Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 7/22/2006

Question
We have a 9 year old and a 3 year sun conure that have been caged together -  Lately when they are out of the cage they have been going under the coffee table (about a 3 inch gap at bottom and fairly enclosed. We put a throw rug under the table to keep them from chewing up the carpet - they have made a nest from the throw rug and we noticed an egg was laid (we're assuming the 9 year old is the female since she is the one sitting on the egg and the 3 year old chases anyone away that looks under the table - my question is, should we leave them and the egg alone under the table or put nesting material and move the egg to their cage (they are only in their cage while we are at work, but other then that they are out and under the table).  We have no animals or children that can bother them.  Also, do you think the egg would be furtile?  Thank you in advance.

Answer
Hi, Debra.  Thanks for posting.

What an interesting situation you have with your birds!  Obviously, the parent birds are very comfortable under the table and must feel their offspring would be safe there, so the decision is up to you here based on the situation you have with no other pets, no children, etc.  If you decide to move them to their cage, you'll need to place the egg(s) in a parrot nesting box.  The birds will most likely not feel secure enough if you don't put up a nesting box.  For sun conures, you'd need a nesting box larger than a cockatiel nesting box, which you might be able to find at a local pet shop that caters to birds.  If your husband is handy at carpentry, he could make a nesting box fairly easily.  Nesting boxes are square or rectangular made out of wood normally (some are made out of aluminum) with a lid on top so you have access to the inside, and they have a hole in the front so the birds can go in/out.  The entire nesting box can be placed inside the cage if the cage is large enough or you can attach the nesting box to the outside of the cage in a location where the entrance hole would allow the birds inside the cage to go in/out of the hole.  You might be able to find pictures of nesting boxes on the internet.  

You could leave the birds to nest under the table, but be sure to leave the throw rug, as any babies that might hatch would make a mess with their droppings until they are old enough to leave the nest (parents won't defecate in/around their nest...they would come out to do this).  

I have no idea at this point whether the egg would be viable or not, but I don't have any reason to believe it/they wouldn't be based on the information in your post.  I'd agree with you that the 9-year old is likely the female.  She is not too old to produce healthy babies if she's in good health.  

My website has lots of information on parrots in general if you'd like to visit:

http://www.angelfire.com/falcon/birdinfo/index.html

Come back with any questions.

Chrys