Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 6/13/2006

Question
I have had a pet parakeet for about 4-5 years now, and just recently read that they do better in pairs.  I feel horrible about not knowing this when I got my bird.  Is it too late to get a cage-mate for her?  She has also started laying eggs, at least one a week.  How long will she do this?  Is this something that only happens at a certain time each year?  Any ideas on good info. books I can get to become more knowledgeable?
Thanks!

Answer
Hi, Jennifer.  Thanks for posting.

Do not feel bad about this at all!  The best pet bird is a single bird in the home.  In other words, if you want a pet bird, DO NOT buy her a mate/companion.  Birds prefer other birds to humans, so if you set her up with a mate/another bird, she'll eventually prefer the other bird to you.

The springtime is the beginning of breeding time for parrots (your keet is a parrot) and most other animals.  This means their hormones are running rampant...this is why she is laying infertile eggs (single female birds can lay infertile eggs with no male bird present).  She may continue to lay all spring and summer, perhaps into the fall.  However, it is not good for her to continue to lay and lay and lay.  Is she laying on the bottom of her cage or is there some type of nest present (such as a nestbox)?  In order to help dissuade her from laying, limit her light source(s) to 10-12 hours per day, keep her room cool (don't let it get overly heated, which is a trigger that springtime is here), and don't provide any type of nesting material or nest of any sort.  If she continues to lay and lay, you can take her to a bird vet for a hormone injection to stop her from laying.  For the eggs she does lay, just leave them where she lays them until she abandons them on her own.  Then you can remove and destroy them.  If you remove them as they are laid, she'll continue to lay and lay and lay.     

I've found that most books are outdated.  A good source is probably the internet, which has fairly recent information.  However, don't believe everything that you read.  What's "out there" is a person's description of their experiences/opinion of something.  Take in all the information you can find, then believe about half of what you read!  There are bird magazines, too, that have good information.  Also, sites like All Experts!

My website can provide more info for you:

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

Chrys