. She's been rather aggressive with me, especially this morning. The wee egg was in their food dish! (I have NO nesting spots available to discourage breeding behavior). I just can't get over how itty bitty it is

 

[Zara]

Look at how tiny it is

Super tiny

I have NO nesting spots available to discourage breeding behavior

That´s good. It certainly helps reducing they laying but won´t stop it altogether, so eggs will still be laid from time to time

 

[Kassiani]

That does look tiny!! Is this the first egg she's laid?

 

[NBGwen]

It is! She's a little over 3. VERY nippy this morning! She wanted nothing to do with me and thoroughly unimpressed that I checked her over lol

 

[NBGwen]

Omg you guys Look at them...I know it's not fertile (or I assume so), but I don't have the heart to remove it yet. That's their food dish...needless to say, I've put their food in another container. I'll candle the egg in the morning, there is visible yolk, so I want to be safe and make sure no baby before removing it.

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

Her boyfriend's a budgie?

 

[NBGwen]

Her boyfriend's a budgie?

Yup. They are completely bonded.

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

Well in that case no need to worry about fertile eggs lol (as far as I know, that is).

 

[NBGwen]

Well in that case no need to worry about fertile eggs lol (as far as I know, that is).

Eggsactly (I couldn't help myself lol)! I've tried to research it, but parrotlets and budgies are so genetically different it's not likely, but I like to err on the side of caution, and seriously, they are the most adorable couple right now I almost wish they could (except I don't want babies or to breed them, I just don't have the heart to take it away yet).

 

[Zara]

except I don't want babies or to breed them, I just don't have the heart to take it away yet).

You can boil eggs, let them cool down, and then put it back so they can go through the motions

@Monica Have you heard of a p´let and a budgie laying fertile eggs?

 

[NBGwen]

And then there were 2...I candled them this morning (Kalypso and Pi are pretty upset with me for touching them! Pi even got close enough to nibble on me, he NEVER does that!). I can see yolks, but I don't see anything else. Again, I'll look after work. The thought of boiling them...ugh I know it will help them go through the motions and I should. Oh my heart.

 

[Zara]

Again, I'll look after work.

To save your birds the upset if they don´t like you in there, I can tell you what you will see when you candle the egg after work - the same. Clear with yellowy/orange yolk.
Need to wait a week after brooding to see anything while candling.
Now is the time to boil before any life starts to form (if that´s even possible).
After the egg has cooled down, mark it before putting it back so you know which have been boiled in case your birds lay more eggs

 

[Gabby22]

It is best not to remove the eggs because it will cause the female to lay more to replace the ones that were taken. Females lose a lot of calcium during egg laying - Be sure to provide your female with things like a cuttlebone, mineral block and foods like broccoli green and leafy veggies which have calcium, egg shells, powdered calcium or liquid calcium.

 

[NBGwen]

Yes, I read that as well. She has lots of calcium sources as well.

Now the bad news, and it's 100% my fault. Pi, the budgie, was guarding Kalypso and the eggs this morning when I went to change their water. He went on the attack...and broke the tip of his beak off It's my fault, I should have been more aware of how upset he was. I managed to catch him, I know it will heal and I did my best to clean him up (he's extremely skittish, not hand tame at all). I feel awful. It was a total accident but I want to cry. He acts like there's nothing wrong, as he continued to attack me while bleeding. My poor boy

 

[Kassiani]

You may want to take him to your vet so that they can file the tip of his beak smooth in case it is sharp and he hurts himself preening himself or her.

 

[NBGwen]

Yes, I've been debating it - the only debate is financial and the fact that there are no actual avian vets in my province. The few times I've had issues, I've researched and cared for them on my own. Covid hit my family hard in the finances, it normally would not be an issue (yay pandemic - sarcasm). I'm at work now and getting my 21 year old to keep an eye on him, she's also soaking some of his pellets to see if he'll eat soft food. I'm going to go home at lunch time to check on him again. I try to keep my treatments with him short because he gets so stressed out. I just feel like bawling my eyes out. It's all my fault. If I'd been faster changing out the water, if I'd left Kalypso alone (I checked under her to see if she laid again). My poor boy

 

[NBGwen]

I called my vet office. I'll go deeper into debt for my baby. I'm so upset. I have to wait for a call back though as they don't normally treat birds. I love my province, but times like these I hate it.

 

[Zara]

Glad you called the vet. Always a good idea to talk to them, maybe email a pic if possible and get their opinion on whether he needs to actually see the vet or not.

I just feel like bawling my eyes out. It's all my fault.

Try not to be too negative on yourself or get upset. It has already happened, it was only an accident.
One day I opened the door to one of my girls cages while she was hormonal and she charged so fast she couldn´t stop herself at the edge and fell out of the cage. She wasn´t hurt, but quite easily could have been! Sometimes we don´t expect it, but we learn to be a little more careful in the future

It´s great you have your daughter keeping an eye on him

 

[NBGwen]

Well, my vet is pretty great. I spoke to a tech who asked for me to email photos or a video is I could. So of course I drove home straight away to get them (I live fairly close to my office lol). I had a really good cry at home and once I had him, I realized the injury wasn't near as bad as I initially thought. It looks like the very tip snapped off and pealed the keratin back up part way - because of the blood and the look, I thought it had snapped much further up. Even though I am sure it hurts, I am hugely relieved that it's mostly just the keratin that pealed. He keeps preening Kalypso, who now also has a little blood on her Like, seriously Pi, stahppppp. He's super tired, but I think that is mostly just from me holding him for his photo shoot (as mentioned, he hates being handled). Other wise he is flying around and acting normal, and attacking me still when I try to help. Just waiting to see if they want to try pain meds for him or not. I'm sure he'll be fine now. So glad I went home.

Thank you so much for understanding. I definitely learned a new lesson today. I have MS and carpal tunnel - I don't have the best sensation in my hands, so I didn't feel how hard he was going at me (mind you budgies and parrotlets, thankfully, do not have strong bites). Very much a lesson learned.

Yes, I am very lucky to have my oldest child living at home <3 she's a good kid. Her and her gf are staying with us while they house hunt (so frustrating right now).

Kalypso, in the meantime, is completely chill, sitting on her eggs and wondering what the issue is. Love my wee blue anger pear.

 

[NBGwen]

Just a little Pi update (I know this is the parrotlet place, but I figure some here are invested now ). The vet is going to video call me tomorrow afternoon. They want his beak to air out tonight and see how he does, they don't think he needs pain meds, but will reassess tomorrow afternoon. He does seem pretty normal, all things considered. I think the bleeding made it look worse, but I'm frustrated. I know my vet is doing her best, but it seems odd to wait 24 hrs to then meet with me on video and not even see Pi herself. :/ I know they aren't accustomed to having birds there (I can only imagine how many people around here have birds and don't ever bother with a vet - mine have all gone at least for an initial visit so the vet can see them and they meet the vet).