Territorial burrowing/hiding?

[jdmiller95]

Hey everyone! I was just wondering if anyone had had any similar experience with their linnies.... so we all know, linnies love burrowing, hiding, generally being covered or in things. Mine is just like this, he constantly wants to go under blankets, or gets irritated when he can't get underneath anything in the area. So the thing is, when he does find something to be under/in, he gets a bit territorial...he usually lets out a few little sing-songy sounds right when he goes in, and from that point if I uncover him or accidentally nudge the area by him or put my hand near an opening, etc., he lets out one of his little screams (usually he's 100% content with being handled/having my hands nearby). Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what do you do about it? I've mostly been just blocking him out of the areas that he likes to be in but which I move around a lot (such as underneath my laptop) but I dunno if there's any other suggestions you may have. Thanks a bunch (In case this is at all relevant he's about 5 months, definitely male, and he's gotten ~extra~ irritable about this--and also everything--recently as he is molting....)

 

[wyrinth]

That's nest building behavior. My male "finds" the nest first and makes it comfortable for the female and he protects it....loudly! I let my two make their little nests (under a shelf on my desk) and just give them some millet. If he makes the screaming noise, I stop moving my hand (but don't take it away) and just talk to him. This usually calms him and he realizes it's me.