Why do my Quakers love to empty their nest box?

[Yonads]

I have a young pair of Quakers (M+F, approx 1.5 - 2 years old.).
They are very bonded, it appears they are mating, though the female has not laid any eggs yet. Neither has the male.

I gave them a nest box in the hopes that one day they would use it. Slowly, they did start to use it - use it means they go in it once in a while, and I maybe even sleep there (but not always).

I give them lots of nest building material - twigs, palm leaves, etc, and they love to play with them, and chew them, but they do not build a nest. They have shown no interest or ability in being construction workers, like their reputation.
So, sometimes I put twigs, palm leaves, paper, shredded paper, etc, right into their box, and they enjoy removing every single piece of material - out of the box. They don't build with it out of their box, they just methodically remove everything.
Their box is empty of everything - and they seem to prefer it that way.

I can't figure it out. If they don't like their box, they wouldn't go in it. If I put stuff in there, and they were not happy they would just not go in there?
If they wanted the building material, they would use it to build a nest in their cage, out of the nest box, but they don't do that either.

The only other option is that they get some enjoyment from messing with my brain, and doing the exact opposite of what they are "supposed" to do.
Any thoughts? Similar experiences out there?

 

[Zara]

You know, if I put paper or other things in my lovebirds box, they will pull it all out, they just like doing it themselves to their liking. Sounds like yours are doing the same thing.

Another thought, Is the box large enough? *large enough for the two plus their tails plus maneovering space?

Remember to research well before breeding and making sure your birds are in tip top health/age.

 

[Ali]

Not a single one of my birds leaves the nesting material in the nest box for any more than a day after you but it in.

 

[Yonads]

Yes,, the box is large enough. I also have a pair of lovebirds, and another single lovebird (for now), and they fill their nesting box religiously. What ever goes into their cage, gets into their nest box. If I put stuff in their nest box, they re-shape it into a nice nest. So I never had the experience of birds emptying their boxes. Lovebirds are famous for that.
And from what I read, Quakers do that too. @Zara, @Ali are you saying your nest boxes are empty? Your birds go in there at night and sleep in a bare box?

 

[Zara]

My male lovebird lived alone for many years so he had a box to sleep in (I found few safe alternatives to those snuggle huts), his box was bare and he never made a nest despite shredding paper in his cage and storing it in his rump.

Then for my true pair, if I offer a nest box when laying, it is lined with wood shavings and they make their own nest using that as a base. Their box is fixed externally so I can switch eggs with ease.

 

[Yonads]

For my single lovebird, we put a sock in his nest box, and he loves it. He climbs into it like a sleeping bag, and sleeps there all night. Comes out in the morning.
This started as a baby. We gave him a rolled up sock - to snuggle against in place of his mother, and he eventually learned to climb inside it. He still does it now as an adult.

 

[expressmailtome]

Be very careful with the sock as parrots can ingest the fibers and suffer from an impaction.

 

[Yonads]

Be very careful with the sock as parrots can ingest the fibers and suffer from an impaction.

That's a great point. I was worried about that, and used to check the sock for any signs of nibbling. I have never seen any such signs.
I also change the sock regularly for cleanliness reasons.

What do you think - can the bird be ingesting fibers even if I don't see signs of it on the sock?

 

[Zara]

I would also worry about the bird going in the sock and being unable to get out, especially as this is inside a box. Not something I would reccomend anyway.
I´m sure your male lovie will enjoy the box empty just as much